The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-05-22
Killing of Johnson Woman By Autoist Held to~Be
 Criminal Act
FORMAL TRIAL IN
 FAIRFIELD COURT
Finding of Coroner Return ed Today With Review of Facts Leading to Conclu- sion for Holding Accused for Hearing.

Radcliffe E. sprott. secretary of the Gas Appliance Exchange. Broad street, was held probably crinInally liable by Coroner J. J. Phslan today in his finding into the death of Flor encs Johnson, of 1857 Stratford ave- nue, who met her death by being Sprott while walking in the street caE tracks near the roundhouse switch. Southport. last Sunday night At the time of the accident Mrs. Johnson was in the company- of Henry g. CroweIi. foreman in the Wetdllch Silver Spoon co. of this city.
 sprott will be formally arrRiEned ou the charge of mansIauEhter before Justice Bacon Wakeman, in FAirheid tomorrow or Monday.
 Tn his finding the coroner Aays;
 sIt appeared from the evidence ot lone Henry $. CroweA who was in fns company Of the deceased thst both whilst walking in a. southerly direction along the trolley track at the sstcH were struck by an automobile driven by one RadcIiffe E. Sprott and tae de- ceased SD injured by it that ahe aten in short time.
 Tt further appeared that there Ar9 no sidewalks for pedestrian tra1ic cu the roadway at or near ths place named.
  ming north and souyfsnt saff place ia l17 feet I4S width and ie AoonstructeG Of Warrenite pavement go called lu addition to this pawement is striH of dirt pr gravel road of hPoat EYE feet in width on each side of said WarreRite, that also may be used pg vehicles thereby rf4ating the road way at and about said place 21 feet wide The west side of said z1 foot roadway is occupied by the trolley track Of tho Connecticlt Company said track ia about feet in width.
 sFThe evidence of said Crowell shcw~ ed that whilst waiting for a Bridge port trolley car the deceased and hinqs self were walking in the trolley tracA at the place noted and whilst SO walk ing khe waist of the former was an- circled by the left arm of said Cro- well. The deceased SO encircled was walking in said track near Ifs east rail whilst CrowelI was walking track In this position the deceased was struck by said automobile then travelling south, from behind by tha front end of the, right mud guard e1 said machine. She was thrown for ward by it and run over by It's rear right wheel. Her body was found nearly parallel with ana about one foot least of the east rail of said track on said gravel space Said CroWe4 walking as above was also struck by
 
 eral feet to the southwest He. re- ceived no serious injury, however.
 stThe evidence failed to show thaf any signal or horn was given or sound ed by the injuring automobile before the collision. The injuring car was occupied by said Sprott and a lady com panion. The evidence showed ths injuring car to be travelling about ls miles per hour. The testimony of tho lady in the injuring car showed that Al deceased or CroweIl by reason of tha glare from the headlight Of an Nor walk automobile then approaching.
 sMr. Sprott refused to give evidencs showing the location on the highway Of the deceased or said Crowell at the time of the collision or the cause or location of such collision. The tr~ turing car ran past the body of tho deceased about 35 feet.
 ''Evidence was given by one John McNally, chauffeur of said 1SorwaIa automobile and by Frank B. Field and William Nassaun. passengers thero- in. showing that their machine trav- cling. in opposite direction from about feet of said warranite pave ment at the place of collision and showed that when the deceased was struck down the in5uring machine Waa turned so sharply towards the middle of said warEenite pavement as t0 IAxA ONF 4 kA-<et2A 2A&AD AAAS -e-SF Of the occupants of said 15orwaliz cat and to pass the said car about ono foot distant therefrom.
 Tn view of the uneontradicted or unmodified. statement of CroweH of the deceased and himself being struck by the injuri&g car whilst walking in the trolley track the location of .tho body of the deceased Immediately alongside of the east rail of said track after the collision, the blinding effect of the headlight glare Of the NorwaR machine upon driver Sprott of tho in- turing machine and its continued speed notwithstanding such blindness& nnn reasonably convinced of the probahla criminality of said sprott in causing the death of said deceased.
 T therefore lind that the daceaaes came to her death at the time place and in the manner set forth as a rastlt of the criminal act of Radclif1s E Sprott..'
 JOHN J. PHELAN
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