The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-12-05 00:00:00

£2,650 DAMAGES!

In the Court of Queen's Bench, the cause of "Allan
r. the Loudon and North-Western Railway Com-
pany," has been tried, and was an action to recover
compensation for serious injuries received by the
plaintiff through the negligence of the defendants'

servants.
The plaintiff, who was fifty-eight Nears old at the
time of the accident out of which the present claim
arose, and who had always been a strong healthy man,
was by profession a practical engineer, and, having '
been formerly in the employment of the defendants' '
company as superintending engineer at Crewe, had
subsequently filled a similar post at a higher salary
under the Scottish Central Hallway Company,
and on the amalgamation of the latter with
the Caledonian Company_ in 1805 he was ap-
pointed manager of the Worcestel engine company
at a salary of 000 a year, and an additional £lOO
for every 1 per cent, by which the profits of the COM.
pony might exceed 7 per cent. He had, in fact, re-
ceived a salary of MO a year, and was making £4141
or 1:500 a year by royalties on several locomotive
patents of his invention ; upon which he claimed for a
ham of £BO per cent, in consequence of his connexion
with the company being broken. In addition to these
sums he had made some profits as a consulting en-
gineer. The accident in question occurred at Birming-
ham, on the 10th of Jrnuary, 1807, when there with a
collision, in which the plaintiff, being a first-class pas-
senger, was thrown down and violently bruised and
shaken; and eventually had to resign his post. The
company admitted their liability, and the whole
question was one of damages.
Mr. Walsh, of Worcester, and Sir William
Fergusson, and Mr. Henry Smith, the eminent
surgeons, were called on the part of the plaintiff to
show that the injuries were of is most serious and
permanent nature.
The plaintiff was called, and described the painful
symptoms he had been subject to, and the various
watering-places he had tried in vain in search of
health. Mr. Walsh, of Worcester, Mr. Smith, Mr.
Erichsen, and Sir W. Fergusson expressed an opinion
that the plaintiff's rscovjry (if he ever did recover)
would be a matter of years.
, Evidence was given showing that the plaintiff was
a man of great ability, earning £l,OOO to £1,200 per

annum.
For the defence there VMS called Mr. Pemberton,
Surgeon to the Birmingham General Hospital awl
Professor of Surgery in queen's College, and also Mr.
Holt and Mr. Savory, who, having made examinations
of the plaintiff at various times, one and all agreed
that there was no permanent injury to the brain or
spinal chord, and that in a few months he would be
well enough to return to business. Verdict for pluintiff
for £2,650.

* --e- --
greater mistake cot— poenbl y b made. 7A prise or a
distinction in life ought not to be considered a goal,
but rather as a milestone, to mark the progress which
had been made in the path to knowledge. (Applause.)
Some persons talked of finishing their education. It
aught be no far as related to their being subject to the
control of a tutor or a teacher, but it should ever be
remembered that in reality education went on through-
out life. No one should suppose when they entered
a profession their education was at an end, for they
had but learnt the best way of acquiring knowledge
and a disciplining their own minds If they had
gained that, they had obtained that which would
enable them to make the best use of their time in
after life. (Loud applause.)