Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-01-21
Madison Matters.


From Our Regular Correspondent
The various courts at Madison have
been very busy for the past week The
state supreme court rendered a very
important decision on Tuesday, and the
opinion was given on Wednesday. 1t
was the case of Kleimenhagen Va. the
Chicago, Milwaukee & ST. Paul railway
company. The plaintiff had engaged a
car for the purpose of taking some
stock TO market. At Portage City he
discovered that some of his stock was
down in the car, and attempted to get
them up by punching them from the
outside with stick. Failing in this he
went to the end of the car with the in-
tention of climbing in through the end
door. He climbed up to the door and
pushed it open about six inches. when
itsuddenly caught fast. He then got
down from the draw-bar and took hold
Of the door, or of the pin in the door,
and gave several strong pulls to open
it. AT length he gave powerful jerk
with the whole weight of his body.
lereupon the door came from its bear
ings and fell forward striking the plain
tiff, who fell to the ground and was in
jured. Kleimenhagen attempted to re-
cover damages on the ground that the
company had given him dangerous
and unsafe car, and in the lower court
the jury had found a verdict in his favor
Ii was, therefore, brought to the SUI
preme court, who reviewed the case and
reversed the decision of the lower court
and ordered the cause remanded for
new trial. The main points OF the
opinion of the upper court were that
the plaintiff had contributed to his own
injnry in not calling on the employees
q The company to open the door for him,
IS hey were close at hand. Further,
tais door in the car was made to slide
Oasl. and forth in one direction only, and
that the slides were constructed accord
ing to this movement and not expected
to stand under strains in other direc-
tons. That the plaintiff had jerked
this door with all his might, in way
contrary to that in which in was ex-
pected to move, was shown by all the
evidence in the case, as we'll by the
plaintiff s own admission. 1t was i'm
possible in the position he occupied,
while pulling at the door, to exert his
force in the direction the door should
move. These facts did not support
the jury in finding the verdict they did,
hence the company could not be found
negligent as they had gwen him sound
car. Several other opinions were rem
dered on minor cases. The case OF
Waterman VS.. the Chicago & Alton
| railroad company which occupied the
attention of the United States district
court for two weeks, was ended Tues
day. Waterman was badly wounded
in n collision between a Chicago & Alton
switch engine and train of the Chicago
Milwaukee 81 st. Paul railway. He
sued the Chicago & Alton company fol-
$4,000 and the jury gave in their YER
diet for S22, 0OO
The Hesperian sophomore semi-pub
lie entertainment, Friday evening last,
was an excellent entertainment. Among
the most prominent features of the pro.
gramme was the debate on the follow
ing question: .Should the national
civil service reform law be extended tc
the clerks and assistants in the ciyi!
service?" The affirmative was debated
by Messrs. f. Il. Johnson and j. l.
Van Ornum; the negative by Joseph
Rice and A. II. Reed. The question
was ably dealt with and well exposed
the power the university is developing
as debating institution. The question
was decided in the affirmative.
President Bascom was called tc
Indiana last Friday 10 deliver lecture
to the students of the state university
The board of regents will meet thi.
week to chose professor of astronom
to take the place of Prof Holden, WHIT
recently went to California
DR.. John E. Wilson, one of Madison
respected physicians. died last Friday
| Madison, Jan. Is, 1886.