Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-10-11
YEATON, DRIVER OF AuT0IN
FATAL CRASH Gets JAIL FOR
DRIVING while INTOXICATED

UnsvaVG wv
Judge Robert \. Cony of the An
800 nluhlcipai. court continued his
| policy announced at the becinnino Of
! the automobile season ana mo
/ hounced straight-jail sentence of
/ SIX months, on finding Ernest {,
1eat Ton or Belgrade guilty of operat
ing his automobile while Intoxicated
AFTER two session hearing held
| Wednesday. il''
IL was necessary to continue the
nearing on the case from the morn
difs session TO O'Clock Wednesday
i afternoon, in order that the state
| might introduce the testimony of
Deputy Marshal Charles +. Witham
OF the Augusta police department.
! when testimony was regarded MS
some of the most important in the
case against the Belgrade man. who
! was the operator of the automobile
! Whlch was in collision with the ear
! or William Knight on the Belprado
| road Sunday evening. and in whjch
| frank l.. Tibbetts of Belgrade suf-
| lered injuries resulting in death from
a fractured skull.
{ Court Room Crowded
Inc case was one of the most in
| terestlng ana important to be heard
! before Judge Cony for some time,
| ana big crowd of friends and
helghbors of the parties concerned
was on hand all day to watch the
proceedings. 1t was close to !
| o clock before the arguments of the,
opposing counsel We're made to the
! court and Judge Cony pronounced
the respondent guilty and imposed
| sentence of 6 months in jail. Neaton
! look an appeal from the sentence
I Igy Il
| harrington of this city and furnished
| bonds in the sum of 81 600 for his an
pearance at the Jauary term of the
superior court
DR.. Floyd, Star Witess
county Attorney Walter NJ San
born conducted the case for the
state. and the States case depended
/ on the evidence of four witnesses.
but DR.. A. r. Floyd of New sharon
ana Deputy Marshal Witham proved
TO be the star witnesses. Ncaton
/ was taken into custody shortly after
! the accident Sunday evening and on
| Monday was released under $4,000
| bond for his appearance from day to
day. When arraigned Wednesday,
morning he entered a plea of not
guilty.
Knight Car Was at StandstiI
The first witness to take the stand
for the State was William A. Knight
OF Rome, who was the owner Of the
car which was struck by the Yeaton
machine. Knight described the
scene of the accident which was
about one-half mile south of Rome
corner on the State highway. He
testified that he was proceeding to-
ward his home in his Chevrolet car
had been driving. When they
reached the slight turn on the up
grade Of the highway, they saw the
eaton MACHINE approaching some
500 feet ahead and as he testified,
the car seemed TO be swaying as it
came toward them. Knight directed
Peacock to draw over to the right of
the road that they might change
seats. and it was while the car was
at standstjll way over on the right
of the road that it was struck Ivy the
tI'ord driven by Yeat0n
Knight testified that Yeaton was
driving at very moderate rate Of
speed, but that he seemed to shoot
across from his side of the highway,
smashing into the stationary car.
The Ycaton machine was turned
over onto it's side throwing TihhcttS
in such a manner that he suffered
the injuries which resulted in his
death at the Augusta General Hos
pital. Monday morning
Fails To Shake Doctors Story
DR.. y. +. Floyd of New sharon,
testified to being called to the Drury
home near the scene of the accident
to treat the injured victim. He said
that Mr.. Yeaton sat in n chair in a
seeming stupOr all of the time that
he was in the room, and thar IN Il
opinion the man was under the in
fuence of luuor. On cross exam
ination by Attorney harrington. DR..
Floyd admitted that he based his
belief on nothing more than his OBJ
servation of the man, but stuck to
his expressed opinion that Gcaton
was intoxicated.
NJ l.. Wheeler. acting chief Of the
Motor Vehicle Division on sunday
evening. after the victim had been
brought to the hospital in this city.
lie saw Neaton at tie hospital and
came with him TO the police station
for questioning in regard to the cir
cumstances Mr.. Wheeler testified
that the odor of intoxicating liquor
was very strong in the office of the
CITY marshal. where the interview
was held. but that lie did not smell
Yeaton's breath Mir. Wheeler said
that besides himself and the res
pondent Deputy Marshal William
was also in the room at the time,
, He admitted on cross examination
! Tll1I lle OuOT EtiIlltdliliS t''t c'i'''
| might have come from some one in
! the room before Yeaton was brought
! there.
State Highway Police OFFICER y.
F. Fowler testified to investigating
! the scene of the accident Monday.
He said that the road where the
crash occurred was some twenty
eight feet from ditch to ditch ana
! from his observation Of the position
| of the Knight machine. Ncaton had
| ample space to get by on his side
! Of the highway. Fowler signed the
warrant against Yeaton as result
! OF his investigation
Adjourn Case Until Afternoon
! At this point in the proccedln%
| County Attorney Sanhorn EXPLAINED
! TO the court that Deputy Ntlham
! was to have been an important WY
! ness for the state. but that lnad
1 vertantlv he had not been noth"i
I to appear. and asked continuance
| until afternoon to provide opP"r
: tlInitv to ring Mr.. NItham. WHO Wa
! out of the city. back to TESTIFY. ~
! tornev harrington moved dismlSsai
J of the charge against the responder,
| on the grounds that the state ma"
| failed to present evidence warrant
! ing holding the man. Jndge 'ohN an
, nounced that he intended 70 !ea'h ~