Francis Wilson was born in 1887 in Kent, England as the first child of Robert Wilson and Catherine Oliphant.

When he was 25, He married Elizabeth Erbacher, daughter of Peter Erbacher and Mary Diflo, on 15 May 1912[1] in Toowoomba, Queensland.

Francis Wilson and Elizabeth Erbacher had the following children:

1. Olive Mary Elizabeth Wilson was born on 22 April 1913 in Queensland, Australia. She married William Charles Ross in 1934 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. She died on 17 March 2012 in Mitchelton, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

2. Myrtle Gwendoline Wilson. She married John McEnery in 1939 in Queensland, Australia. She died in 1981 in Queensland, Australia.

3. Stillborn twin

4. Ivy Beatrice Wilson

At about 2 a.m.on 6 October 1925, Francis had picked up a fare in the name of  ‘Jollo’ in his car which was up for hire. In dense fog, the car skidded on the road, and flipped on Old Cleveland Road, near Wellington Street, Coorparoo. Three people died. It was the first fatality involving a taxi in Queensland.

Francis died at 12:30 on Sunday 6 October 1925[2] in General hospital in Brisbane, Queensland, age 38.

Citations:

1. Queensland Government - Births, deaths, marriages and divorces, C3351

2. Queensland Government - Births, deaths, marriages and divorces, B47012

External Links:

Family Notices - Queensland Figaro (Brisbane, Qld. : 1901 - 1936) Tuesday 28 May 1912 p 13

May 15th - Miss L. Erbacher, of Rangeville,Darling Downs, to Mr. F. Wilson, of Victoria ; at St. Patrick's Church, Toowoomba.

Wilson-Erbacher - The Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939) Saturday 1 June 1912 p 15

Wilson-Erbacher - A wedding of interest to a large circle of friends on the Darling Downs was celebrated last Wednesday afternoon at St. Patrick's Church. Toowoomba, when Mr. F. Wilson (of Victoria, second son of Mr. R. Wilson, of Chatham, Kent, England) was marred to Miss L. Erbacher (second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. P. Erbacher, Rangeville). The Rev. Father O'Connell officiated. The bride, who was given away by her father, wore a graceful robe of cream Italian, trimmed with silk lace insertion, and finished with chiffon. She also wore a small coronet of orange blossomn, and a handsome embroidered veil, and carried a bouquet of maiden hair and asparagus plumosus, tied with white streamers. Her sister (Miss Rose Erbacher) attended as bridesmaid. Mr. H. Baxter acted as bestman. Subsequent to the ceremony the guests were entertained at the residence of the bride's parents at Rangeville, where a wedding breakfast was served

KILLED IN A CAR Motoring Fatality BRISBANE SENSATION BRISBANE, Tuesday - Examiner (Launceston, Tas. : 1900 - 1954) Wednesday 7 October 1925 p 5 Article

KILLED IN A CAR - Motoring Fatality - BRISBANE SENSATION BRISBANE, Tuesday - A most sensational motor smash occurred at 2.00 this morning on the Old Cleveland road, resulting in two deaths and injuries to six others, including the driver of the car, who was not expected to recover.

It appears that a new seven-seater car, owned by F. Wilson, who plies for hire, was returning to the city from the direction of Capalaba, with a party of three men and four young women. At Coorparoo the car skidded at the bend in the road in some loose formation. One of the back'tyres was torn off, and the car overturned. The crash could be heard all round the neighbourhood, and many were awakened from their slumbers, and rushed to the scene to render what aid they could. Vera Cassell, about 20, employed at the Victoria hotel, South Brisbane, died on the way to the hospital. Thomas Wall (17), residing with his parents at Rosalie, succumbed shortly after admission to the hospital. Francis Wilson, the driver of the car, received a fractured skull and concusston, and probable internal injuries. He was not expected to live. Vera Hancock, of Nundah, had a fractured skull, broken collarbone, concussion, and shock, and though in a seriouscondition when admitted to the hospital,it was thought that she might recover. The other four passengers were not so seriously injured.  Frank Fein Thompson, estate agent, sustained concussion, abrastions, and shock. Alice Richards, Nundah, concussion, abrasions, and shock. Martin Shields, employed at the Victoria Hotel, South Brisbane, injuries to the head and shock. Allen Nickasson, Kangaroo Point, injuries to the left wrist. The car was a complete. wreck, having evidently turned over two or three times. The occupants were found lying about everywhere. The roadway was littered with broken glass and various parts of the car, and the whole scene of the smash was marked with blood from the wounds and injuries of the party. It is stated that they left on a motor ride from the Brisbane dance last night. The scene of the accident was only about 50 yards away from that of a big motor smash two years ago, when a motor car collided with a horse and cart. The driver of the latter turnout, also .the car driver and a girl passenger, were killed.

