The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-04-24
ABOUT THE COURT HOUSE
The Happenings of IA Week. The Courts
and the Offices.
Circuit Court.

Judge Blanchard having determined to
clear the lay docket of as many cases as
possible behre the adjournment of the pres
ent term, vii not enter upon the trial of
| criminal cass until about the 10th of May
Two extra panels of jurors have been sum-
moned in thehope that sufficient number
Of jury cases an be disposed of at this term
to enable the curt to devote the June term
largely to chanery matters. There has been a
great deal of wrk accomplished during the
past two monts, and the lawyers have
shown an unusual willingness to work.
gRY TRIALS.
Hughes The Hicago, Wilmington T. Ter
milon Coal Co.
Immediately rOon the opening of court
on Monday at 2 o'clock, the case of Morgan
Hughes The ChiugO, Wilmington g. I'erndj-
lion Coal Co., with had been entered upon
Friday, was againtaken up. The plaintiff
claimed that he nd been in the employ Of
the Company, in their mines at Streator,
for some time prio to July 30th, 1885, digg-
ing COAL that in going in and out of the
mines he was comelled to pass through an
entry way-the fiddle enc of three-and
that while on JulS0th 1885, he was going
through it q rock about two feet in length
and six inches in width and thickness fell
from the ceiling Jpn his hip and knocked
him down; and this the result of his injury
was permanent lne back, for which he
asked the sum of 20, 200 as damages, on the
grounds that the company was negligent
in allowing the ceilng to remain in
dangerous conditin. The defense intro
duced testimony cotradictory to the claims
of Hughes, both asO the injuries sustained
by him and their celessness as to the con.
dition of the ceiling After hearing of the
evidence and Arguments by Messrs. Fowler
Bros for the plainf and Messrs. Bull and
Reeves for the defeiant, the jury retired
on Tuesday at p. /, and at 7;30 returned
verdict of "not glty."
SheridaK Commtsky
The case of Thons Sh eridan Hugh Com.
miskey, in accordan with a previous order
of the court, was tsen up as soon as the
jury had retired inhe Hughes Casa jury
impanneled and thopening statements made
by Attorney Brew for the plaintiff and
Senator Duncan fOthe defense. The ques.
| ton at issue was mther or no Commiskey,
who is a wellto-doarmer living near Los.
tant, was indebtedo Sheridan, a Wenons
carpenter, who haerected house for de-
PENDANT in the suIof ST SOD. Commiskey
claimed that the pintif was to build the
house under a verl contract for $3.50 and
board of workme and that when it was
finished he had pa not only the $3.50 bus
$500 in excess, wherefore he objected
strongly to payi, the additional 100
Both sides preserd a good deal Of testi-
mony, and the caswas argued at length by
Messrs. Brewer. d Murdoch, Of Streator,
for the plaintiff, nd Messrs. Duncan and
Cummings for the fendant. The jury found
verdict on Thuray night for the plaintiff
of one cent damss
DUNE vC. A. r. R. co.
AT present the ~ trial of George Dunno
of Streator The dcago and Alton r. r. Cots
on. 1t was commer,d yesterday after the VERT
dict in the Sherih case had been rendered.
J. T. Murdoch AMI. W. Brewer appearing
for the plaintiff d Judge Eldridge for the
Company. The zion srose from an acci-
dent occurring tDunne on Feb. Is, 1855,
while in the empy Of the Company on his
way TO Metamorso shovel snow-the track
being badly snow under On his way 10
the point Of destation the cshoose car IN
which he was ring was thrown from the
track aud Dunn, arm was broken. He
charges carelessns on the part of the COM
psny in not looky after the condition Of
the track, and as $1,000 damages for the