GAOL FOR GERMAN MOTORISTS

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2081, 16 May 1907, Page 2

GAOL FOR GERMAN MOTORISTS

CHILD KILLED BY A BERLIN LAWYER’S CAR.

East Easter Dr. Abrahamsolm, a Berlin lawyer, undertook to _ tour through the Thuringian forest in an automobile, accompanied by his wife, his sister-in-law, and a friend. On Easter -Monday tho party travelled from Poessneck to' Neustadt. The weather-vvas rainy and tho roads slippery, and, moveover, those through the villages were much more frequented owing to the holidays. This did not, however, induce the automobilists to travel more slowly, and passing through a small village street thov ran into a group of children, 'killed a three-year-old girl outright, and seriously injured her elder sister.

That, affair made a great sensation at the time, for though the chauffeur attempted to stop his car one of the ladies in it was-heard to say, “Drive on. They ought to take more care of the children.”

The consequence was that the automobile rushed ahead, and the number could not bo ascertained .

Shortly afterwards Dr. Abraliamsolin -reported himself to the police as the owner of the motor, and recently Dr. Abrahamsohn and his chauffeur, ICarl Nowaczyk, appeared before the Court at Koestitz to answer a'charge of manslaughter. For the defence it was pleaded that the violent rain driving in their faces "'prevented the inmates of the car seeing what had happened. The Public Prosecutor replied that this admission proved that the car was going too fast. Ho claimed that the owner of the car was responsible for the chauffeur’s action, and that both ought to have taken into due consideration that more children were playing in the streets than usual owing to the holidays . Counsel for the defence urged that the chauffeur was not guilty as the children rail ill front of the car so quickly that it was impossible for him to stop in time, and that Dr. Abrahamsohn was under no obligation to control his cheuffeur, who was a skilled driver. Moreover, as a layman ho was not in a position to judge the jrirect speed. The defending counsel also urged that the expression employed by one of the ladies seemed heartless, but in reality was merely an instinctive expression of indignation at the unreasonableness of the children in getting in the way of automobiles. The Court decided that both the owner and his chauffeur were liable, and , sentenced Dr. Abrahamsohn to two . weeks’ imprisonment and the chauffeur to six months' imprisonment for causing the death of tile child through negligent driving. The sentence is greatly applauded by the greater public who have so long complained of the ruthlessness of owners of .motor-cars, especially on country roads.