The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1938-08-11
Glenn Taylor
Ex0nerdted
At Inquest
Hjeldness Death Proclaimed
Unavoidable; Testimony
Says Speed Is nj. P. HI.
VICTIM VERY
BADLY MANGLED

The verdict reached at an inquest
held Tuesday morning on the death
of John Ludwig Hjeldness, Sc, ex-
onerated Glenn Taylor of all blame
due to the fact that the accident
which occurred Sunday morning,
was unavoidable.
Hjeldness was killed at approx
mately 8 a. m. when he was struck
by car driven by Taylor. The &C
cident occurred after Hjeldness had
/ gotten out of a truck driven by
Harmon Syverson in which he had
ridden from Gopher Inn after at
tending Townsend Club dance.
In the testimony gwen by Syver-
son, it was stated that he had pulled
nearly off Minnesota Ave, near the
south boundry of the city limits.
He left the motor running and went
to the back of the truck to help
Hjeldness out The unfortunate man
! followed the driver around the
truck and thanked him after which
he started across the road. Syver-
SON saw car approaching and
ierked Hieldness back off the high
way. Hjeldness thanked him again
and started across the road sec
ond time. Syverson saw the car,
driven by Taylor, approaching and
again reached for Hjeldness, this
time missing him. The man took
approximately three steps and then
started running at which time he
came in contact with the Taylor car.
Syverson said that he did not be-
lieve Taylor was exceeding the %
mile per hour speed limit.
John Haskell, who was riding in
the back seat of the car driven by
Taylor, stated that he did not see
the accident. He said that Taylor,
Miss Gladys Hartsook and himself
had attended the dance at Savage
lake and were merely taking short
drive before going home. He said
ing, which was verified by Deputy
Sheriff Chef Hoisington. Haskell
said that the car was stopped as
soon as possible and he and Frank
George carried the victim from the
highway to a spot on Georges lawn.
Haskell said that the Taylor car
was a Graham with four wheel
brakes which were In good condi-
ton. After the impact the fan
could be heard striking the radia-
tor and upon examination it was
found that the radiator had been
driven back an inch or more.
| Gladys Hartsook who was in the
back seat of the Taylor car said that
she felt the impact but did not get
out of the car until Taylor, who be-
came unconscious, at the sight of
the victim, was placed in the back
seat.
Frank George, next door neighbor
of Hjeldness, said that the noise
of the trucks motor awakened both
he and his wife and they looked out
the window to see what the dis
turbance was. He said he saw two
men on the left hand side of the
truck, which was facing north. One
man pulled the other back from the
| highway as a car passed going into
town. He then saw the cars
lights which was going south, and
heard the impact. He dressed as
quickly as possible and went to
the scene of the accident at which
time he helped Haskell carry HELD
ness to his lawn i.'.'.'.'.....''f
Mrs Frank George also testified
and said she saw practically the
same thing as her husband
Pete Hughes, another passenger
in the truck, heard the impact but
did not see it,
Chef Hoisington, deputy sheriff,
arrived at the scene of the accident
at 1886. He questioned all present
and no one thought that Taylor's
speed was excessive He was told
that Hjeldness had had a couple of
4 glasses of beer but was not intoxi-
Gated. Mr. Hoisington paced off
the distance which the car had car
ried the victim and found it to be
approximately Sc feet.
Glen Taylor was given the OPP
portunity to take the stand but de-
clined..
i Harold Gompf, undertaken, testi-
fled that the victims legs were both
broken below the knee, one ankle
was broken, the skull slightly frac-
tured, the lungs ruptured, the right
shoulder was dislocated, the tho
rasic cavity was crushed and slight
conclusions were in evidence on the
face.
Mr.. Hjeldness was born at Albert
Lee, Minnesota, In 1872. He had
!. lived in Libby for the past 10 year.
/ and worked for the j. Neils Lumber
! Company.
Those surviving are his wife
! Anna, three daughters, Mrs. Rober
r Hugill and Mrs. Clarence Woods o
+ Libby and Mrs. Jack Norton of Port
| land, one son, Arthur of Kennedy
Mimi, one brother, ]. /. Hjeidnes
of Libby and five sisters.
I The funeral was held this after
: noon at the Gompf Funeral parlor
G Rev. w. A. Alexander officiated.