Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1911-11-24
SHAFFNER FINED $40
Reckless Driving Of Automobile
Caused Serious Injuries
tilted to Night Trip Sept. 2o-sald
Chauffeur Drank Nothing Strong.


tilted to Night Trip Sept 2o-sald
Chauffeur Drank Nothing Strong.
After numerous postponements await
Ing the outcome of injuries to Henry w.
Goddard as a result of an automobile ac-
cident on Vernon street the night of
Sept. 20, Harold Shaffner was placed on
trial before Judge w. r. Daley in the
municipal court Monday charged with
careless and negligent driving of an au-
tomobile. States Attorney Frank e.
Barber appeared for the state and At
torney A. F. Schwenk for the respondent.
At the close of the trial Tuesday after
noon Judge Daley imposed a fine of $40
and costs, which was paid. A charge of
assault against Shaffner is pending Mr..
Goddard was injured seriously and was
confined in the hospital several weeks.
He was in the courtroom Monday, but
has not recovered from his injuries. The
car on the night of the accident was &C.
cupied by Shaffner and William S. F1em-
ing.
The first witness for the state was
Henry w. Goddard. In reply to ques-
lions by States Attorney Barber he tes-
titled that he was "A years of age, had
lived in town II or Is years and had
worked for the Crystal Springs Ice COM
pany the past year or more as team
ster On the evening of Sept 20 he had
been hauling corn to the Snowflake can
for home. He drove up Vernon street
and suddenly was thrown from the wag-
on upon the back of one of his horses
and that was all he remembered until
ne was being assisted to his feet by two
men. He thought one of the men was
Shaffner. He said the horses ran away
after he was thrown and that he was
travelling on the side of the road toward
the river and was coming toward the
village In a short time Henry B. Whit
ney, C. w. Coy, Raymond Whitney, A.
T. Wilder and E. j. Fecto arrived, put
him in the Crystal Spring Ice companys
automobile and hurried him to his home
where he remained until DIR. Hamilton
arrived He was taken to the Memorial
hospital and operated upon, remaining
there four weeks. Since being discharged
from the hospital he has not been able
to work, and he said he thought he was
permanently injured. On cross examina-
ton by Attorney Schwenk he said he
was near Henry Aliens house when the
wagon was struck, that the horses ran
away and he could not say where they
were caught.
Henry B. Whitney was next examined |
He said he was in the ice business and |
on the night of the accident had been |
working at the Snowflake canning fac
tory. Goddard was driving a pair of |
steady horses that could be left standing |
anywhere. About five minutes after |
Goddard started for home he left the |
canning factory in the ice companys |
automobile and near Alexander Aliens !
house he met Harold Shaffner, whom he |
identified as the defendant, who ran up
to him and told him that a man had
been hurt when his horses ran away.
He continued up Vernon street until he
found Goddard lying beside the road.
He helped put Goddard in the ice COM
panys car and noticed a Ford car on
the side of faoiOp h
west. He said Shaffner tried to help
get Goddard in the automobile.
Charles w. Coy testified that he left
the canning factory with Mr.. Whitney
and substantiated the latter's testimony
Raymond F. Whitney testified that he
was driving team for the ice company
on the night of the accident and left
the canning factory with Arthur Wilder
and Edward Fecto. A short distance up
Vernon street he met Shaffner, who
asked if Harry" Whitney was coming
in his machine and told them a man had
been hurt when his horses ran away.
The automobile and the team the
younger Whitney was driving arrived
where Goddard was lying about the same
time. He saw the automobile on the
other side of the road and did not see
any lights. Cross examined by Attorney
Schwenk he said the electric street
lights were lighted and Goddard
was lying north of one near the Allen
home.
Arthur T. Wilder testified that he was
a teamster in the employ of S. A. Smith
but on Sept. 20 was working
for the ice company. He told substan-
TALLY the same story as the younger
and said that he saw the au-
tomobile, but did not notice any lights
Edward ]. Fecto, an employee of the ice
company, made practically the same
statements as the other men. On cross
examination he said one fore wheel of
the automobile was on the sidewalk, one
In the weeds beside the road and the
rear of the machine was in the street
He told the states attorney the wagon
Goddard was driving weighed about 1900
or A00 pounds.
Howard S. Merrill employed by Man
ley Brothers, doing general garage
work, testified that on the night of Sept.
20 he was called to the garage by tel
ephone. He found William Fleming
there Fleming told him there had been
an accident, and getting a machine they
went to the Brattleboro garage, where
hey picked up Shaffner and then went
to the scene of the accident. He said
The machine was badly damaged and
described a heavy depression in the ra-
1iator. The machine weighed about 1850
pounds. He testified that Fleming
and Goddard left the garage about
or 100 o'clock the night of Sept 20.
To his knowledge the car had not been
to the garage up to the time he
went to the scene of the accident and ,
hat Shaffner told him that he was /
irving when the accident happened.
When he arrived the tail slight, head ,