SEQUEL TO MOTOR SMASH.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 August 1921, Page 6

SEQUEL TO MOTOR SMASH.

CHARGE OF MANSLAUGHTER. A STRATFORD CASE. THE DEATH OF PERCY SUTTON. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Stratford, August 22. At the Magistrate’s Court this morn« ing, before Mr. A. M. Mowlem, S.M., •James Albert Officer was charged with manslaughter, the charge arising from the death of Percy John Carter Sutton, as the result of an accident which took place on the Mountain Road on the night of July 16. Sutton was returning from the Springboks—Taranaki football match with two friends in a motor car, which collided with a gig being driven the opposite way by Officer. Sutton was struck in the mouth by some object, and died as a result of the injuries. Sergeant J. Dale conducted the case for the police, and Mr. Moss appeared for accused, who pleaded not guilty. Sergeant Dale said that the evidence, briefly, was that deceased and a friend had missed the trains from New Plymouth to Stratford, and a man named Barlow had consented to drive them to Stratford. When a few yards on the Stratford side of the Durham Road, Barlow suddenly saw something in front of him, and ran into it before he could pull up. Barlow said that he was travelling on the asphalt portion of tlTfe road, which is 13 feet wide, and the something which struck the car was travelling on its wrong side, the righthand side going towards Inglewood. After the collision, Sutton was found to be injured, and was taken to hospital, where he died on July 29. ACCIDENT DESCRIBED. W. P. P. Gordon, medical practitioner, of Stratford, gave evidence as to the injuries received by Sutton, and. stated that he thought it would be possible for an object of the size of the end of the shaft to cause the injuries, but if he had been asked, from his view of the wounds and knowledge of the injuries, he should say that something smaller (about the calibre of his thumb) had -caused them. It would be possible for a broken stanchion on the hood of the car to cause the injuries. He discovered no signs of liquor on the deceased. Death resulted from shock, haemorrhage, and lack of nourishment following the injuries.

Alfred Barlow, farmer and dealer, said that he had met Sutton and his friend Death in New Plymouth, and had consented to drive them to Stratford. They were both under the influence of liquor, but not really drunk. He had four or five drinks. At about 5.30 p.m. ho was drinking at. his brothers hotel with Sutton and Death in the big bar. and ho also had a drink in the private bar. Just before leaving he had a “spot” with his brother. He had no screen-wiper on his wind-screen, but cdnld see for twenty yards ahead. It •was a rainy night, and he was travelling at about 25 miles per hour on the centre of the asphalt, when the collision occurred. He saw' nothing on the road until he felt the impact. He had been driving a car for about eight years. A fair amount of traffic was passed on the road before the accident took place. Sutton may have been asleep. Frederick A. Death, bank clerk, gave evidence that he was with Sutton on the day of the, accident, and accompanied him on the way home. They had had four or five drinks. Before the collision occurred the car was travelling at a speed of about 20 or 25 miles per hour, in the centre of the road. The

first view he had of the gig showed that it was on the left side of the car, which would be on the wrong side of the, road. To Mr. Moss: Barlow could evidently see clearly without touching the screen. He would swear that the gig was on the wrong side of the rdad. 'lt was a rough, showery night. He denied that anyone had liquor with him in the car. THE DEFENCE RESERVED. Henry James Stimson, surfaceman, gave evidence that he resided at a place close to the scene of the accident. On the night in question he heard a no’se and went out on to the road, where ]ic saw Barlow standing, and a man lying on the road. He asked Barlow r whom the other man was, and Barlow replied that it was Officer. The wheel-marks of the cur showed that it had left the side of the road, and had ciitered the soft part of the road on the western side, and had gone on to the asphalt again about half a chain on the Stratford side of the road. He heard Barlow remark “This is a devil of a mess you’ve got me into.” Officer had replied that Barlow was on the wrong side of the road. He saw no lights on either vehicle. Bertram Nelson Linn, farm hand, gave evidence that he had left Officer's residence on the way to Inglewood in the gig in company with Officer. Neither of them had had any liquor. The lights of the gig were burning when they started, but went out. As the gig approached the car the right wheel oi the gig was on the asphalt. The car, when approaching, was in the centre of the road, but came, round off the asphalt on to the wrong side of the road, struck the gig, and continued round on to the asphalt again. 4To Mr. Moss:*The left wheel had been knocked off the gig, which would not have been able to travel along the road after the accident. Accused reserved his defence, and wascommitted for trial at the New Plymouth sitting of the Supreme .Court, bail being allowed on one personal surety of £2OO and another surety of £4OO.