Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-03-18
DUDLEY'S FRIEND
GIVES EVIDENCE
DESCRIBES RIDE THAT LED TO
THOMAS DEATH
BEER HAD BEEN DRUNK AT ALL
THE CAFES VISITED
Admits They Travelled Forty Miles an
Hour but Were Going at Less
Speed at Time of the
Tragedy

troduced by the prosecution yesterday
afternoon in Police Justice Chambers
court during the preliminary examina-
ton of J. b. Dudley, an automobile
salesman, charged with manslaughter'
Dudley is alleged to have operated
motor car and by his carelessness run
over and killed Woodman j. Thomas OF
the street department at Fifth street
and Broadway February "a.
Most of the session yesterday was
taken up with the testimony OF FREQ
w. Gregory, an automobile salesman
living at 1885 Page street, San Fran
cisco. who was one of the occupants OF
the auto at the time of the accident.
The first witness was Constable DE
La Monte, a brother-in-laW of the DEAD
man. His testimony was to establish
the corpus deficit. He was followed by
DIR. George w Campbell, who per-
formed the autopsy. DR.. Camppell tes-
titled to the extent of injuries sustained
by Thomas. The witness described the
location of the skull fractures by marx
ing with indelible pencil the head OF
Deputy Attorney Arthur Keetch.
Witnesses Still Absent
The case was continued until yester-
day in hope that the two women, jessie
TaylOr and Bertha f1Olill6Ss VIII WSAS
in the motor car at the time of the &C
cident. could be found, but the deputy
district attorney stated that the police
were unable to find them. There is a
bench warrant out for their arrest.
Gregory testified that he had met
Dudley last December and was &C
uuainted with him, but not intimately.
The witness stated that he saw Dudley
at the Palace cafe on the night OF the
accident.
"The girls and myself had visited
several cafes We went to the ker-
kow. to the Imperial and then to the
Palace, where we met Dudley. we
when Dudley and G. B. Williams
passed our table. We mad not been
drinking much and only drank beer.
don't think we drank more than three
glasses of beer at each place.
when Dudley approached he. stated
he had an automobile outside ana
would take us home. We accepted his
invitation, and the five of us entered
the auto. After riding around for a
short time we went to the Saddlerock,
where we remained about an hour. we
then left the place and entered the
motor car again"
Had Dudley been drinking?" asked
Deputy District Attorney arthur
Keetch.
at don't know whether Dudley had
been drinking much; presumed he had
been drinking or he would not nave
been at those places" replied Gregory
1--WE went to Sixth street, turned to
Hill thence TO Broadway and down
broadway. l am not certain whether
we went down Hill street or Spring
street.
Sitting on His Lap
Dudley was in front driving the ma
chine. the Taylor woman was sitting
next to him and Williams and [ were
in the rear seats. The smaller woman
was sitting on my lap.
1--WE did not go very fast on Hill
street. Sometimes we went fast and
then we went SLOW"
After being questioned closely as to
the speed attained while on Hill street
the witness finally admitted they went
forty miles an hour at times, and then
they crept along at about five miles an
hour.
Gregory declared the auto was going
at not more than twenty-five miles an
hour on Broadway at the time of the
accident.
81 could see this man (meaning
Thomasl when We were 200 feet from
him. We were going south on Broad
way and were nearing Fifth street
when Thomas stepped off the curb on
the east side of the street and started
to cross. He began to run Just as soon
as he got off the curb, and | thought
there might be an accident. I am posi-
tive the horn was blown. but do not
know how many times. 1t was sounded
Just before we reached the crossing.
Vert Straight Ahead
1.-THE course of the auto was not
changed, and the minute we saw the
man the machine went straight ahead
We were between the tracks and curb
on the west side of the street.
"Did you see the man struck?' he
was asked.
II heard a dull thud. That's ALL" re-
piled the witness.
'The man and the machine met
From the battered appearance of the
left hand lamp I think that is what
struck him. l did not rise when the
collision came. | was watching the
man more than Dudley.
1--WE did not stop after the accident,
but slowed down. We coasted to-
Seventh street, where l got out and
cranl1ed the machine"
When asked as to any discussion re
garding returning to where Thomas lay
Immediately after the accident the wit
ness replied that nothing was said until
the auto was stopped at Seventh street.
Questions of cogs. clutches and gears
were gone into Thoroughly, and the
relative positions of the various parts
discussed.
The prosecution had not put on all
it's witnesses yesterday afternoon when
the case was continued until Saturday
morning at 10 o'clock.
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