The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1913-06-15
VERY DEPLORABLE,
Hazel Abrams Killed by an Automobile.
A Shocking Occurrence. B. Cuth-
bert Held on a Charge of Man
slaughter.

Thursday evening shortly after 6
o clock, Hazel Abrams was fatally in
iured by an automobile in charge Of
l.. b. Cuthbert, at the intersection of
Texas and Mcneil streets The unfor-
tunate child, aged about years, was
with her sister, Sarah Lee, three and
one-half years old. They were from
their home, PIC Mcneil street, going to
meet their lather NJ. Abrams, whose
place of business is SS4 Texas avenue
At the int. section of these streets
a car of the Tr2ction Company, going
up, had stopped to take passengers. I'm
suspecting danger, the two sisters were
crossing the street from Baird $ corner
to Wellman $. They had scarcely
walked affew steps from the standing
car when they were struck by the auto
which Cuthbert was driving. The
younger sister, Sarah Lee, was hurled
some distance and escaped with slight
bruises, while Hazel was borne down
under the car. The first indication Of
the accident was the report of the
crashing of glass from the auto There
was a rush of people to the ear beneath
which was the unfortunate child, al
most lifeless. Only few saw the I'M
mediate occurrence, nor did Cuthbert
realize his predicament until it had
happened. He explained that it was
unavoidable. To his credit be it said
that he assisted IN placing the child in
his auto and hastened toq the North
Louisiana. Sanitarium, where every pos
sible care and attention was given, but
of no avail
The grief of the parents bereft Of
their child under such a distressing oc-
eurrence, may be imagined. Let every
parent take this ease to himself and
then!
To the credit of Cuthbert be it said,
that he surrendered to the police and
since then he has been charged with
manslaughter and is out on bond of
81, GOO, his security being Attorney
Rush Wimberly.
Cuthbert is aged about 26 years. He
is from Delhi. He was at one time
employed at the Harris Hotel. He is
of good repute. He was engaged in the
auto trade, for his own account, at the
time Of this deplorable occurrence. One
of his friends told the Caucasian repre-
sentative that he was overwhelmed in
grief-undone by this accident.
In referring to this occurrence, it is
said to have been unavoidable.
1t is not the intent Of the Caucasian
to be critic I this case, but it would
seem that this occurrence cannot be
explained as being unavoidable. Un-
avoidable means "a thing that cannot
be made null or void, inevitable, nec-
essary.o
Could not this occurrence have been
avoided if Cuthbert had "tooted" the
horn of his auto before he reached the
car standing at the corners Could he
not have DETECTED his course, from
near the outer rail of the track towards
the curbing Of the sidewalks Some wit
nesses have declared that he was going
at good clip, while others believe he
was going at a reasonable speed. The
fact is that Cuthbert did not anticipate
danger. He believed he had free course.
He was not thinking of people, prob
ably coming from the Traction Com
pany's car. The children had not the
slightest opportunity to see the auto.
They were run down and one fatally
injured all in an instant, in the twink
ling, of an eye.
These remarks are not intended to
prejudice Cuthbert $ case, but are de-
signed as an admonition to drivers of
autos Whenever car is stopped or Is
standing at some street crossing, the
drivers of autos on either side of the
street should toot their horn and slow
up, or stop, or deflect their course to-
wards the curbing of the sidewalks.
What is lifes 1t is that thing God
given and which no human can replace.
How precious was Hazel to her par
ents, her relatives and her friends!
How precious is any child to its mother
and its father!
Drivers Of autos, or street cars, or
any kind of vehicle, including motorcy-
cles, cannot be too careful and observ-
ant of the speed limit and of the rights
of the people to the streets, especially
at street intersections and street cross