COORPAROO TRAGEDY. EVIDENCE AT INQUIRY - The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933) Tuesday 17 November 1925 p 18 Article

COORPAROO TRAGEDY - EVIDENCE AT INQUIRY - At about 2 o'clock on the morning of October 6 a motor car overturned on the Old Cleveland road, Coorparoo, with the result that three of the occupants of the car-Thomas Wall, of Dudley street, Rosalie, Vera Monica Maud Ehrenberg (or Castles), and the driver of the car, Francis Wilson-were killed, and other occupants of the car received injuries Mr A Staines, JP., yesterday continued an inquiry into the accident, witnesses being examined by Sergeant S Warner. Maurice Peter Wall, father of Thomas Wall, gave his son's age as 17 years, and  stated that though his son had at times taken a glass of liquor he had "cut it out" altogether from about two months beforethe accident

"JOLLO" MOB. - Elizabeth Wilson, wife of Francis Wilson (driver of the car), stated that her  husband in conjunction with herself, owned a motor car, which Wilson ran for hire from the Central station car rank. On October 5 her husband left home at about 8.30 a.m. Witness did not see him again until after the accident. It had been deceased's custom to take her out to a theatre on Monday nights, but witness rang him about 6pm and said she had friends coming. He replied "I expect to pick up a 'jollo' mob later on, so it is just as well. Of course, I can let them slide if you want to go out." At about 3am she was informed by a car driver named Tweesdale that there had been an accident and that her husband, who was in the hospital, wished to speak to her. He was unconscious when witness arrived at about 3.30 a.m. on October 6. She remained at the hospital until Sunday afternoon. Her husband died on Sunday at about 12.30 without once speaking to her. She asked Frank Fein (one of the occupants of the car) how the accident occurred, and he informed her that the car had capsized after skidding He also said there was a dense fog, and the driver could hardly see where he was going."

“DON'T TELL MOTHER " - James Isaacs, employed by Carr and Co. as a carter, together with his workmate, Edward Stevens,, said he was having his dinner on the Cleveland- road at about 1.55 a.m., when he heard a car approaching and remarked "This fellow's cutting it out." Almost simultaneously he heard a crash, and getting on to the waggon saw a car lying across the inbound tramlines upside down. Although there was a heavy fog at the time, the car was lying under a street lamp, and witness could see it plainly from where he was standing. Together with Stevens he rushed to the car where he noticed other people, not occupants of the car, looking on. Several of the occupants of the car were lying around the roadway. One of them, a girl, remarked "I thought it would come to this" Another girl remarked, "Frank, I'm sick'  Witness did not know who these speakers were, and neither could he say who the girl was whom he heard saying, "Don't tell mother" There were no obstructions on the road where the accident occurred, and it was in good repair. The road was lighted, and in spite of the fog if the car had been travelling at a reasonable speed witness did not think an accident would have occurred. So far as he could see none of the occupants of the car was under the influence of liquor. The tyre on the offside rear wheel had slipped off the rim, and the tube had come out from under the tyre. Edward Stevens, who was working with Issacs, corroborated that witness's evidence, mentioning that the girls had their shoes and hats off

The inquiry was adjourned until 10 a.m. to-day.

SKILFUL DRIVER. WHAT CAR TRACKS TOLD THE COORPAROO SMASH - The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933) Saturday 21 November 1925 p 9 Article

SKILFUL DRIVER - WHAT CAR TRACKS TOLD - THE COORPAROO SMASH - Interesting evidence was given yesterday by Mr. A. G. Barber, an inspector under the department of the Chief Inspector of Machinery, at the resumed inquiry into the sensationall Cooparoo smash on October 6 last. Mr. Barber stated that he had examined the scene of the accident and the damaged car, and he then went on to reconstruct the actions of the driver in his attempt to stop the car during the period from where it was skidding along the road until it overturned.

