The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-10-06
CORONER HOLDS DRIVER OF DEATH
 GAR TO BLAME
Moshier's Speed is Estimat- ed, in His Finding, at 50
 Miles An Hour.
MAN WHO TOOK GAR
 RELEASED ON BOND
Moshier will Be Arrigned in City Court When He
 Leaves Hospital.

l
 George Leslie Moshier, a chauffeur, of 24o Fairfield avenue. is crirninally responsible for the death of g years old, William Costello of 25O Davenport street. under the finding of Coroner i John J. PheIan, who today reported on his inquest in the fatality on OK Hill, North Main street. Sept. 28. | Coroner Phelan bases his charge of criminal responsibility largely upon the speed at which Moshier was driv- ing, over a highway with the dangers of which he was presumably thor oughly familiar. | According to testimony to which the coroner refers in his finding, Moshier must have driven over this section of the Newtown turnpike, at ] least 50 times. Further, the coroner deduces from the testimony of wit nesses that the death car was being driven over 50 miles an hour. The coroner finds that allowing for the stops which the party made on their 50 mile journey starting at Norwalk and passing through Bethel, DanbuPy and gNewtown to the scene of the accident, Moshier although frequently cautioned by Lucier, must have driven at the rate of speed he charges.
 From the testimony. of James w. Reardon and Raymond Ely who were members of the party, it appears that Moshier had three bottles of beer at the Elm Country club at Westport that morning before they Started on the ride which was to end fatally for Costello.
 According to the finding of the Ieoroner, the party left the Westport club at 1:45 and then drove to Nor walk. There Lucier reluctantly sur rendered the driving wheel to Moshier. Thereafter, during the re- mainder of the ride, due to the drinks they had taken and the discomfort resulting from the cold, I.ucier, Rear don and Ely lay in the tonneau Of the car, covered with wraps and coats and partially insensfble to what was taking place.
 The coroner estimates from the tes- tfmony Of the witnesses who have ap- peared before him that the party GOV cred the distance from the Elm Coun- try club to the scene of the fatality in a trifie more than two hours. Of that time they stopped on the road nearly an hour.
 It appears that Moshier. Lucier. Reardon. Ely and Costello, the dead man, had three drinks each at the Elm Country club. All had three bottles of beer except Lucier and Reardon, who had whiskey first and then two bottles i of beer.
 The coroner does not say that Moshier's indulgence in alcoholic stim- ulants was in any manner responsible for the accident but mentions in pass ing that the driver of thezcar had three bottles of beer before they left West port. He does lay stress on the fact that Moshier was supposed to be a competent chauffeur and familiar with the road over which he was ftaking the car. The excessive speed at which Moshier was sending the car along, in the Judgment of the coroner, was re- sponsible for the accident which ire- suited in the death of Costello. A1- though it has been said that a tire burst which caused the car to leave the roadway and turn sideways into the billboard, Coroner Phe1an has made no attempt to go into this phase of the case.
 Moshier is still at St. vincent's hos pftal. He is under bonds of $3.0OO on charge of manslaughter.
 In the city court today Judge Bart lett ordered continuance of the charges against Moshier and Lucier. appear.
 Auguste Lucier of Baltic, Conn, father of the boy who was chauffeur for Dr. Osborn, today furnished $500 bail and he was released from jail where he has been held ever since the killing of Costello. Lucier is charged with taking a car without leave.