New Britain herald., 1919-09-05
O'C0NNELL'S CASE POSTPONED AGAIN
Hearing Will Not Take Place
 Until Early Next Week

The hearing to be given Thomas J. C'Doc') O'COnneu in the East Haven town court, scheduled for tonight, has been again postponed and will prob ably take place next Monday evening. He is held for hearing in connection With the fatal auto crash at Short Beach two weeks ago and for which Deputy Coroner Wynne has held him criminally responsible in the following detailed finding:
 "Maguire was killed, probably in- stantly, between the hours of 10 and II in the evening of August 20, when an automobile in which he was riding hit another autom obile in a head-On collision and then crashed through a fence and down a steep and rocky cmbankment on the outside of a sharp right turn on Snake hill so called, in East Haven on the Short Beach road. The automobile in which deceased rode was a seVenpaSsenge Hudson, super-six, Conn. registry No. 9-596 owned by J. M. Finnegan a liVeryman, and driven at the time by Thomas J. O'Connel, 19 years old, both men being of New Britain. The car was bound toward Short Beach and was going down the hill above referred to. The other automobile with which it collided was a five passenger Chevrolet, Conn. registry No. 64,137, owned and driven by Will liam Gritzback of 196 Dover street, New Haven, who was accompanied by his wife, she being on the front seat.
 In the automobile driven by O'Con- nell there were in all 13 or IA per sons. Deceased was riding on the right running board. This party consisting of young men and women, had left Cosey Beach a short time be- fore for ride.
 I find that O'Connell, who was in charge of the car as driver, did not protest against the dangerous over loading of the automobi before the start was made; and that it was his duty as driver to do so, whatever might be said of the recl1lessness of the passengers who crowded into the car.
 l find that O'Connell was unfamiliar with the road to Short Beach, which was the one he was instructed to take
 l find that just as the car came to the cement portion of the highway which starts some distance on the East Haven side of Snake Hill. that O'COnnell called the attention of two of the young ladies of the party who rode on the front seat with him to the tail light of an automobile ahead and that he then speeded up to overtake and pass this car.
 | find that he was then driving at a reckless rate of speed having regard to the extremely dangerous character Of the road, with which he was al- most totally unfamiliar
 The road down Snake Hill is tor tuous and steep ; the turns are abrupt.
 As the party raHrhcd the curve where the accident occurred. the au tomobiIe driven by Gritzbach was ascending the hill from the direction of Short Beach, and I find that it was at the time on the right hand side of the road and was proceeding at a proper rate of speed.
 I find that O'Connell came upon the abrupt turn to his right before realiz- ing that there was a turn. and that he imme mediately saw the Gritzbach car coming around the outer edge of the curve.
 I find that the speed of the car and it's weight from the overcrowding of passengers, were both so great that it was impossible for him to check the car sufficiently to take the inside of the curve and go to his right of the Gritzbach car. Instead his car kept practically a straight course hitting the Chevrolet on it's right front. toss ing it back and to the center of the road, and then crashed into the fence to the left, tearing along the protect ing fence, breaking through and going over and down the embankment It's passengers were throw out in all di- rections.
 All the passengers received injuries more or less severe and deceased re- ceived the injuries which caused probably instant death.
 The occupants of the Gritzbach car were practically uninjured.
 Both cars were badly wrecked