It will be remembered that the accident occurred at about 2.30am on Old Cleveland Road, near Wellington street Coorparoo when a big seven-seater motor car skidded and overturned throwing the occupants, four young men and four young women whose ages ranged from 17 years upwards, in all directions. Two of the injured persons—Thomas Wall and Vera Monica Maud Ehrenberg-died within two hours after the accident and a third—Francis Wilson, driver of the car died in hospital some days later.

Mr. A. Staines J.P. conducted the inquiry. Sergeant S. Warner examining the  witnesses.

Mrs. Wilson widow of the driver of the car, and Mrs. W. Ehrenberg mother of the deceased girl were present at the inquiry.  

Albert Grey Barber deposed that his inspection of the car after the accident showed that both hand and foot brakes were in good order. The only defect he noticed was in connection with the foot brake where the near rear wheel had a tendency to lock somewhat ahead of the  off wheel. The throttle controls were all right and the steering gear appeared to have been in good order up to the time of the accident. In addition to the general damage to the car he observed the following damage which had a direct bearing on the accident: —Front axle offside bent up and backward, off rear wheel buckled and tyre sprung off, near front mudguard

and radiator staved in in a diagonal direction, also damage to the hub cap of the off front wheel.

POSSIBLE CAUSE OF ACCIDENT

After inspecting the scene of the accident, he was of the opinion that a possible explanation of the accident was the fact of the car travelling down hill and rounding a curve at a high speed centri-fugal force, and in addition the camber of the road. The driver apparently applied the foot brake, locking both rear wheels,

and endeavoured to bring the car back to the crown of the road, thus causing the wobbling tricks leading down to the soft dust holes, where the car skidded sharply to the right and diagonally across the road, and where the steering wheel was swung hard over to the left, causing the front wheels to come hard over and to  lock hard round as far as they could, placing the car diagonally across the road to the left; at that moment the off front wheel buckled under, bending the front axle, and causing the car to somersault forward to the right, striking the off front wheel hub cap as a fulcrum, the car then landing on the near mudguard and radiator and continuing to roll along the road, one and a half to two and a half complete turns, coming to rest upside down, and lengthwise across the load. He was of opinion that the driver had complete control of the car up to the time the car reached the dust holes, and that after that  the car was more or less out of control. On being informed that the car skidded for about 27 yards prior to arriving at the dust holes he was of the opinion that the car must, have been travelling at a high rate of speed, and he also thought that a man would not have experienced the same difficulty in controlling the car on that particular section of that road if the car was travelling at less than 25 miles per hour.

The speed at which the car was travelling was a contrlbiiting factor to the accident. From his observations he would say that the person in charge of the car was a skilful driver, that he handled his car to the best advantage, and that, whether, drunk or sober, ho could not have handled the car any better under the circumstances as they appeared to him.

Allan Clifford Nickisson, one of the occupants of the car at the time of the accident, continued his evidence. While dancing on the Capalaba Hotel veranda, some one knocked on the door, and told them to "Get off." The girl Shields, who was a nervous and delicate girl, fainted, and he carried her to the car. After she recovered the party proceeded to a large fig tree, about a quarter of a mile further on, where they stayed

till about 1.30 a.m. The men consumed about six bottles of beer altogether. As far as he knew none of the girls drank any liquor. The drinks did not appear to have affected any of the men. On the way home they stopped at the Belmont Hotel, and had a drink of wine. Witness then described the return journey up to

the time of the accident. He did not think the car was travelling at an excessive speed.

"NOT SHIELDING ANY ONE."

Maurine Doris Shields, 21 years of age, another member of the party, gave her address as Edward-street, Spring Hill. She gave an account of the events leading up to the accident. She had no idea when they started off where they  were going to. No liquor was procured at the half-way hotel at Tingalpa. No liquor of any kind was carried in the car to her knowledge.

Mr. Staines: Who are you trying to shield--the boys or yourself? Witness: I am not trying to shield any one.

