The evening world., 1894-03-27
DAVIS SCORES SAGE.
He Tells How the Explosion Gould
Have Been Averted.
LaidIaw's Suit OF Great interest to
Lawyers.
The Plaintiff Testifies in His Owr
Behalf.

When the hour for resuming the trial
OF the suit OF William r. Laldlaw TO re-
cover 5000 from Russell Sage arrived
this morning IL was discovered that two
of the Jurors were absent. The Court
was kept waiting for fifteen minutes.
When the tardy Jurors finally put in an
appearance Justice Patterson notified
them that they must not repeat their
offcnse
Russell Sage was not present at the
opening OF the trial The courtroom
was crowded. The audience was com
posed largely of lawyers. who desired
to watch the fight OF such legal gladia-
tors as ex-Judge Dillon, Col E. c.
james and Rush Taggert, who apear as
Choate ex-Judge Noah Davis and the
and A, l.. Pincoffs, Iaidlow's lawyers.
Laidlaw bases his claim for damages
him by the arm and pulled him in front
Of him on the occasion when Norcross
threw the bomb in Mr.. Sage's office, in
December, 1891. Laidlaw alleges he
received injuries as result OF Mr..
Sage's act that have incapacitated him
for business since. The suit was tried
before and dismissed by Justice An.
Term, reversed Justice Andrews's ruling
and ordered a new trial.
The proceedings opened with an ad-
He gave brief description OF Mr. Laid
laws duties as confidential man of
Bloodgood & Co. and how in connection
with his duties II was often necessary
several times a day. Counsel then gave
a minute description Of the man Nor
cross and the explosion and the Incl
dents connected Herewith.
rnn hnI iitr. fhat 20 he
| time of the explosion Mr.. Sage had never
extended the hand Of. welcome to Mr..
Laidlaw. He gave description OF the
Sage business offices. and told how the
man Norcross made his appearance, bag
| In hand
He told OF Norcross's demand for 81,
10000, and of Mr.. sage's. attitude
as "a poor. wretched lunatic, who had
no idea OF doing wrong, because he was
incapable, of rational thought"
son Mr Dawn bS. to s5 he WSa tS Of bG the expq
Sage have done? What did common
humanity and Justice require of him
Should Si d,6;o he not have closed the door and
not have prevented his entrance?
MY God!' counsel exclaimed, what
manner sI, o. q, man is it who will act as Mr.
MIR. Sage might have drawn one ol
two checks and have made of the lunatit
a happy man. He might thus hav,
aVerted the terrible catastrophe. But
no: he made no such use of his common
sense, of the dictates OF common hu
manity. Up comes Laidlow! Oh. how
glad was Mr.. Sage to see him! H
greets him with unwonted cordlality
takes him by the arm to a table anc
makes OF him shield. 40 that his owl
life might be the less In danger. Then h
answered the dynamter, with this younl
life between him and danger. II yo,
cannot trust me ! cannot trust you
Then came the explosion"
Counsel then told of Mr.. Sage's sligh
injuries, and of the plaintiffs permanen
ones. and of his terrible sufferings.
He then read the law governing tn
case at issue.
When William r. Laidlaw was called
he hobbled into the witness chair, lean
, Ing heavily on n cane. Examined b.
Mr.. Choate, he told of his duties at tn
Bloodgood offices. of his visit to MI
: Sages office and of the explosion
His testimony was similar to tina
given during the previous trial, In whic
he claimed that Sage had made a buffe
1 OF him by placing him between himsel
. ana the dynamiter, Norcross.