South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-07-28
CROTHERS TOFACE
FOR
ACTION In CRASH
Donahue to Press Charge of
Leaving Scene Where Man
Was Hurt Without Report.

Charles z. Crothers. si2 Cottage
Grove av- charged with leaving the
scene OF an accident without rspor--
Ing 70 the police authorities, gained
another continuance N city court
Thursday morning. His trial may be
called on August 1.
Crothers. who contends that he is
assistant advertising manager OF The
south Bend Tribune. is charged with
striking. with his automobile. schuy-
Ter Trittipo. 234 ( Calvert St. on
May 20th, last. and 70 haze fed the
scene without stopping 20 ascertain
the extent OF his victims Injuries.
4 The accident occurred at Iafayetts
I blvd. and Division ST. according %
/ the police Trittipo. his machins
/ dead because OF battery trouble. was
/ pushing his car when struck bv the
machine alleged 20 have been driven
/ by Crothers. and pinned between the
I two cars.
Deft Suffering Man.
Crothers IS said 70 have left the
/ injured man lying in the street with
an arm fractured in three places and
leg also broken. driving swiftly
/ from the scene. Crothers' license
number was obtained, however
After an investigation OF about
three weeks. on account OF the fact
/ that the car which Crothers was
driving had changed ownership sew
I ara1 times -
| ing changed. Crothers was finally do
termined upon as the party who had
struck Trittipoo. and an affidavit for
his arrest was issued.
Dep. Pros. George J. Donahue. OF
/ the city court. has taken a determin-
ed stand in the prosecution OF auto
mobile accident cases in which com
plants are filed by the injured party.
I Conforming the procedure which
has been common IN the court-to
allow a case 10 drag along for weeks
while a civil settlement between the
parties is being made-and then have
TO drop the case for failure OF the
prosecuting witnesses TO appear. the
prosecutor has laid down the policy
that he VIII refuse 70 be a party TO
i
Rather, he will seek the court 10
issue bench warrants 70 compel the
complaining witnesses 10 appear IN
court, and have them cited for con-
tempt II they refuse 10 testify
Not Collecting Agency"
Pros. Donahue said that within the
past few months the city court
docket had been burdened with
large number OF these cases. and that
! practically all OF them have 70 be
/ dropped on account OF failure Of
! prosecuting witnesses 10 press the
J charges. The prosecutor said that
/ the city court has been used az a
| collecting agency long enough. and
| that II Is about time 10 call a halt
In a great majority OF such cases. the
! prosecutor said, there has been a
violation OF the law. and affldavits
/ against the offenders are perfectly
! justifiable, but that the end OF the
/ law has not been satisfied just be-
| cause the offending party IN an au-
] tomObile accident makes a satisfac-
tory money settlement with the IN
1ured party. The civil side OF the
case, Mr.. Donahus said is entirely
| apart from the criminal side. and
/ that he Is tired OF the city court
| being used as a weapon 10 compel
/ civil settlements
The city court IL NOT a collecting
/ agency. II IS a correction agency"
| the prosecutor concluded.