Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-10-07
Heavy Sentence
For Driving Away
After Auto Accident

for driving away from the scene
OF naccident without making him
sen known brought a sentence of
goo and costs of $21.93 or three
months in jail upon George Downs of
Pittsfleld
The case was tried yesterday
morning before Judge Charles w.
Atchley in the municipal court room.
Inc respondent was represented by
Attorney Thomas Weeks of this city.
The accident occurred October 2,
between and p. NJ. on highway
NO. 100 on the road from Belgrade
10 augusta, at which time and place
waiter Knowles sustained injuries
to his shoulder and several body
bruises.
Mr.. Knowles was first on the stand
and according to his testimony, he
was driving from his home down the
beisrade road to the home Of a
party to whom he was to deliver but
ter and eggs. He was driving a one
morse rig. When he got to q point
In front of the Wesley H. Clark
mouse he was on the right side of the
road. driving with his right hand and
holding a lantern in his left. He
then saw the lights of a car quite a
| long distance ahead of him and as
1t drew near he saw lights in the
road that indicated that a car was
also coming up behind him. Just as
the car ahead was nearly up to him,
the one behind struck his left hind
wheel with such force as to throw
him into the road and cause the
horse to run away. The butter and
eggs flew all over the highway, and
the. wheel which had been hit was
broken Nv l.;
back felt numb, and that he couldn't
seem to get up. The occupants of
the car that had hit him got out and
came to within twelve feet of him,
and he saw they We're a man and a
woman, but could not see their faces
distinctly, but they appeared to be
unknown to him. He said that when
the car struck him he must have
dropped the lantern, and that he
heard some one kick the light into
the ditch. Then, he said, the man
and woman held a low conversation
step into their car and drive away.
He raised himself up. and as they
passed he noted the number, which
was 1859. He stated that Mr..
Downs-whose name he did not
know at that time-drove away
without declaring his identity.
Wesley H. Clark then testified
that he was sitting in the window of
his house and heard wagon coming
down the road. AS he looked, he
saw the car hit the wagon, and 60
Ing out he found Mr.. Knowles on
| the ground bleeding. He put a
| blanket under him and rushed back
| TO the house to get a lantern. In the
meantime he saw the man and won
an, but could not make out their
faces. He called the State highway
police at Augusta, and the latter
called Lieutenant Frost at The Will
! lows.
Lieut.. Frost on the stand said that
! he met no car on the road as he pro-
| ceeded toward the scene of the ac-
| cident. Mr.. Clark then took Mr..
| Knowles to his house and called DR..
Reynolds of Belgrade.
Mrs Edna Knowles testified that
she started out with her husband.
but stopped off at another house
where she was to await his return.
, She stated that ne had a lantern.
Lieut.. Frost said he inspected Mr.
Downs car and found dents and
bruises which indicated that he had
hit something. He found out also
that the number given him was reg
Ioleleu IN the name of George D.
Downs of Pittsfield, Me.
Mr.. Downs admitted the number
given as his. He said that he and
his wife left Pttsfeld at 6 P. NJ. TO
go to Siney where they were to mass
the night. He said he went through
Waterville, Oakland over the hill.
and down the middle road. arriving
at Mr.. Freeman's place at SIS P. M,
! Claimed he was not on the Belgrade
road at all.
Mrs. Downs, on the stand. corro-
borated his testimony.
After a brief consideration of the
case, Judge Atchley imposed the
sentence as stated above. Mr..
Downs appealed the case and fur
nished bonds.