The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-11
.EXONERATED BY
C0R0NER'S Jury
Assistant Fire Chief Wise and
Driver Not Legally Blamed
for Killing Fittz.
TO DROP MURDER CHARGE
Witnesses Insist That Victim
Was Hurled in Air When
Struck by Car.

Second Assistant Fire Chief Q. f.
Wise and his chauffeur. l.. r. Cornell,
were exonerated by the coroners jury
yesterday OF any legal blanc for the
death of John j.. Fittz, sixty-six years
old. who was run down by their ma
chino Friday night. and died from his
Injuries Saturday afternoon. The
verdict rendered was as followed:
That John e. Fittz came TO his
death from injuries inflicted on tho
eth day OF March by collision with n
Richmond Fire Department. automo-
bile conveying Second Assistant Chief
o. r. Wise to a fire, and driven at
great speed by i. r. Cornell And
though motor vehicle driven at a
great speed liz exceedingly dangerous
TO persons OH the streets, the Jurors
ind that by an ordinance Of the city
the vehicles OF the Fire Department
arc specifically exempted from the
laws limiting speed. Therefore,
though the death OF ]. Z. Fittz re-
suited from the great speed OF the
Fire Department vehicle, the Jurors
are OF the opinion that no legal re-
sponsibility for the death has been
incurred by T., r. Cornell or O. F.
Wise. and that they were as careful
az the stringent circumstances OF the
case permitted"
Chief Wise and Cornell will face the
formal charge OF murder Tomorrow
morning In Police Court, but in view
OF the verdict OF the coroner's jury
there Is little doubt but they Will be
acquitted.
Both Testify mt Inquest.
The testimony OF Cornell and Chief
Wise was TO the effect that their ma
chine was moving at a ratio OF about
twenty-five miles an hour.
Cornell testified that he rigkaI tho
lives OF himself and Chief Wise in
an effort to avoid a collision with Mr..
Fit'z. Both denied the statement OF
other witnesses that Mr.. Fittz was
the blow from tho machine. They
said lie was struck by one OF tho
heavy lamps and knocked aside
Traffic Officer Bernstein was one OF
the witnesses, who declared the car
knocked Mr. Fittz into the air. lie
also said: THE automobile was
going as fast as any vehicle which
ever passed me-" William e. Barrett.
OF sol East Clay Street. corroborated
the testimony OF Bernstein that Mr..
l'ittz was thrown into the air, and
that the car was moving at great
rate OF speed.
On tho stand Chief Wise said that
the alarm of frc TO which he was re-
spending was In q dangerous zone
known rs hospital and boarding
noute territory Twelfth and Clay
streets. II was ut Engine House No
. when the alarm was sounded" he
*aid, and when wo oamo out I direct
cd tho driver to go down Broad street
because tho apparatus had started
down Marshall Street. When We were
between Eighth and Ninth Streets
saw Mr.. Fittz crossing the street I'm
confused manner, and warned
Cornell When we hit him he was
crushed By the lamp instead OF being
thrown into the air"
Cornell testified that In an effort to
avoid striking Mr. Fittz he swerved
the machine TO tho right OF the street.
barely missing AN obstruction and
endangering the lives OF himself and
Chief Wise.
The funeral OF Mr.. Fittz, who died
without regaining consciousness, took
place yesterday afternoon from Cen
tenary Methodist Church lntcrment
was In Riverview Cemetery.