New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-16
AFFAIRS IN BROOKLYN.
DIE SUITS FOR DAMAGES.
vu 900 900 WANTED FROM THE SEA
BEACH RAILROAD.

s,,rs HAVE GROWN OUT OF THE ACCIDENT
,,soR DAY AND If THE PLAINTIFFS
x,y THE ROAD WILL BE BANKRUPT
learned yesterday that over sixty suits
.ages aggregating nearly sl,o0O,ooO have
ioi .run against the New-York and Sea
pe'' pajIroad by sufferers in the wreck on the
Bensonhurst. on Labor Day. Septem-
Io" ,,st when about seventy people were hurt
". &c, sui, down for trial is that of Mrs
I"e line Cooney. who is still in the Norwegian
.rs.i,al suffering from broken leg. which will
-, Her case is on the December calendar
nv ..s Supreme Court in Kings County. She
,or $4,000 Another action is that of the
rv If william Pointer of Newark who died
-, his injuries a week after the accident His
iii .,,y demand $4,000 damages. The decision in
is" ..,,on Of Mrs. Cooney will be watched with
-. interest. If she gets verdict which is
.o,ned the company will be wiped out of ex
,1,orceAa as the latest report of the road showed
surnlus Of only about $4,000. The sixty suits
.o,, for damages In varying amounts The low
.s. Is for $4,000. There are score of plaintiffs
tho demand $4,000, and many more who think
hat $4,000 is none too much to make them
hoIe Two Of the suits have been brought in
a. United States Circuit Court. evidently in the
that decision VIII be more quickly
,mched than through the State courts.
The claimants yet have been unable to get
.,y satisfaction from the company. which has
rade no move to pay any damages The law
,,rs for the plaintiffs have been informed that
ne company is too poor to satisfy damage
,ainns and in a number of instances the in
ared have signihed their Willingness to COM
vsmise The number and magnitude of the
incl Of ba ic
orsidered. is unparalleled in Brooklyn railroad
annals.
The Dads defence will be that 1t was not guilty
a, neg gence and therefore not responsible for
damages
When one OF the attorneys for the road was
seen at the company'a executive office No. Sc
wallst.. yesterday. he said: zone thing is
tain The company will be wiped off the face Of
The earth # the courts decide that IT is fully re-
sponsble for the Labor Day accident. We In
hopes that the decision Will be In our favor.
few years ago a case involving many of the same
points decided in favor of the railroad. Only
a glance is needed at the roads financial stand
ng to make II clear that the payment Of these
damage bills is impossible. The road has a capt.
ial stock Of $500 900 The cost of the road. which
is only six miles long. with its equipment was
SSsO3 There are only forty-one passenger
cars and six locomotives. The earnings. as rule,
are about $4,000 year. with fixed charges of
about 81 600. The figures have given are from.
The official reports filed with the proper authOri
ties and are approximately correct. suppose, for
instance Mrs. Catherine COOney. who demands
$4,000 for her broken leg. and whose claim is the
first one to be adjusted in the courts. gets YER
dict Where will the rest come in? Mr.. Pointers
family in Newark. is s. ing for $4,000 damages
These two claims alone would take more than the
entire surplus. which is about $4,000. The bonds
and mortgages outstanding have lien taking
precedence of damage verdicts.
The railroad went int, a receivers hands few
years ago on account of it's failure to make ends
meet That il will again be forced into iquda-
ton is regarded by maI.y well-informed railroad
men in Brooklyn as entirely probable. The Of
fcers Of the road are follows: Alrick II. Man.
president: James T. Nelson, secretary and treas
urer Richard A. Larke. superintendent.
The line runs from Wh.tehall-st.. New-York by
the Bay Ridge ferry and Third-ave. from Sixty
Gfth-st 10 Coney Island on Labor Day switch
ing engine. after pushing a heavily laden train
OF seventeen cars, up the grade al sixty -hfthsst
returned empty" 10 the yard. where II ran into
cab Of the locomotive and at the same time open
the throttle. The engine jumped forward and
the engineer and iremen. finding 1t impossible to
control II, Jumped. The engine ran wild TO
Woodawn about half way 10 COney Island,
" hero IL overlook the excursion train. crashing
into the rear car with terrific force and manning
about seventy people. William Pointer, of New
lington " j.. received injuries from which they
died soon afterward. Half a dozen others were
badly injured and crippled for life Three OF the
wrecked cars took fire and burned
The State Board Of Railroad Commissioners
made rigid investigation and censured the
officials for lack Of foresight in not equipping the
road with proper safeguards.