Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1910-05-31
AUIOISTS IN COURT ON
CHARGE OF SPEEDING
Dozen Fined BY the Mayor
Monday.
Trial Was Sensational
One---Autoists VIII
Appeal Cases.

The police courtroom was filed 10
the standing capacity yesterday morn
ing when the rich harvest of auto
mobile owners, docketed by spoilers
upon the charge of speeding, were
thus arraigned. 1t was the biggest
crop" ever gathered, and the har-
vest of dollars strained the hither-
to empty and quaking city exchequer.
An even dozen citizens were thus
touched and the total fines assessed
amounted to $1O75O. And there are
yet others to face the music.
The wholesale docketing of cases
by the spoilers hired by the city au-
thorities for the purpose, has Great
ed sensation in auto circles, and
every car owner in Americus was
present to watch the result of the
trial.
Testimony against the defendants
was given by three sleuths, ]. A. Da-
Wis, George Horne and one Lee, the
witnesses stating that they had used
stop watches in collecting evidence
against the defendants.
Mayor Fielder presided and impos-
ed the fines, the several cases com
ing as follows:
DR.. S. H. Mckee, $40, Dr. w. S.
Prather $40, Judge Charles R. Crisp
SO, Mr.. George Riley SO, Mr. Lee
Hansford SO, Mr.. J D. Hooks $40,
DR.. Frank P Cato $40, Mr.. John L.
Wooten SO, Mr. Inman Griffin S.,
Stewart Prather $3.50. Two tcolored
drivers for car owners, $40 each.
The fines imposed amounted to
$1O75O as stated. All were fed out
of the same spoon, and not one es>
capped
Several of the defendants were rep
resented by attorneys and each enter
ed plea of not guilty
Several of the car owners sought
to show by the evidence of witnesses
that their small cars could not be,
driven above eighteen or twenty miles
per hour, even on test, but it did
not go against the evidence, if the
amateur Pinkertons, who held the
watches on them
These sleuths swore directly regard
ing the evidence they had accumu-
lated against the alleged peeders.
Posted on a stretch of good street
(rather difficult to find sometimes)
they would spot a speeder speeding
speditiously, and time him between
telephone poles, afterwards stepping
the distance by way of getting the
measurement
Sherlock Holmes No 1 swore that
Inman Griffin, on Lee street, covered
10S yards in eleven seconds: Dr. w
S. Prather, on down hill grade. reel
ed off 165 yards in seventeen sec
onds; Mr.. J. D. Hooks ia yards II
eleven seconds, while 'Maude" Hans
ford cleaned up 200 yards in twen-
ty-one seconds.
The sleuths gave this testimony, and
the audience marveled, especially at
Maude's marathon movement.
When the cases were concluded the
dozen defendants gave notice of an
appeal of their cases to the city
council, where they VIII be fully aired
again
This will be done at the meeting
on Wednesday, June Sth. None of the
fines were paid yesterday.
There are yet a dozen o. two cases
of like nature to be tried, as all could
not be finish at one sitting of the
court In meantime a wholesome
scare prevails in auto circles, and
drivers will be less speedy, while
keeping an eye skinned for the. eity's
spoilers.
AS this bunch is we'll known nov,
it is not unlikely that new Pinkertons
will be put on duty in order that the
spotting business may be more effec-
tive