DRIVERS OF TWO DEATH CARS HELD NEGLIGENT BY JURY

Inquest Conducted Into Fatal Injury Of Air Base Man on Kendall Drive

A coroner's jury yesterday ruled the death of Herman Travis 52, San Bernardino air base inspector, who was injured fatally July 21 when he fell from one car into the path of another on Kendall drive north of E street, was due to "negligence on the part of both driver".
The drivers of the automobiles, Ed. E. Alcorn 29,of 1015 Twin Creek Road and William II Thompkins 36, of 944 Cardiff street, both refused to testify on the advice of the counsel. They were among 14 witnesses called at the inquest conducted by Deputy Coroner E.P. Doyle for Coroner R. E. Williams at the Kremer Funeral Home.
TESTIFIES OF SPEED
Testimony of the witnesses brought out that the occupants of both cars were returning from a party on Devil Canyon when the accident occurred. One witness Robert II McIntosh, 1371 Arrowhead Ave. who was driving toward San Bernardino on Kendall Drive north of Little Mountain, said two cars, presumably the ones driven by Alcorn and Thompkins passed him going about 70 miles per hour. He estimated they were about 200 feet apart at that time.
Traffic OfficerClaude Moseley, one of the police officers who conducted the ivestigation at the scene of the accident, said his investigation disclosed that the Alcorn vehicle in which Travis was riding in the rear seat passed the Thompkins car on the left side on the curve near the top of the Little Mountain grade. He said there were tire marks apparently made by the Alcorn car about 120 feet long in the dirt shoulder at the extreme left side of the road.
Office Moseley said all evidence indicated that Travis left the car at a point 520 down the hill from the end of the skid marks.
TELLS OF DRINKING
He said Alcorn at the scene of the accident estimated his speed at between 50 and 55 miles per hour when he passed the Thompkins vehicle. He said Alcorn told him he was un-aware that Travis had fallen out of the car until Cpt. William H. Tucker the other occupant of the rear sear informed him.
Office Moseley said both Alcorn and Thompkins "had been drinking" and that both drivers denied they were racing to San Bernardino.
George C. Dougherty, a soldier stationed at the Air Force base who was riding in the Thompkins car told of seeing the body of a man lying in the highway directly in fron of the car. Witnesses testified that the Thompkins automobile was traveling between 25 and 30 miles per hour when it passed over Travis.
CAUSE OF DEATH
Dr. Chauney Baird, county autopsy surgeon, told of the injuries suffered by Travis, who died two days following the accident. He said the cause of death was generalized peritonitis and shock.
The jury was composed of J.E. Roderick,Ira S. Nicholsen,Hal M. Boyd, S. C. Clemenson,Oscar S. Swallow and Phillip Timvoll.