In response to a further question witness reiterated that as far as she knew there was no liquor in the car, and she did not know that Wilson and Nickisson got some beer at the Capalaba Hotel. They might have procured some liquor there and brought it back to the car, but she did not see any. They stopped at the Belmont Hotel on the way home, and Wilson and Nickisson got out, and were "acting the goat," but she could not say whether they had any wine there. She did not see them go into the hotel, but they might have done so. Just prior to the accident the car was going fairly fast—faster than when she had been in the car before. She thought when the car was swerving from side to side of the road that Wilson was "fooling." The   next thing witness remembered was when she sat up on the roadway. Witness denied portions of a statement alleged to  have been given by her to the police in which she is said to have stated that the speed at which they were travelling was the cause of the accident, and that Wilson had drunk most of the beer, and was drunk.

In reply to Mrs. Ehrenberg witness stated that Wilson had mentioned cash ally to her that he would teach her and Vera Ehrenberg how to drive the car, but it was not true that Miss Ehrenberg was getting her first lesson that night.The inquiry was adjourned sine die.

Terrific Motor Smash. Gaiety and Disaster - Daily Mercury (Mackay, Qld. : 1906 - 1954) Wednesday 25 November 1925 p 4 Article

Terrific Motor Smash - Gaiety and Disaster - An inquiry is now being held in Brisbane, before Mr. A. Staines, J.P., into the sensational motor smash 1n Old Cleveland road, Coorparoo, in the early hours of the morning of October 6 last, as a 'result of which three persons — Thomas Wall, Vera Monica Maud Ehrenberg, and the driver of the car, Francis Wilson — met their deaths, and five others were injured. Sergeant barner examined the witnesses. Mrs. Wilson, widow of the driver of the car and Mrs. W. Ehrenberg, mother of the deceased girl, were present at the inquiry.    

It will be remembered that the accident occurred at about 2.30 a.m. on Old Cleveland road, near Wellington-street, Coorparoo,' when a big seven-seater motor car skidded, and overturned, throwing the occupants, four young men and four- young women-, whose ages ranged from 17 years upwards, in all

directions.- Two of the injured persons died within two hours after the accident, and a third, the driver of the car, died in hospital some days later.

Ride to Capalaba. - Details of -the 'events leading up to the tragic occurrence were given by Francis Edward Albert Fien,- 21 years of  age, of Oxford-street, Thompson Estate, one of the occupants of the car at the time of the accident. Witness stated that he was being driven home along Queen-street- in Francis Wilson's motor car during the evening of October 5, when the driver picked up a girl, Dorothy Shields, and they then picked up Vera Ehrenberg at Victoria- Bridge. Witness had then changed to the driver's seat. He drove to the corner of Edward and Queen streets, where Allen Clifford Nickisson joined them. Someone suggested that they should have, a "jollo," meaning a car ride, and he drove over to the Trocadero to see if he could find a girl whom he knew to accompany him.On arrival he met Thomas Wall, who said he would get two girls to join the party. Wall and the two girls, Alice Ellen Richards and Vera Hancock, got into the car. and the party proceeded   to the Royal Mail Hotel, Tingalpa, where, they tried to getmin, to have music on the piano, but they we're refused admittance. A request for a bottle of wine was also refused. The time was then about 10 p.m. Wilson then drove the party to the Capalaba- Hotel. They were also refused admittance to the latter hotel, but they obtained six bottlesof beer, there being a bottle of wine in the car. Alter having some drinks they all got out and went on to the veranda, of the hotel and commenced dancing and singing to music supplied by Wilson on a tin whistle. They had only been there a short- time - when they were ordered off the premises. They then left the veranda and returned to the car. There was no row between the hotel people and any of the party. Wilson then drove them to a big fig tree on the side of the road about a mile further on to-wards Cleveland. He and the other three men got out of the car and consumed, the remainder of the beer and half the bottle of wine. They left the Capalaba Hotel about 11.15 p.m., and they stayed at the fig tree till about 1 a m. Wilson then took the driver's seat, and.the party proceeded in the direction of Brisbane. He did not notice any difference in Wilson, but the liquor might have had some effect. None of the party was drunk, but they were all singing. They again pulled up, at the Capalaba Hotel on the return journey, when Wall and Wilson got out of the car. He heard the sound of a

bottle being thrown on the roof of the hotel. They only waited about two or three minutes there before they moved off, Wilson driving. Just after they left one or two members ot the party said they heard revolver shots, but witness was of the opinion that the sounds were caused by the exhaust of the car. Wilson speeded up to about 35 miles per hour, but near a bridge the car got a severe bump, and driver slackened to about 20 miles per hour, until they reached the tramline at Camp Hill, when Wilson again speeded up to about 30 miles per hour.

