Large crowds gathered to hear the coroner’s inquest at the Bulli Court House into the death of two young lovers in a motor car accident near Bulli Pass in 1927. Inset: Louis Johnson.
Louis Johnson
THERE was standing room only when a coroner’s hearing was held over several days in the old Bulli court house in 1927.
The court heard how Louis Johnson, motor-car driver, ploughed into a stationary car near Bulli Pass killing young lovers, John Conroy and Veronica Hockley. The two 20 somethings were just getting out of the car when they were struck.
Evidence also showed that Johnson, another man, and two women who were in his car had consumed several bottles of champagne just before the accident.
The Coroner said there had been culpable negligence and he found that Johnson had feloniously killed the two young people mentioned. He was committed for trial on a charge of manslaughter and later that year found guilty at the Darlinghurst Criminal Court. Johnson, 37, was sentenced to two years behind bars.
The victims fathers, Mr Conrey and Hockley at the scene of the tragedy, with the car that was hit by Johnson’s vehicle.
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