Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-08-22
CORONER'S JURY
F0uNOA VERDICT
NO BLAME ATTACHED TO ANY.
ONE FOR DEATH OF D. AR.
MENTRoUT YESTERDAY.
SIX WITNESSES
Half Dozen Testify In the Inquest
Held During Afternoon In Dr..
sIaught's Offce-Car
Ran Slow.

The inquest into the death of David
Armentrout, killed by an automobile
yesterday morning about 9 o'clock,
was held in the Office of Coroner A.
W. Slaught at 3 o'clock yesterday af.
ternoon. The jury attached no blame
for the killing of Mr.. Armentrout, find
ing verdict in keeping with the tes'
timony presented by the six witnesses
at the inquest. The verdict states
that the death of the aged man was
due to being run over by an automo-
bile owned and driven by w. H. My.
nard, which was running at speed of
between three and four miles per
hour.
Not Deaf Said Son.
The witnesses before the inquest
were G. S. Prosser and Thomas Mich
ael who were dragging the road at the
time of the accident and were eye
witnesses. Mr.. and Mrs. w. H. My
nard also testified as did DR.. E. G.
Barton who was called shortly after
the accident. He told of how he
found the remains, stating that the
wound on the leg and chest were
either sufficient to- cause the death,
but thought the latter wound respon-
sible. Arthur Armentrout, son Of
the man who was killed by the car,
testified as to his fathers hearing
which he said was not so poor but
that he thought he would have been
able to hear the honk of the auto.
Thomas Michael testified that he did
ject, but just fell in front OF the car
Of ha %,,r oh 1o
was almost abreast of him.
w. H. Mynard testified that when
he started down the hill near the
Baum farm he had both brakes on
the car and thought that the speed
was about two or three miles per hour
and was sure it was not more than
four miles per hour because the speed
ometer did not show any speed. He
told of ditch or washed-out place
along the road that was being repaired
and said that he was in the middle of
the road, but that Mr.. Armentrouts
line of travel was to his right and not
in his path. He stated that he honk-
ed the horn a number of times, but
could not say whether the aged tray
eler heard him or not as he did not
turn until the car was almost abreast
of him when said he, Mr.. Armentrout
turned toward the pathway of the car
and throwing up his hands, fell in
front Of the car.
Stopped Quickly.
Asked how far the car Travelled after
it struck the man, he said that it was
less than the length of the car, for
when Mrs. Mynard stepped out of the
car, she told him to pull up as the
hind wheel was on the mans body,
and that he released the brake in or
der to let the car off the body. He
said he Immediately went to the aid of
the man, but that he gave but one
gasp and was dead. Mrs. Mynard
stated substantially the same as her
husband except that she stated Mr..
turned toward the car
and then away from it, and finally
in the path of the auto when he threw
up his hands and fell forward and be-
meath the wheels.
The Verdict.
Upon the completion of the evidence
the jury withdrew to the private Of
fee of Coroner Slaught where they
found the following verdict
D. Amentrout came to his death
about a. M, August 20, 1912, about
three miles southwest of Ottum-
wa, being run over by an automobile
which was owned and driven by w. H.
Mynard who was driving about three
Or four miles per hour, being unable to
stop the car in time to avoid the acct i
dent as Mr.. Armentrout seemed to
have fallen directly in front of the car. /
H. w. Michael.
J. S. Redfern.
Clyde Stroud.
DR.. A. w. Slaught, Coroner.
The funeral will be held from the
406 North Adella street
Thursday afternoon, August %, at
p. M. to the Davis Street Christian
church where a service will be con-
Quoted by Rev. Edwin Priest at 2:3O
D. m. 1nterment will be in Shaul
cemetery. .ia