"Steady Her Up." - Witness said to Wilson, "Steady her up, Frank, this is only a new track.” He replied, "I'll watch it." Previous to that the car had been pulled up a couple of times to wipe the mist off the, windscreen. They could only see about15 yeards ahead of them, as the headlights could not penetrate the thick fog, Wilson decreased speed to about 15 miles per hour until they reached the crest of the hill near the Alexandra Home, on the Old Cleveland road, when the speed was incrensed to about 30 to 35 miles per hour. Wilson was on his correct driving side, and there was, no skylarking at the time. The next thing witness remembered was the car skidding erratically for about 100 yards, and then overturning. He thought Wilson put the brakes on when he saw he could not keep the car straight. The car leaned over to the right, .and witness, knowing that it would capsise, opened the door and jumped out, pulling the girl Richards with him. Immediately after he fell he heard the car crash on the roadway, and, he saw it about 20ft. away upturned across the inbound tram track. He thought the skidding was caused by the fog having made the asphalt on the tram tracks slippery. If a car was travelling at 35 miles per hour, and it struck a soft patch of gravel and sand 2in deep, that would most likely cause it to skid, and that may have been the first cause of the car skidding. There were a couple of bottles of lemonade in the car. As far as witness knew, none of the girls had any intoxicating liquor from the time they got in the car until the time of the accident. He

was satisfied that the occurrence was purely accidental, and that there were no suspicious circumstances.

Hotel Manager's Story - Lionel Aubrey Dollory, manager of the Capalaba Hotel, Capalaba, of which his wife is the licensee, said he was reading in bed at about 11 o'clock on the night of October 5, when he heard a car approaching from the direction of Tingalpa Creek. The occupants were singing loudly. The car pulled up outside of the hotel, and a man called out: "I have brought out a little party to cheer your little heart.'' Witness's wife asked what they wanted, and the man replied: "We want to come in and have a dance and a tune on the piano." Witness's wife said, "We don't allow anybody in here at night." The man went back to the car, and witness heard female voices.He heard a girl say: "I can't drink wine straight:" A male voice replied, "We've got some lemonade." The female voice said: "Well, I'll have it with the lemonade." Later witness saw three or four couples dancing on the front verandah to the accompaniment of a tin whistle. Witness's wife knocked at the door and called out: "Get off that veranda. You're on licensed promises. You will be getting us into trouble, and yourselves also." A man replied by singing: "Who's That Knocking at the Door?" The dancing and the music then stopped. The party then went to the car. Straightaway, two little girls, of about 16 or 17, came round to the back of the hotel, knocked on the veranda gate, and asked

"Are you the missus?" They said they wanted some water for one of the girls, who had fainted. His wife said: "You little girls ought to be ashamed of yourselves." They said they had not been dancing; it was the other girls, and they did not know them. One of he two young, girls was carrying a drinking glass. They were directed to the water tank, and advised to go home.Then the man whom witness had first seen came round the back and said he wanted some water for a girl who had fainted. Witness and his wife could hear a general conversation among the occupants of the car, from which he concluded that someone had fainted. He heard one of the male members of the party say: "I don't want to frighten you little girls, but I will take this little girl for a drive in the fresh air; it will do her good." He heard the engine of the car start up, and he saw the car travelling in the direction of Birkdale. The car arrived at about 11p.m., and left at about 11.20. The occupants were singing as they went away. Intoxicating liquor was not asked for, and it was not supplied. At midnight witness and his wife heard a car approaching at ordinary speed, and mixed voices singing.' He said to his wife: "Here's that mob coming back again." The car steadied up at the hotel, and three bottles were thrown on the roof. Then the car raced down the hill in the direction of Brisbane. It was a clear moonlight night. He recognised the same party that, had disturbed him earlier in the night. Approaching the bridge the car was travelling at about 40 miles an hour; it bumped badly over the ruts, and nearly ran into one of the upright posts of the culvert. There was a loud report. His wife remarked, "They've had a blow-out. Now we will be able to tell who they are." But the car kept going, and the speed increased.

