Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-05-16
FIRE AUTO DEATH
INQUEST IS BEGUN
Witnesses Tell How Miss Moy
Was Killed at Four Corners
Crossing.

by County Physician William H.
Mckenzie to conduct an inquiry as
to the death of Miss Marion Moy at
the corner of Broad and Market
streets a week ago last Saturday
night, when she was struck ard killed
by the fire department automobile of
Chief Paul ]. Moore, driven by Isaac
L. Wolverton, met the members of
the jury empaneled by him at the
Court House this morning and. after
reading to them the charges they
were to investigate. ordered a recess
to give the jury an opportunity TO
examine the scene of the accident and
also the death-dealing auto. which is
at the First police precinct stables.
Chief Moore and Driver Wolverton
were on hand ready to testify, as
were a number of other witnesses,
who will be called later today after
the jury has finished its investiga7
tions.
Frank E. Bradner was present as
counsel for Wolverton, who is now
out on $4,000 bail to await the action
Of the grand jury ON charge OF
manslaughter preferred against him
by Captain M. ]. Ryan, of the First
precinct
The Jurors returned from their in
spection tour q few minutes after
the noon hour and the taking of tes-
timony started at once.
DR.. Mckenzie Tells of Wound.
Prosecutor Louis Hood is conduct
ing the examination in person and
called County Physician William II
Mckenzie as his first witness. DR.
Mckenzie told of the wounds on Miss
Moy's body that caused her death
He was succeeded on the stand by
Lieutenant John Harris. of police
headquarters. who witnessed the ac-
cident from in front of the Holland
House
He could give little testimony as
to the actual killing, but did testify
that in his opinion the automobile
was going at rate of 25 or 80 miles
an hour when it struck Miss Moy
He also stated that Driver Wolver-
ton seemed to be working with his
control levers and that the car
seemed to be slowing up.
Bernard McCauley. of 81 North
Ninth street. who was on the south
west corner of Broad and Market
streets, would not attempt TO estimate
the speed of the car, but did say thai
! the car was going at about this
usual rate of speed the auto appara.
! tus and the Salvage Corps usually
4 employ IN passing the -Four Cor
ners."
Mr.. McCauley was an eyewitness OF
! the killing, but was unable to sas
whether Miss Moy had stepped or
the street from the curb or had
alighted from a street car.
He said policeman and several
pedestrians had tried to warn Miss
Moy.. but that she seemed to be be-
wildered and stood still directly in
front of the machine.
DR. Manuel Yatkowsky. of so Charl-
ton street, was the first witness called
who testified that Chief Moore's car
was running at an excessively high
rate of speed.
DIR. Yatkowsky said he was expe-
rienced in the handling and speed of
automobiles, and that in his opinion
the car was going at least SO miles
an hour when 1t passed him onsMar-
ket street, between Halsey and Broad
streets. He was not an eyewitness
of the actual killing.
James Kinney, of III Bergen street,
corroborated the testimony of Mr..
McCauley that Chief Moore's auto
came down Market street at about
the same rate of speed as that used
by other auto fire apparatuses he
had seen pass the -Four Corners"
Mr. Hood devoted considerable time
with each witness in an effort to
find out whether Driver Wolverton
was working with the lever control
Of his car. None of the witnesses ex-
amined up to the recess for MONDAY
lunch except Lieutenant Harris had
observed Wolverton doing so.
victims sister at Hearing.
When the jury reconvened for the
afternoon session. Margaret and Celia
Moy, sisters of tie woman who was
killed, were present. Both were
dressed in the deepest mourning.
Margaret Moy was the first called
to the stand, but was so hoarse
from a severe cold that she could
not speak She was excused from
testifying, her sister, Celia, being
called instead. She testified her sis
ter was 43 years old and that she
had not seen her sister after her
death. 1--WE were told not to look
at her body" said Miss Moy, who
said the body had been identified by
Rev. Mr. Hallock, friend of the
family.
The sister left the jury room as
soon as Miss Celia Moy had finished
her testimony.
Herbert A. Taylor, of 500 Bloom
field avenue, Montclair. testified that
when Chief Moore's auto passed him
at Washington and Market streets,
it was travelling at from forty to
fifty miles an hour. He based his
estimate on the speed with the ex-
planation that he was an athlete and
had often run 100 yards In 10 or IL
seconds, and knew that the car that
passed him was going three or four
times as fast as he cauld run.
Traffic officers Cornelius Benfer.
stationed at the Four Corners at
night. gave the best description of
the accident of any of the witnesses
called. He said:
II heard the siren of the chiefs S
auto when it was at the Court House.
1t was coming down Market street
pretty fast just as it got to Nutria
street woman stepped out from the
curb togo to a car saw her plight
and yelled at the top of my voice, but
she seemed bewildered.
Just as she was midway between
the curb ard the trolley car the auto
struck her. l believe she was struck
by the left side of the car Anyway.
the next thing l saw was her hat high