Evening journal., 1914-12-18
cORONER lawyer
UULIUlIuII, UE1W luu
Clash At INQUEST
Latter Refuses to Allow
Chauffeur TO Testify in Price
Inquest, and Wins
GILBERT AGAIN
ALLOWED TO GO

Coroner Spring, whose jury last night
heard testimony relative to the dea-h
OF james II. Price, OF No sO3 West
Eighth street, fatally injured by being
struck by an automobile on Monday
evening, November Z, and John w.
Brady, counsel for Albert Gilbert, the
chauffeur OF the machine, had several
tits during the hearing. Gilbert was
dismissed in City Court yesterday of a
charge OF manslaughter, growing out OF
the running down of Mr.. Price, the State
not being able to produce q witness TO
the accident which occurred at Ninth
and Shipley streets.
Gilbert was present at the inquest
and when the jury asked him TO take
the witness stand and tell what he
knew about the case, Mr.. Brady object
ed The Jurors said they desired TO ask
him several questions among them be-
ing. "Nho took Mr. Price to the Della
ware Hospital where he later died 2"
Mr. Brady declared Gilbert would not
testify The jury they declared that
Gilbert should be sworn
At this point Coroner Spring threat
cncd to have Gilbert arrested if he re-
fused 10 testify. Mr. Brady still in
sisted that Gilbert should not talk
and he said if his client was arrested
he would spend the night with him
in Jail, if necessary. Coroner Spring
in the meantime approached Gilbert
and tried to get him to sit in the
witness chair Mr.. Gilbert then said
Don't you get up. Let him arrest
you If he wishes to, but don't you go
over to the witness chair"
Addressing the jury Mr.. Brady
said: Gentlemen, my client came
here tonight without being summon
cd and as an accommodation. and
there is no law whereby he can be
made to testify to anything that may
incriminate himself AS his repre-
! sentative | will not allow him to an
! swer any questions
Following the recess. Coroner
II, Spring asked the jury If they wished
? Gilbert held under bail and they saic
they did. This was protested against
bv Mr.. Brady, who asked what charge
i could be placed against his client
Coroner Spring replied that the chauf
- feur could be held as a witness. AT
% ter some argument, Mr. Brady said h'
Q would accompany his client to the po
y lice station. where a bail bond cOulI
be signed. Sergeant Tucker, in charge
at the police station, however. refused
to issue q bond when informed tha
Gilbert was 10 be held as a witness ans
he telephoned to Chief of Police Black
! who informed him that bond coul'
\ not be issued in the case Corone
: spring then wanted Gilbert taken t.
a magistrates office, but the chauffeur
refused, under advice of his attorney
{. Following an argument it was decid
cd to allow Gilbert to go.
Only three witnesses were hear'
j.. at the inquest proper. none of whom
/ had seen the accident nor did the.
: know who the driver of the automo
!, bile was. The first witness calle
was Harry Lowe, who was befor
the jury TO identify the body OF MI
!. Price.
" Mahlon Belts, registrar of tn
q Water Department was the mex
:, witness. Mr. Belts while not seein
L the accident at the time 1t happened
= stated he was walking with Mrs. Bett
= and saw them lift the man, whor
. he did not know at the time. int
- the taxi-cab Mr.. Belts stated he dl
10 not take notice OF lne cudutitut
the car. and in a way only knew t'
man had been injured and that he wa
being taken to a hospital Who
asked whore the automobile stood q
r tho time. Mr.. Belts said that il wa
4, heading south and he should iude
d, that the rear wheels we're about eve
- with tho house line on Ninth stree
g He said he was particularly impresso
= at the time with the fact that Ii
! taxi-cab was but a short distance b'
IF low the building line and must haY
been going very moderately to stop !
such a shcrt distance.
Or. James A. Draper testified thu
\. he attended Mr.. Price and said tn;
is at the time he saw him he had
N very badly lacerated wound Of Il
CONTINUED on Page lS.)