The party commenced singing as they went over the bridge. It did not appear to witness that any member of the party was under the influence of liquor.

One of the Party. Allan Clifford' Nickisson, boilermaker, residing in Kangaroo Point, said he knew the deceased Francis Wilson and Vera Ehrenberg— the latter he knew by the name of "Vera" only. He did not know the others. On the night of the accident he met Vera at about 8.10 p.m. on the Kangaroo Point ferry. No arrangement was made then that they should go for a joy ride. Later someone suggested a car ride. They went to the Trocadero, where Alice Richards, Vera Hancock, and Thomas Wall joined them. They left the Trocadero at 9.30 p.m. Fien drove the car until they reached the Royal Mail Hotel, Tingalpa, which was the first stop. Up till the time he got in the car he had not had any intoxicating liquor. The whole party was  

sober when they left the Trocadero. The idea of getting out was to have a dance and a sing-song at the piano. He heard a woman refuse permission. Then they went to Capalaba. The inquiry was adjourned until 10 a.m. next day.

Ambulance Bearer's Evidence -  A graphic description of the scene shortly after the accident occurred was

given by George Henry Hockaday, the first Ambulance bearer to attend. On arrival he noticed an overturned motor car, with several persons lying on the roadway about the car. Some were unconscious, and apparently seriously injured, while others also appeared to be seriously injured, though not unconscious. Dr. Gall was there when witness arrived, and he Was attending to one of the girls at the side of the road. One of the girls was lying on the road about15ft. away from the car. Under Dr. Gall's instructions he removed Francis Wilson, Alice Eileen. Richards, Francis Edward Albert Fein, Vera Hancock, and Vera Monica Maud Ehrenberg (or Castles) to the Ambulance car, and proceeded without delay to the Mater Misericordiae Hospital. On asking for admittance for the patients he was refused, the reason being given by one of the sisters on night duty that there was no room, as the hospital was full up. On being refused admittance he proceeded to the Brisbane General Hospital, where he arrived at about 3a.m. Just after they, got inside the gates of the latter hospital the girl Ehrenberg breathed heavily twice, and he noticed blood and water coming from her mouth and nostrils. He then felt her pulse, and found that there was no pulsation. He heard Francis Wilson died some days later in the hospital. On the way in Vera Hancock kept on saying, "Don't tell mother. Don't tell mother." He did not notice a smell of intoxicating liquor on anv of the patients. If any of them had been under the influence of liquor the accident would have had a tendency to sober them up. One of the girls he attended to had no shoes on, while another had only one shoe on. Witness did not think there was any suspcious circumstances connected with the accident. He had come to the conclusion that they had been having "a night out."

Broken Glass About - John Charles Porter, an Ambulance bearer, gave evidence of having attended to the remaining three injured persons, Thomas Wall, seriously injured and unconscious; a young girl, Maureen Shields, suffering from shocks and from lacerations, and abrasions on both thighs and the left shoulder; and Allen Nickisson, lacerations on forehead, injury to left arm, and shock. He had them put in the car and conveyed to the Mater Misericordiac Public Hospital, where he had them admitted after great difficulty, as the other five had already been refused on the plea of there being no room. Room was made for his three patients, however, and they were admitted. Thomas Wall died at the hospital about two hours later. He did

not see any signs of intoxicating liquor. There was broken glass about, but he could not say whether it was from the windscreen or from bottles. There was a fog at the time, but he travelled at a fast rate to the scene of the accident, and the roads were not unduly slippery. August Maurer, a resident of Old Cleveland road, stated that he was awakened by his wife, who had heard the smash. Two young men came, to his residence, and one of them said: "For God's sake ring up the Ambulance. We have had a smash." Mr.Ivory, of the same address, went across the road to a public telephone and telephoned for the Ambulance. Witness described the scene just after the accident, three of the girls were lying huddled together on the roadway apparently seriously injured, while the other girl was walking about. One of the girls said two or three times, "Dont' let mum know; mum mustn't know about this." One young girl was calling out, "Where's Frank?!' While another said, "Alice, I knew it would come to this." Witness's daughter told

him later that one of the girls told her that the driver was "fooling" with the car, meaning that he was not driving it properly.

