The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-09-25
GIRL KILLED IN AUTO INSISTED ON TAKING RISK Ina Bennett's Father Listens To Story of Automobile
 Tragedy. . DRINK NOT TO BLAME, ALL WITNESSES SAY Police Continue Investiga- tionsH Coroner I.iberates
 Other Motorists.

f, That Ina. Bennett, the pretty 21- sXears-old Wilton girl, who was killed in an early morning automobile mis- hap at Fairfield and Clinton avenues, insisted upon perching upon the fail Eeat afforded by the unused top of : tlaese i'll starred runabout, in spite of the remonstrances of her three com panions, was the testimony of all three before Coroner John J. Phelan in his inquest today.
 The fatality was the outcome of a chance ride, with chance acquaint- ances. Though several drinks figured in the progress of the nights outing, all witnesses claimed that none of the party was visibly affected by what they had to drink.
 The story of the. ride from the home in Wilton to Walnut Beach, tn gay party at dinner, then the start homeward with the light hearted girl insisting upon sltting in her dangerous post. laughing aside the pleadings of her friends, the sudden lurch when the car, passing a trolley car, struck one trolley. pole, then swayed into a sec ond pole, the fall of Nhe girl in the street, and her speedy death-an was recounted before the coroner today, while the father of the girl, unTnind- full of the presenceJ of his dead daughters companions, listened in tentIy grief written upon his coun- tenance as he gathered the facts of his daughters death
 When death, came to Miss Bennett she was sitting on the top of a two- passenger roadster. Charles c. Bland. a wealthy building contractors of Stamford, was driving. Benjamin J. Davis, an auto supplies. dealer of Stamford, and Miss Emma filling of Wilton. a girl chum, were also riding in the car. In attempting to pass a trolley car at the section mentioned the machine. struck one pole, then an- other and Miss Bennett was thrown to her deaths
 Whether the girl was thrown Out after the machine struck the second pole no witness of the accident can say. Bland who was driving the car was released today in charge of his counsel, Attorney Hugh J. Lavery He was arraigned in the city court today. He was then taken before Coroner Phetan and later allowed to go to his home in Stamford. His father, James P. Bland, also a contractor, came Here today prepared to furnish bail but the court did not require it. Bland was charged by Policeman B. V.s Cassidy with, reckless driving and with operat- ing a car without a chauffeur's license. Although he has a. license he did not have it with him when taken into GUS tody last night. He was locked up all night at police headquarters as were Davis and Miss filling.
 Before the coroner today all three told their stories Their statements and those of witnesses of the fatality appear to agree except to the speed at which Bland was driving his car when he struck the poles.
 Miss filling, who is tall, blonde and pretty, gave her testimony in a rather hesitating manner before the coroner today. but She was quite posi- tive in her statement that Bland was not driving fast when the crash came and she also said he did not drive fast at any time during the ride. She claimed that Davis cauti toned Miss Bennett about riding on the top1 of ] the car and that he tried to induce her to get down in the seat. She said at one time Davis sat in the seat in order to hold Miss Bennett on top of the car.
 Everett Bennett father of the dead girl, who is said to be g prosperous Wilton farmer, came into Coroner Phelan's office while the inquest was in progress today. He seemed overcome with grief. He did not
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