Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 81, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 January 1920 — GERALD NEWMAN IS ON TRIAL [ARTICLE]

GERALD NEWMAN IS ON TRIAL

At Elkhart oh Manslaughter Charge —Drunkenness Alleged. Gerald Newman, a former manager for the Standard Oil company, and located in Rensselaer, but who was transferred to Elkhart about a year ago and was recently transferred from there to South Bend, is now having his trial in the circuit court at Elkhart, it is understood, on the charge of manslaughter. Newman is charged with driving his Ford runabout at terrific speed past a street car where a group of people were getting on the car, plowing through the crowd and instantly killing Mrs. Harriet Heath, aged 62, and badly injuring Orel Hendershott and Don Snader. The car ran two hundred feet before stopping, and Newmah fled the scene, but later surrendered himself to the police and was released under <3,000 bond. Newman id said to have been in. toxlcated at the time of the accident, which occurred .about 7:30 o’clock on Christmas eve. His parents reside In Elkhart, and following the tragedy he went to their home. Later, in company with his brother-in-law, he appeared at the police station and surrendered to the officers, and was locked up. Bond was arranged the next forenoon. The charge placed against him was involunatry manslaughter. The radiator of the Newman car was crimpted and racked as though it had hit a tree or a telegraph pole, instead of plastic human beings, says the Elkhart Truth in Its account of the tragedy, and the wrecked lights and other parts of the front also showed the effect of the terrific Imfiußt A jug of intoxicating liquor is # said to have been found in the car. Newfnan and his wife parted when they were living in Rensselaer..