The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-07-26
ACCIDENT CAUSE
ELUDES CORONER
inquest Yesterday Fails to
Reveal Reason for Fatal
Crash on Sunday.
CONTINUE THE PROBE
John Lauer, Driver of Death
Car, Tells Story on
Witness Stand.

which cost the life of Blanche Maus,
of Chicago.
After three hour grilling of six
witnesses who appeared to testify at
the coroner's inquest, held yesterday
afternoon in the municipal court room,
the state elected the fact that the
stearing gear Of the Inflated machine,
which was, at first supposed to have
caused the accident, was intact; that
the machine was being operated be-
tween 20 and % miles than hour, and
that there had been no drinking.
Inquest to be Continued.
At 600 o'clock last evening, Coroner
Truman T. Parker dismissed the wit
nesses subject to call, and together
with the district attorney and the
coroner's Jury went to the garage
where the death machine had been
taken to inspect the wreck. Assisted
by the mechanics, they found the stear-
ing mechanism to still be in good
working order, the left front wheel
stripped from the hub, while the rear
wheels were clinging to the chassis by
a few splinters of spokes. The top of
the machine, a Kissel sedan, was
crushed and battered when the car
turned over.
The body of Mrs. Maus was taken
back to Chicago late last night other
members of the party, who had been
detained here awaiting the inquest,
left during the evening. A car is be-
ing sent from Chicago today to re-
move the three victims from the Ke-
nosha hospital to their homes
Marks on Fence Remain Mystery.
Scars on the guard fence nearly two
hundred feet long, still remain a mys-
terry Nicks an inch deep and about
the width of hub cap on three posts,
each sixteen feet apart, are still to
be explained. 1t was brought out in
testimony, however, that the machine
capsized in the center of the road,
rather than at the side as was first
supposed.
John Lauer, driver of the death car,
was the third witness called to the
stand. Plainly showing the strain
under which he was attempting to re-
call the tragic scenes, he appeared with
the right side of his face plastered
with adhesive tape. His lips twiched
continually and occasionally he wiped
the Precipitation from his forehead
in his hand all during his stay in the
court room. He spoke slowly in a
clear voice.
Lauer Willing to Answer.
Just after he had been called to the
witness box, District Attorney Sym
monds, informed him of his constitu-
tional rights, and told him that if he
faoraI fhaf 1ryboA ha poipbt
incriminate him, he did not need to
answer. Lauer replied that he had
nothing to hide. Coroner Parker then
informed him that if he elected to tes-
tify he must not attempt any evasions.
Lauer said that two cars, the one
he was driving, which belonged to his
brother-in-law, and another machine
owned by Joe Coselia, left Chicago on
Saturday night for weekend fishing
trip at Camp Lake, where they spent
the night and the Sunday. Starting on
the return trip he led to Brass Ball
Corners where he stopped to replenish
his gasoline supply, waving the other
machine to take the lead.
Considered a Safe Driver.
The women and children always
rode with him, he testified, because he
had driven, for years without an acct
dent and was considered a very safe
driver. His average speed was %
miles an hour, and he added that he
had never driven an automobile over
S5 miles, and then only for a short dis
lance while passing another machine
After filling with gas, he said, he
turned east on the Geneva road. He
was travelling about % miles an hour,
and had just started over the brow of
the ice house hill, when to keep his
car at the same speed he released his
gas and left the car brake on the
motor which was in gear. Half way
down the hill, he testified, he felt a
sudden tug at the Wheel and the next
thing he remembered was standing
beside the overturned machine begging
the crowd which had gathered around,
to assist him in getting out the wom-
en-, pinned beneath it.
Cares for Daughter.
Lauer took Bernice, his daughter,
and carried her to a nearby house and
bathed her wounds. Others had in the
meantime gotten the other women re-
leased and were administering to them.
Passersby offered to take the injured
to the hospital, he said
Under cross examination by the dis
trict attorney, Lauer denied that he
had received any warning as to his
speed that days He said that his
speedometer was registering, but ad-
mitted that he had not looked at it
for several miles. He said that he
knew how fast he usually travelled, and
that he was making about the same
time at the time of the accident.
He said that he heard no tire ex-
p1ode, nor was he positive that he
could tell the reason for the accident
Asked if he had run into the guard
rail, he stated that he was on the
pavement when he felt the first jerk
of the stearing wheel. AS to what
happened after that his recollection
was not clear.
Coroner Probes for Mystery.
Lauer had been on the stand for
more than an hour. Suddenly Coroner
Parker turned to the witness. There
is something we are not getting at