The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-06-17
HE BRUSHED OFF TIE FLIES.
why a Plaintiff in a Damage Suit Was
Considered Fraud.

why n Plaintiff in Damage Suit Was
Considered a Fraud.
The observation that the tide in a mans
affairs is often turned by trifles was fully
exemplified in the trial Of a case at Clayton
yesterday, in a suit for damages to recover
for personal injuries.
John Bolts is an iron-worker and was en-
pl0yed by the st. Louis Iron and Machine
Company, of which Mr.. E. H. Zimmerman
is President. In May, 1890. an iron casting
fell on his head aid hurt him quite severely.
though at the time no one thought the injury
would be permanent. He laid off for awhile
and then returned TO work. In August of
the same year he and several other men
were removing heaving casting, and when
they lowered it at Bolts order they set it
down on his foot lie had to lay off again.
and this time, Instead of returning to work,
he brought suit against the company for
$4,000 damages, alleging that as result of
the blow he received On the head in the
May previous his left side was partially
paralyZed.
The case was removed to Clayton, whore
it was tried yesterday. Bolts went on the
stand and swore that his left hand, which
he carried in sling. was absolutely with
out sensation. So far as its usefulness to
him was concerned it might just as we'll be
cut off.
The defendants wanted to apply an cleo
VIC Udll6I4 u HIS MANU-, Dut lut DidtUIlI o.
jected strenu0uSly to this, and the Court
could not order it. Two reputable physi-
clans who had attended Bolts testified that
lie was suffering from partial paralysis and
that his hand was useless. They said that
they had made tests without his knowledge ::
that they had struck the hand with sharp
instruments and he had been unconscious
of it.
a physician who represented the defens-
ants said that he had examined Bolts and
found nothing the matter with him. He
was as positive in his opinion as the oppOs-
ing physicians were in theirs. and in this
condition the case went to the jury. Some
surprise was caused when a verdict for $500
in favor of the plaintiff was returned. 1t
was thought that if the jury found for him
at all he would be given heavy damages, but
he accepted the verdict, saying that he was
probably better off than If the litigation
continued.
The verdict, however, was not explain ed
until to-day, when one of the jurors told of
a very peculiar incident which led to their
decision.
I'VE could not tell from the testimony of
the physicians" he said. whether The man
was pdralYzed or not, but three of the
jurors noticed something which convinced
them that he was an lmpostOr. lie carried
the hand in sling, and though he and his
doctors SwOre that be did not know it when
the hand was struck with sharp instru-
meut, yet the three jurors noticed that
every time fly lit on it he brushed it off
Immediately. lie felt the flies if he did not
feel the knives, and when we went into the
july-boX they denounced him vOciferously
as an impostor. They at first refused to
give him anything and would have hung the
jury if the others had stood out for heavy
damages. hut We finally compromised on
$500. st. Louis Post Dispatch.