Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-05-30
A Professional Leg Breaker.

| VI all the odd means OF gaming llVell-
hood in the world, that of an individual
who was in the city few days ago is
probably entitled to the championship.
The name he was last known to me as
travelling under was John l.. Wells, and
! he attracted the attention of reporter,
who knew his peculiar history, while in
the act of boarding Rock Island train at
the Union Depot night before last. Wells
| IS professional cripple, not of the kind
| that wear a placard and hold a hat in their
/ laps at corners, but more enterprising
person altogether, who makes good liv
ing blood-sucking corporations and cities.
He first attracted attention in Detroit,
Mich, where a number of years ago he
brought suit against local railroad for
damages done in being elected from the
train, resulting, he claimed in the break
lug of his leg. The case seemed to be all
straight, and the company compromised
with him for $4,000 rather than to stand
the expense of lawsuit Some time af-
lis, Ind. pavement, again breaking his
leg. and the city compromised for re.
spectacle consideration rather than stand
suit which seemed sure to 60 against
them. In 1861, he came to Leadville,
COL, fell down and broke the much-suf-
fering leg, and sued the city. Some watt
ings of his crookedness had reached the
benighted camp, and it employed detec
tives to look up the mans record. Their
Investigations showed that he had, in diff
ferent parts of the country, broken his
leg about twelve different times, dislocat-
ed his hip eight times, and injured his
spine twice, for all of which he received
valuable considerations. However, there
was nothing besides this to invalidate his
claim, and the city gave him six hundred
dollars to withdraw it.
Leaving Leadville he went to Colorado
Springs. Col, where he promptly hunted
up defective spot on one of the pave
ments, and sustained compound frac.
tuTe of the right leg below the knee. His
fame, however, had preceded him, and
vigilance committee called to interview
him upon the matter and to anoint him
with tar and feathers, whereupon he leap
ed out of a window and took to tall tim
Der on his MANNED member. He was not
heard of again until the papers of Cincin-
natl, Ohio, little less than two years
ago, contained an account of J. Fl. Wells
falling into an open scuttle hole on Vine
street, and sustaining cruel fracture of
his leg. Shortly after, the court proceed
ings published contained reference to a
suit entitled Wells VS.. the City of Cincin-
natl and claiming $4,000 damages. Again
his peculiar history was ventilated, and
again he made so good a showing, despite
the obvious fact that he was swindler,
that the city was glad to compromise on
the basis of $500. If he has practiced his
peculiar profession since, he has not been
heard from in this section of the country,
but his good clothes and. well-fed look
conveyed the impression that there was
more or less suffering among corporations
somewhere.
Wells is perfect martyr in his cause
and will lie patiently on sweltering sum-
iAAOA SA~J VAVh LILO 1OS OAfClUpCu Ill pldSt0I
OF paris bandages waiting for the city to
come to time. In dislocations of the hip
his suffering is said to be great, and his
evident agony is warranted to move the
hardest.hearted of committeeman. Wells
has rather attractive little wife who
helps him out materially in his business,
and generally appears on the ragged-edge
of starvation on account of the accident,
Taken all together it is doubtful if the
country contains another pair of such
unique and clever sharpers. The reporter
who noticed Wells, shuddered for the ex-
chequer of the Rock Island as the leg bro
ken mounted the platform, but he was ev-
identity out on holiday, and his depar-
ture was marked with no fracture or 9TH
er disaster Kansas City Star.