Putnam patriot., 1919-05-02
AUTO HITS
LITTLE GIRL
c. III. Pellet of Danielson Ran
Into Verken Varbedian,
Four Years Old
Driver Arrested But Found Not
Guilty of Reckless Driving


daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. Alexander
Varbedian, was struck by an automo-
bile driven by Charles H. Pellet of
Danielson, Wednesday evening, and
received injuries about the head and
body. Unless internal injuries devel-
OPP she will speedily recover.
The accident happened on Main
street just north of Bridge street be-
tween and 6 o'clock. Mr.. Pellet
did not stop his machine until he
reached Coles grain store some dis
lance beyond, claiming that he was
afraid to do so on account Of vehi-
Giles that might be coming behind him.
Mr.. Pellet was ordered to come to
Putnam Thursday morning. He did
this and was placed under arrest in
the city court room and was tried on
a charge of reckless driving. He was
found not guilty.
Mr.. Pellet was represented by At
torney H. f. Back of Danielson, who
told the court that neither he nor his
client knew that he was to be arrest
ed, but that he was merely informed
to appear and talk things over"
Henry A. Reach, manager of the
Putnam Box Corporation, told the
court that he was going north on Main
street and when near the Hotel Car
gill saw the automobile coming at a
good rate of@peed and saw the little
girl start to cross the street, hesitate
for moment, and then saw the mud
guard of the automobile hit her and
knock her down. He said the child
got up and started toward the side
walk and then collapsed. Some peo-
pie took her into the house, and as DR..
Kent was nearby, he was called to
give her attention.
Reach said that after the car hit
the little girl it swerved about two
feet to one side and kept right on.
Witness said he held up his hand and
shouted to the driver to stop and the
driver did so and went back to the
scene of the accident. Mr.. Reach
said that if the little girl haa not
stopped for the fraction of second
the machine would have gone over
her. He said the impact made quite
a noise
Mrs. Franklin Burdick of Provi-
denee said she was in the store of
Charles Richard and saw the accident.
She saw the child run from the side
walk, hesitate. and then go on until
the machine struck her. She said the
blow made loud noise She said the
child got to it's hands and knees,
crawled to the sidewalk and then
went in heap
Captain of Police John Buiger said
he was called to the scene and talked
with Pellet who told him that he,
PELLET, was not going over 30 miles
an hour
Mr.. Pellet testified in his own be-
half, telling his honor that as he came
along he suddenly saw the child run
towards him. The child was about s
or 10 feet from him and he turned
about two feet to the right and the
mudguard hit the child He said he
did not stop because he feared some
one behind him might run into him.
He said he had no intention of not re-
turning to see how badly the child was
hurt He denied that he told the cap
tain he was going not over 30 miles
an hour. He said he told the captain
that he was going from 22 to 70
miles an hour
Judge Geissler said that under the
statute it was the duty of the state
to prove beyond reasonable doubt
that the defendant drove his motor
vehicle on the highway in reckless
manner or at a speed greater than is
reasonable and proper under all the
circumstances, or at such speed as
to endanger the life or limb OF any
person. He found that the street was
apparently clear and that there was
no way of fixing the exact speed. he
said that the law made 20 miles an
hour prima facia evidence OF reckless
driving. but that on a clear street he
did not consider a few more miles
necessarily reckless.
O O q