Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1911-09-01
WESTERLY AUTOMOBILE FATALITY
Death of Mary A Philbrook Was Unavoidable, Coroner
Kingsley Decides-Honors For James OSullivan-
Nothing New in Watch Hill Hotel Robbery Case
Thomas Aliens Pernicious Activity

Coroner Kingsley on Thursday aft
ernoon formed his report of the in
quest on the death of Mary Alice Phil
brock. the six years old daughter of
Mr.. and Mrs. Eugene Z. Philbrook. who
wsD struck and killed by an automo-
bile driven by c. Clarence Maxson, Jr.,
on Wednesday of last week, in Main
street. Westerly.
The report says in substance:
To my mind there are four ques-
tons to be considered, namely:
l. was Maxson going at a rate of
speed which was excessive, taking in
10 consideration the traffic and layout
of Main street?
p Was he exercising proper care
and giving proper warnings of his
approach?
3. DID he see the girl in time to
have avoided the accident?
4. Did he do all in his power to pre-
vent the accident
As to the rate OF speed which Max
son was going at this point the testi-
mony varies somewhat. Maxson says
about i've to eight miles an hour. Sam
mel c. Mitchell says about as fast
rs an ordinary horse could trot." Ar
thur Kline. who also drives an auto
mobile, says he was going at a mod
crate rate of speed. Mrs. Abbie Buff
FUN says that he was not going fast
Thomas Reynolds says that he might
have been going ten or eleven miles an
hour when he passed the oil wagon"
George 3. Wall who was in front of
Gfrvin's places the speed at from
fifteen TO eighteen miles an hour. 1t
would seem to me that the weight of
the testimony shows that he was GO
ing somewhere from five to ten miles
an hour. The fact that he stopped his
car in a car length and according to
the testimony OF George b. Wal, in
less than fifteen feet after he struck
the girl shows that he could not have
been gsing very fast Had he been
going very fast he could not have
stopped ia such a short distance.
The testimony which is filed here
with bears out Mr.. Maxson's statement
th~& he did blow his horn and give
prspsr waning Of his approach.
From the testimony it would seem,
tba< he could not see the girl before
she came out from behind the horses
heads and if such is the fact it does
net appear that he could have seen
her until she was too close to him and
that he could not have had time to
have prevented the accident.
she went directly in front of the
n1achfre ana oH}y a few feet away
pzAen he fret saw her, it would seem
kat he did all that was possible to
- Am tazninx the wheels and turning
beth brakes in attemp tang to stop the
car.
A1<er carefully considering the tes-
kisrsmy I hereby certify that it is my
ppfnfon that the death of Mary A Phil
b~ssk was caused By collision with an
Eufsmobi3e driven by c. Clarence Max
sen, H- on the Esd day of August,
A. -. 14Ai. which caused death by
shock and probably fracture of neck
scervScal spine).
And I further certify that it is my
cpfnisn that said collision was an ac-
st5sst and unavoidable.
James o'suIivzn, a former resident
Of Westerly now superintendent of
city delivery of the Philadelphia post
offce, celebrated his sixtieth birthday
with q banquet given him by some
Of his intimate friends at boomers
hotel. Throughout the day he was
visited in his office by many friends
who extended congratulations and gave
him valuable mementoes of friendship
A large vase filed with Killarney
roses, the gift of friend. stood on his
desk all day A sealslIin bag gold
pencil were among the other gifts
Mr. O'Snllivan has been state presi-
dent OF the Ancient Order of Hibern-
ians. and the first grand knight Of
the knights of Columbus in Pennsyl-
Vania- He has been connected with
the Philadelphia postoffice for twenty
-1~c years and in his present prominent
position for seventeen years.
3fr. 0fSufiivan said at the banquet
that he hoped to pass the next thirty
=
Ten I'm quiet at his home, and then he
saFd II would be about time to die.
There were thirty-two at the banquet,
incisrsing nine Catholic priests of
prominence in Philadelphia.
Thomas Aiien is certainly a slippery
~6kstS and keeps swinging around
the circle wf1oh includes Hope Valley.
Moth Stonangton, Stonington and
Watch Hill and vicinage. He is here
or there today and somewhere else
tomorrow. his cunning keeping him
out OF the clutches of the officers of
the itw. He was in Stonington Dor
ough on the outskirts. Tuesday eve
ming and between Pleasant View and
Watch Hill Wednesday afternoon.
where he met a friend from North
Stenirgton who, after a social talk.
suggested the securing of some booze.
and ~Skete" informed him that the
booze could be procured easily if he
had the price. but the North Stoning-
ten man was puzzled. for he hao no
change. but did have five-dollar
bill -Skete" solved the problem bv
suggesting that his friend hand him
the bank note and that he would
&c get the booze and bring back the
change This was agreeable to the
man from North Stonington, and off
.4.an