An old age pensioner, Mr. Frederick Owen, of 32, Robert-street, was the victim of the second fatal road accident at Rushden this week.

  Aged 78 years, he lived with his only son, Mr. Septimus Owen, and was a widower.  He left home at about seven o’clock on Tuesday evening, and was evidently returning when the accident occurred.  At 8.20 p.m. he was apparently crossing the High-street, near the railway bridge, when a car, driven by Mr. Stanley Smith, garage proprietor, of Irthlingborough, knocked him down.

  It is understood that Mr. Smith suddenly saw the old gentleman in front of his radiator, and was unable to avoid him.

  When picked up, Mr. Owen appeared very dazed, but no external injury was apparent.  He was taken in the car to Dr. Muriset’s surgery, and was still alive when his son arrived in response to an urgent summons, but death occurred before he could be moved from the surgery.

  Mr. Owen was a great walker, thinking nothing of going to Wellingborough and back.  He lived for nearly 50 years at 61, West-street, Wellingborough, but when his wife died eight years ago he came to live with his son, who, incidentally, lost his wife three years ago.

  Two brothers live in Wellingborough, Mr. Alfred Owen and Mr. James Owen, an old Rushden Town footballer, one of the first professionals to leave Northamptonshire.

  The funeral takes place at Wellingborough this afternoon (Friday), with a service at the Friends’ Meeting House.

The Inquest

  A rider that the Rushden High-street should be better lighted near the railway bridge was added to the jury’s verdict of “Accidental death” at the inquest on Thursday evening, when Mr. Stanley Smith, the driver of the car which knocked Mr. Owen down, was exonerated from blame.

  Mr. J. C. Parker conducted the inquiry at the Ambulance Rooms, and a jury was convened, with Mr. Rollie Cox as foreman.

  Mr. C. E. Burton (of Messrs. Beck, Green and Stops) represented the driver of the car.  Supt. Jones and Inspector Sharman represented the police, and P.C. Redley was the Coroner’s officer.

  Septimus George Owen, of 32, Robert-street, Rushden, a shoehand, said the deceased was his father and lived with him.  He was 78 years of age, and a retired laster in the shoe trade.

  At seven o’clock on Tuesday evening deceased got ready and went out for a walk, as he usually did. He was in his usual health, and his eyesight and hearing were good.  Witness was informed of the accident at 8.55, and went to Dr. Muriset’s surgery.  His father was then unable to recognise anyone or speak.

Car Driver’s Story

  Stanley Smith, of 27, Lees-street, Irthlingborough, a garage proprietor, was warned by the Coroner that anything he said would be taken down and might be used in evidence against him.

  He said he left the garage about five minutes past eight on Tuesday evening to go to Rushden.  He was driving a 14 h.p. 1926 saloon car, and put the front lights out just as he got to the Queen Victoria Hotel at Rushden, leaving his side lights on.  A van was coming towards him and that was shy he put the lights out.

  He had to pause behind a stationary car outside the hotel to let the van go by, and then pulled out and overtook the car, regaining the near side.

  “I was gradually gaining speed from almost a standstill, and as I reached the Rushden side of the bridge, after going about 30 yards, I suddenly saw Mr. Owen in front of me.  He was in the roadway and close to my car.  His face was pointing towards my near side.

  “I put both brakes on and tried to pull up, but collided with the man and as soon as I had done so I pulled up.”

  The Coroner: You didn’t run over him? – Witness: No.

  Mr. Smith added that he got out of the car and found Owen lying in a heap about a foot from the offside front wheel.  A man named Carlyle helped to pick him up, and they took him to the doctor’s.

  The Coroner: At the time you first saw the deceased what was your speed? – Witness: Twelve miles an hour at the most.

  Was there a car coming from the opposite direction to dazzle your view? – There was one, but it had very poor lights and did not dazzle me.

Rain On The Screen

  It was a fine night? – No, there was a fine rain.

  And did that settle on the windscreen? – Yes, very badly.

  Had you got a windscreen wiper? – Yes.

  Was it working? – Yes.

  Your view ahead was obscured except through that part which had been wiped? – Yes, that was the only part I could see through.

