Los Angeles herald., 1909-08-12
SPEED OF AUTO
NOT EXCESSIVE
WITNESSES DESCRIBE KILLING
OF Ill. L0WMAN
CASE AGAINST. CHAUFFEUR is
CONTINUED
r. v. McAlpine Admits He Was
Ratified When He Testified Before
Coroners Jury Cars Were
Far Apart

After hearing the testimony of sew
| eral witnesses in the preliminary eX'
animation of Monte Abrams on a
| charge of manslaughter for running
over and killing Isaac l.. LoWman neal
| Seventh and AlVarado streets the
night of July 2, the prosecution rested
and the hearing was continued yester-
| day by Police Justice Williams to Au-
! gust 10, when the defense probably will
introduce evidence.
/ The testimony of witnesses was to
! the effect that the auto was being
| driven by Abrams little, if any, beyond
the limit provided by law, and that the
speed was diminished slightly before OF
about the same time the car struck
| LoWman. '..
Each witness was closely questioned
| by Attorney LIE Compte Davis for the
defense, and from time to time the tes-
| timony of the particular witness at the
coroner's inquest was referred to in
his cross-eXamination.
r. G. Duke, an automobile mechanic,
was the first witness called yesterday
morning. He testified that there was
considerable dust and smoke from fire
crackers at Seventh and Alvarado
streets on the night of July 2. He
stated that he thought Lowman was
struck on the hip and then thrown un-
der the wheels of the auto.
Difficult to Judge Speed
The witness stated that it is difficult
to judge the speed of an automobile
when not in the motor car.
IF L had been in a similar position
as that of Abrams l would have
swerved to the left had the other auto
cut In ahead of me-" declared Duke.
r. V. McAlpine, a chauffeur, testified
that he was walking east on Seventh
street when two autos went along.
Then L saw persons rushing across
cident," said Mr.. Alpine. Il went
there, too, and recognized Theodore
Tetzlew, the chauffeur of DR.. James,
in one car. The machines, l think.
were several car lengths apart"
On cross examination Attorney Davis
referred to the testimony of the wit
ness at the coroner's inquest and read
that McAlpine stated at that time the
motor cars were several hundred feet
apart.
McAlpine admitted that he was rat
tied" at the coroner's inquest and since
that time had reviewed his testimony
and decided that the motor cars were
not more than several lengths apart.
Hearing Continued
Henry Miller, manufacturer of car
buretors, testified he was riding in the
automobile with Abrams when the ac-
cident occurred. ...e
II thought the car struck something"
he said, and Abrams turned turned
to me and remarked, 1 think killed q
man."
He was excused and probably will be
recalled to testify for the defense.
Ray Patillo, EllYood Hamilton, John
Duncan and Pierce Thomason, students
who were in Westlake park near Sew
enth and Alvarado streets, about twen-
ty-five feet from the corner. testified in
effect that they were attraced by a
rapidly moving automobile and later
saw two automobiles come along and
heard an impact as if some one was
struck and some person yelling. They
stated they rushed over to the scene of
the accident and found Lowman lying
in the street and helped carry him to
bench in the park. They were not
certain as to the speed of the auto, but
stated the motor cars were not going
at an excessive rate of speed.
After hearing the testimony of
Thomason the state closed it's case and
the hearing was continued until next
Thursday at the request of Attorney
Davis, who wishes to be with his
brother, whom he has not seen for five
years and who is here on his way to
the Seattle exposition.