Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-09-19


last few months. and said 1t was time
es responsible.
In every instance the charge of'Chief
Justice Gummere was on cases that
had been previously investigated by the
Evening STAR. This was particularly
true of the four automobile killings
which were reeited to the jury by
Chief Justice Gummere without using
names.
Beside the grade-crossing and auto
mobile killings, he also called attention
to the case of Florence Brown. the
young woman who on August Is de-
serted her young babe in a clump of
bushes on Springfield avenue in South
Orange, and to the case of E. c. Will
Jams, a Pennsylvania railroad engineer,
who on July 16 is alleged to have
ignored signals In the Waverly yard
of the company, with the result that
his engine was in a collision with an
other, causing the death of Isaao
Walker. engineer of the second engine.
| Two other matters that the chief JUS
tice called attention to were directly
due to publicity given by the STAR
One was the alleged attempt to bribe
Alderman p Allen Smith, of Orange,
that came to light following a Council
meeting in Orange, when Smith openly
asserted that he had been offered q
bribe of $400 to vote for certain man
for the position Of tax assessor In that
city
STAR Predicted Acfion.
Smith neither at that time. or any
ntI -
to bribe him, but insisted that this
story was correct. The Evening STAR
on the day following this disclosure told
exclusively that this matter would be
brought to the attention of the grand
jury. This statement was followed by
a resolution adopted by the Orange
Common Council on August 21, in which
It was asked that the alleged bribery OF
Smith be investigated by the grand
| jury.
The case of Newton C. Woodruff.
former water clerk of Nutley. who was
arrested charged with the embezzle-
nent of about $500 in water tolls of
that village, was also touched upon by
Justice Gummere, who said that while
embezzlement was always a crime 1t
was especially serious one when q
person in a public position made away
with moneys entrusted TO him.
In speaking of the killings by autss
mobiles Chief Justice Gummere leaned
forward in his seat and talked earnest
ly to the jurors. He said:
I'm this city and county during the
past three months there have been
four deaths from automobile accidents.
No one knows how many injuries have
resulted from the same cause, though
the reported cases have been many
No Superior Rights.
1T might just as we'll be understood
right now as at any other time that
the driver of an automobile or any
other vehicle has no superior rights to
the highways He is bound at all
times to observe care and to respect
the rights of others, whether they be-
afoot or in a vehicle.
'orhe statute Axes a speed limit NJ
which "a vehicle can be driven. 1t does
not follow from that that the driver IL
entitled 10 run at the limit fixed with
out amy regard for the rights of others.
The driver Is bound to have his ma-
chine under control at all times.
IF he fail to obey the statute limit
do not say he is violating a criminal
law, but he is bound by the law to
be careful. II he Is not careful thea he
shows a reckless disregard of the lives
of Others. A reckless disregard of the
lives of others is manslaughter.
4 'I do not mean to say there has been
reckless disregard of life in the four
killings in this county in four months
but Is is time that people who are driv-
ing automobiles aud other vehicles
i should he made to feel that they have
e0uaI duties with others using tho
highways. When they fail In this duty
they are guilty of manslaughter.'
The four cases of automobile killings
referred to by Chief Justice Gummera
were those of aged William II. Stan
ford, who was run down and killed by
a taxicab driven by James Savage, in
front of the Continental Hotel on the
night of August 81; of William Funk.
who was knocked from his bicycle and
killed at James and Washington streets
on July Ii by an automobile truck
driven by William Hendricksen; OF
Michael Flanagan, who was run down
in front of the First precinct police sta
ton. in Washington, on June 3, and
killed by a car driven by Henry Camp
bell, and of Isadore Krebs, killed at
High street and Clinton avenue on July
8 by a machine driven by William Mos
Allister.