The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-07-03


worked two weeks in vain.
R. H. Bell. driver of the automobile
which crashed through the approach to
the Fox river bridge and plunged in
to IL feet of water drowning his wo-
men companions early Saturday morn
ing. was exonerated of any blame by
a corners jury in municipal court
late yesterday afternoon.
The body of Miss Mae Doody, which
was recovered Saturday afternoon,
was shipped home yesterday where
the funeral will be held tomorrow.
Search is to be resumed for the body
Of Mrs. Julia Newcomer tomorrow, it
was stated. Providing it Is not re-
covered within the next az hours, Cor
oner Truman T. Parker intimated that
dynamiting might be resorted to.
Bell. his head and right hand swath-
ed in bandages, and an ugly disfigura-
ton showing on his cheek, arrived
from Burlington where he was taken
for treatment following the accident,
in company with DR.. John F. Bennett
after the inquest had been in prog
ress for thirty minutes.
Shows Signs of Strain.
While on the stand he was close to
the breaking point several times, and
showed plainly the strain of the past
three days. His responses to the ques-
tions of Morris Barnett, district at
torney, came in a low tone OF voice,
and at times he had to be asked to
repeat his answers. A man of quiet
appearance, he stands well over six
feet. - A
From his answers it was revealed
that more than three hours were con-
suned in driving the 18 miles from
Kenosha to the river. He stated that
while he did not look at his watch
while in Kenosha he thought it was
about IL o'clock because drug store
at which the party stopped was just
closing for the night.
Joseph Toelle, farNer living near
the scene of the accident, fixed the
time Of the crash at about 2:15 a. m.
Bell said that he was at loss to ac-
count for the amount of time con-
suned between leaving the city and
the accident. Shortly before the
crash, he said, one of the women men
toned the fact that it was getting
late and that it might be well to
travel faster. Bell said that he COM
Piled with the request and speeded up
to about 35 miles an hour. Before
that, he testified, they were driving
very slowly, visiting as they went.
No stops were made nor did they get
off the road, he said.
Explains "Booze" Bottles.
Bell explained the presence in the
car of the pint flask which fioated to
the surface as the car was being
towed out of the water. He said that
as they were leaving Chicago about
1880 in the evening, one of the women
say the empty bottle lying at the curb.
Laughingly she picked it up and toss
ed it in the car remarking something
about the "poor little dead soldier
who would get one more trip"
The bottle which was found in the
car with the cork cut and filled with
water, Bell admitted, had contained
gin. He said that both women had
taken a drink after leaving Kenosha,
but denied having joined them him
self. All other witness corroborated
his testimony on this point. Each
denied that Bell had the appearance
of having been drinking.
On all the details of the crash, the
witness was hazy. He said that he
remembered pulling sharply to the
right to avoid a Hupmobile which
passed him just as he was going into
the turn for the bridge. When he at
tempted to pull the car back to the
middle of the road again the wheel
refused to come, and an instant later
the crash came.
Mental Picture Thin.
; From that moment on, he declared
his memory was hazy. He recalled
swallowing a mouthful of water, and
Of swimming. How he escaped from
the car which had plunged beneath
the surface of the water, he was I'M
able to say. As soon as he got to the
shore he threw off his coat and swan
back into the stream, but was unable
to find the women.
Then he found himself climbing up
on the road again. A car approached.
Blood streaming from the gashes
about his head, he stood in the glare
of their lights and pleaded with the
occupants to stop and give him as
sistance. The answer from the driver
of the machine was only to jam on gas
and fee. A second car came and the
act was repeated.
For what seemed an eternity he
walked up and down the road. At
last he encountered Mr.. Toelle, who
rushed back to his home and sum
moned the physician. Then other men
came up, he declared.
Miss Doody Owned Car.
He said that the automobile, new
Buick four passenger coupe, belonged
to Miss Doody. The women called at
HIS apartment for him Friday evening,