  Was that the reason you think you did not see the deceased before? – Yes.

  Is the road well lighted? – At that point it is dark.  I had just come out of a brilliantly lighted part of the street near the Theatre, and it was in the shadow of the bridge where the dark spot was.

  And was it in the shadow that this happened? – Yes.

  Why hadn’t you put your headlights on again? – There was plenty of light in the High-street, and you cannot keep putting them on and off in the traffic.

  How long have you been driving? – Nineteen years.

  All sorts of cars, I suppose? – All sorts and sizes.

  A Juror: Was there many more people about? – Very few.

  A Juror: He had got most of the way across the road, hadn’t he? – He was about five feet from my near side.

  The Coroner: You are not overworked? – No, I work for myself.  I am a teetotaller and non-smoker.  I have driven over half a million miles and had no accident of any kind.

  Mr. Burton: I believe your insurance company made a special rebate to you in view of your extraordinary experience? – Yes.  I have never made a claim of any kind during the whole of my career.

“Walked Straight Across”

  Harry Max Carlyle, a chamber boy at the Queen Victoria Hotel, said that on Tuesday evening at 8.15 he was walking on the pavement on the same side as the Royal Theatre, approaching the railway bridge.  He was about 30 or 35 yards from the bridge when he saw an elderly man cross the road from the same side as that on which he himself was walking.  The man walked straight across, and the car approached at a very moderate pace – 12 or 13 m.p.h.  The near side of the car hit him, knocking him down, and the car stopped immediately.  There was a slight drizzle on.

  Witness agreed that the accident happened in “a dark patch” caused by the shadow of the railway bridge.  He did not see any other traffic about.  Deceased was not thrown far.

  In answer to jurors, witness said he did not think the driver would be able to see the deceased very well.  Owen did not slip.

  P.C. Redley said Mr. Smith called at the Police Station and reported the accident.  Witness inspected the car and found the near side lamp bracket broken away from the mudguard.  A connecting rod had been bent.  The road was wet and greasy, and there were no skid marks.  Deceased was knocked down at a spot 18 ft. from the off side of the road going South, and 8 ft. from the near side at the entrance to Station Approach.

  In answer to the Coroner, P.C. Redley said the lamps at the Royal Theatre and Victoria Hotel gave a very brilliant light.

  The Coroner: Did you notice that there is a shadow under the railway bridge? – Yes, there is a shadow thrown from the bright lights of the hotel and theatre.

Fractured Skull

  Dr. O. A. J. N. Muriset said the deceased was brought to his surgery at 8.30 on Tuesday evening by Smith and Carlyle.  He was unconscious and had a large abrasion on the right side of the head and a little bloodstain on his moustache.

  Witness diagnosed fracture of the skull.  Mr. Owen remained unconscious, gradually got worse, and died about ten minutes to ten.

  The Coroner: A man of his age would not require a very serious blow to produce this state? – No, the bone of the skull would be brittle.

  Dr. Muriset added that there were no signs of Mr. Owen having been run over.

  Summing-up, the Coroner said the driver’s explanation was quite feasible – namely, that the screen was entirely blurred owing to the wet and damp, and the only piece he could see through was the piece the windscreen wiper made.  It was quite possible that he would not see a man crossing the road at that spot, where there was a very dark piece caused by the shadow of the bridge.

  Describing the incident as “one of those very unfortunate accidents that will occur,” the Coroner added that Mr. Smith was a very experienced driver who had what must be regarded in these days as an almost unique record.

  In announcing a verdict of “Accidental death” the Foreman said that no blame attached to the driver.  The jury wished to add a rider that they thought there ought to be “a bit better light” at the spot.

  The Coroner: That is a matter for the local authority.

  The Foreman referred to the scene of the accident as one of the worst lighted streets in the county when the theatre and hotel lights were out.  He suggested that two or three crossings for pedestrians should be made in the High-street; it would be a help to both pedestrians and motorists.

  The Coroner: Yes – if the people themselves would do it!

  Mr. Burton offered Mr. Smith’s deep sympathy to the family.