BIRMINGHAM DAILY POST AND JOURNAL.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1914.
THE BIRMINGHAM MOTOR SMASH.
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COLLISION DESCRIBED AT THE INQUEST.
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SPEED OF THE TOURING CAR.
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The Birmingham City Coroner (Mr. Isaac Bradley) held an inquest at the Victoria Courts, yesterday, on Ernest Charles Bottle [2626] (26), a dentist, of 131, Christ Church Road, Boscombe, Bournemouth, who was killed in a motor collision at the corner of Belgrave Road and Bristol Road, Birmingham, shortly before midnight on Sunday. Mr. Bottle, in company with Mr. Wilfred Denham, of Alcester Lane's End, and his son, Mr. W. A. Denham, was travelling in a motor-car along the Bristol Road from the city. T. E. McKeeve, the driver of the colliding taxi-cab, was rather badly injured. Mr. Povey-Harper appeared for McKeeve; Mr. W. H. Malins for the Phoenix Insurance Company; Mr. A. J. Hatwell for Mr. W. A. Denham; and Mr. P. Baker for McKeeve's employers.
Evidence of identification having been given by the deceased man's father, Wilfred Albert Denham said he, his father, and deceased visited the Grand Hotel on Sunday evening, and leaving between 11 pm and 11.50, they proceeded to the Birmingham Garage in Navigation Street and took the car out. The witness declared he never drove his father's car, which was a 6-cylinder Sunbeam of 25-30 horse-power. His father sat in the driver's seat, and they were all sober. They went along Bristol Street, intending to Go up Priory Road. They were going at a moderate speed. Witness saw a taxi-cab come out of Belgrave Road on the left, and there was a collision. "I really don't know what happened; it occurred so suddenly," said witness, but, he added, he was thrown about and was struck on the nose and knees. After the collision the car travelled backwards, but witness could not say for what distance. He was picked out from the bottom of the car.
When the car stopped the deceased seemed to be sitting exactly as he was before the collision occurred, and witness saw blood pouring from his nose. He was unconscious, and was taken to the Queen's Hospital. When witness was taken to that institution later he was informed of Mr. Bottle's death. On Sunday morning the speedometer registered over 40 miles an hour, but witness could not say when that speed was attained; certainly not when he was in the car.
Replying to Mr. Harper, witness said the car had powerful lamps, capable of throwing a light 200 yards in front. Answering Mr. Baker, he said he did not remember hearing a horn being blown.
Dr John Christopher Jones, house surgeon at the Queen's Hospital, said deceased was taken in at 12.15 on Monday morning. When witness saw him a few minutes later he was dead. An examination showed that a large piece of bone had been torn off the head, and could be felt detached from the cranium. That injury was sufficient to cause death.
Joseph Longrigg, 104, Thimble Mill Lane, Smethwick, attendant at the Birmingham Garage, Navigation Street, said Mr. Denham drove out of the garage rather sharply. Witness thought all of the party seemed to have had a little drop to drink. They were "rather jollier than usual."
Sydney Trickett, cashier at the garage, mentioned that Mr. Denham was "not quite steady."
EVIDENCE OF EYE-WITNESSES.
Evidence was given by Henry Ward, 47, Lee Bank Road, who said that at 11.50 on Sunday night he was about to cross Bristol Road from St. Luke's Road to Sun Street. He saw the motor-car just passing; its speed attracted his attention. It was going very fast; he could safely say it was travelling at over 30 miles an hour. Witness saw a taxi-cab coming from Belgrave Road, and there was a collision, the effect of which was that the car turned round, went back- wards, and collided with a tree. The body of the taxi dropped into the gutter, and the driver was thrown in the air and fell on the footpath. Witness ran to his aid, and he was subsequently removed to the Queen's Hospital. The car did not give any warning as it approached Belgrave Road. Witness could not form any estimate of the speed of the taxi.
Replying to Mr. Harper, witness said the chassis of the taxi was 20 yards away from the body.
Harry Harrison, of 2, back of 232, Bristol Street, said he was walking up Belgrave Road towards Bristol Road, and he was about fifteen yards away from Bristol Road when the accident occurred. The taxi-cab passed witness at about eight or ten miles an hour. As he approached Bristol Road the driver of the taxi sounded his horn several times. He witnessed the collision, but he could not estimate the speed of the touring car. The collision resulted in the taxi-cab being divided, the two parts being about twenty yards distant from each other.
Leah Thompson, 2, Bristol Road (which is at the corner of Belgrave Road), said she was standing at the corner of the street when she saw the taxi-cab and the touring car approach, and when she realised that a collision was inevitable she closed her eyes. She did not hear any horn being blown by the driver of the car, but the taxi driver gave two warnings.
The enquiry was adjourned for a week.