"Terrific Speed." -  Witness - said he had examined the skid marks of the car. When the skidding took place the car must have been nearly head on to the tram track. He could see the tracks of the car from

that point going across the outbound tram track until the front wheels got over the off rail of the outbound tram tracks, and it would appear that the car had somersaulted from that spot to the position in which he found it upturned across the inbound tram truck, a distance of 60ft; The car must have gone over and over two or three times, at the same time continuing in the same direction from the off to the near side of the road. That indicated that the car must have been travelling at a terrific speed. The skid marks showed that the car took a dangerously sharp turn, and he would hardly credit that any, car could take such a sharp turn. Judging by what he saw, he estimated that the car must have been travelling at 60 miles an hour at the time of the accident. He thought that was the principal cause of the accident.

COORPAROO TRAGEDY. A GIRL'S EVIDENCE - The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933) Wednesday 2 December 1925 p 12

COORPAROO TRAGEDY - A GIRL'S EVIDENCE -The inquiry into the circumstances in which, Vera Monica Maud Ehrenberg, Thomas Wall, and Francis Wilson met their deaths as the result of a motor smash on Old Cleveland road, Coorparoo, on October 6 last, was continued yester-day before Mr. A. Staines, J.P. Sargeant S. Warner examined the witnesses. Vera Harriet Hancock, 17 years, said

that she left her home in Surrey-street, Nundah, with Doris Richards, with the intention of going to any dance hall available. They arrived at the Trocadero at 8.30 p.m. They had a dance each with Thomas Wall, who afterwards asked them to go for a car ride. They made the provision that they must be brought back

in time to catch the last Sandgate train. They entered the car, "pairing off" as they did so, so that witness sat on the "dicky" seat with Wall, and Miss Richards sat in the back seat with Allan Nickleson, whom she had never met before. The car was driven by Frank Fein. Frank Wilson sat in the back seat with Miss

Ehrenberg. The party stopped at the Royal Mail Hotel, Tingalpa, but witness had no idea why the stop was made. She was sure no liquor had been pro- cured. The party then decided to go on to the Capalaba Hotel. Here Wilson, and Nickisson left the car and went to the back of the hotel, and on their return one of them said, 'We can't get in; there's a new man." Witness and Miss Richards tried to get them to come home,

but could not induce them to do so. The same two men returned from the back of the hotel with a couple of bottles of drinks. The two other boys got out of the car, and went behind it, where witness heard them saying "Here you are" to one another. It appeared to witness that she and Miss Castles were the only ones who wanted to go home. Some one suggested a dance, and they all agreed. When they were told they were on licensed premises, the dancing stopped. Just at that time Miss Shields fainted. She was placed in the car, and a wet handkerchief was placed on her forehead. Wilson then suggested that the party should go down to the fig tree. Witness and Miss Richards again protested without avail. At the fig tree, the boys had

some wine, but it did not seem to have any effect on them. None of the girls had had any drink. When nearing the Capalaba Hotel on the return journey somebody threw bottles, one of which landed on the roof of the hotel. She thought Wilson and Wall did the throwing. When the bottle fell on the roof, Wilson, who had been driving, raced away from the scene. The car raced for a little way, when witness heard reports like revolver shots, and some one said, "It was lucky we did not stop that." Although Fein hail expressed the opinion that the noise was caused by a backfire, witness still thought they were revolver shots. The party stopped at the Belmont Hotel, where a bottle of wine was obtained. Half of this was drunk at the hotel, and the rest put away in a pocket of the car. The inquiry was adjourned.

COORPAROO SMASH INQUIRY - The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933) Saturday 12 December 1925 p 22 Article

COORPAROO SMASH INQUIRY - The inquiry concerning the deaths of Francis Wilson,Thomas Wall, and Vera Monica Maud Ehrenberg, which occurred as the result of a motor accident in Old Cleveland road, Coorparoo, about 2 a.m. on October 6. was continued before Mr. A. Staines, J.P., yesterday.Constnable Machin produced copies of the death certificates of the three deceased. The result of his inquiries, agreed in the main with that of previous witnesses as to the speed of the car having caused the accident. The inquiry was closed.

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