Norwich bulletin., 1920-09-16
EVANS ON TRIAL IN SUPERIOR COURT

Gustave J. Evans of Groton, driver of a touring car, engaged in carrying pas sengers for hire, was put on trial in the criminal superior conrt here early We'd nesday afternoon. He is on trial under statute providing for a fine for the driver of an automobile who takes life or limb while operating an automobile With gross negligence or while intoxi- cated. The case is on trial before Judge George E. Hinman and jury.
 Evans was driving a Hudson touring ear in Groton in the early morning of July 21, 1920 which struck a tree near the pr. Wood house on Thames street, throwing out three of the passengers in the car who had their skulls fractured and were instantly killed while several others were seriously injured Those killed were Michael Francis, Emily Wentworth and James McKetrick
 The accused man had pleaded npt guilty to the charge of manslaughter and also pleaded not guilty when put to plea on the new information drawn up in the complaint for the trial. He is defended by Attorney John c. Geary and Arthur T. Keefe. State Attorney Had lai A. Hull is assisted by Attorney War ren Burrows of Groton in prosecuting | the case
 The following is the jury on the case: Clinton c. Eldredge, Norwich; Will liam A. Service, Elmer E. Miller, Albert | D. Benjamin, Preston Edwin R. Hills | James Johnson, Colchester; Henry L. Allen, North Stonngton Myron Smith Bozrah; Edmund L. Weeks, F. B. Che ney, Lisbon Frederick N Harris Sa- | lem; Warren F. Tanner, Voluntown. Civil Engineer George E. Pitcher was the first witness called to the stand by the state. He displayed big plan of the location of the fatal accident and ex- plained it in detail It showed the Dr.. l Wood house No. 229 Thames street, Groton, just north of the corner of Allen street, and on the river side of Thames street To the north of the house a tree was shown which had a scar on il ] six inches from the ground which it is claimed was made by the Evans ma chine when it left the road at a curve | just north of the tree. A telegraph pole and a tree against which the automo- bile was found lodged after the accident are shown to the south of the house. Answering questions of the state at- torney, MT. Pitcher explained the plan at length, giving measurements around the house, width of road, degree of curve distances, etc.
 Following a short recess. the state at torney asked to have the civil engineer step aside for movement while he in troduced another witness
 Charles Gray, 234 Thames street Groton who lives on the corner ot
 Thames street and Allen street, acros!
 the street and a short distance south o
 teh Dr. Wood house, testified the acc
 dent occurred about 1.3O in the morning
 He was in bed and heard the noise H,
 ran out at once, not stoping to dress
 and saw the auto lying between the tele
 graph pole and the tree. The rear wa
 between the pole and the tree and tn
 front towards the street. The witnes
 also observed the tree to the north O
 he Dr. Wood house. During the day h
 saw the auto practically all day an, the only change in it's position was t move the front a little because it block : ed the trolley track some. It was prob ably not moved more than foot
 After excusing MT. Gray from tn
 stand the state attorney introduced fou
 or five photographs of the automobil
 tween the pole and the tree taken b