New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-26
HEAVY DAMAGES RECOVERED.
MISS THOMPSON WILL. RECEIVE $1,000
FROM THE MANHATTAN ELEVATED.
A NOVEL. DEFENCE PUT Up BY THE COMPANY
DECLARED THAT THE Girl. WAS A VICTIM
OF HYSTERIA AND WAS NOT ACTU-
ALLY INFERRED

Miss Ann Eliza Thompson. of No. 6s5 Herkimer- st.
recovered a verdict of $1,000 from the Manhattan
Elevated Railway Company. of New-York, in the
Supreme Court yesterday before Justice Keogh. The
case was on trial for almost days and attracted
considerable interest account Of the novel defence
that was set up by the railroad company. Miss
Thompson was in of the OF the company
tho rty-fourh-st. branch on March IA, 49,
and the train smashed into the bumper at Third
ave Her assertion that her spine was injured so
that 1t fas assumed permanent curvature. and that
her left leg made shorter than the other one
The assertion Of the company was that the cir. Is
a victim OF hysteria. and that she imagined Injuries
which dd not exist. II also asserted that
she had been In a measure an invalid for some time
previous TO tie accident. and that the smashing
of the train into the bumper was not in any way
responsible for her condition The plaintiffs ap-
pearance In court that OF extremely nervous
person. and she also seemed TO be suffering great
pain. She OF the time with one OF her
feet On a chair and she moved about the courtroom
with great apparent difficulty. William c. De Witt
and William wills appeared for her and FREDERICK
A. Ward for the railroad company.
The testimony taken yesterday Intended TO
show that tho girl not suffering from 4 curva-
ture OF tho spine but that she Is OF hysterIcal
temperament and w!lfu.ly curves her spine ana
shortens her left leg. firmly believing at the same
time that tho deformity is the result Of the acct
dent Or Royal Whitman. OF the Polytechnic Hos
pial testified that Miss Thompson was patient
there In 1890 and that he treated her for nervous
ness In December 1895. she came 10 the hospital
again He put "A Jacket her TO Straighton her.
and gave moral stimulation. and advice TO hei. No
medicine WAS administered. The witness sd.d thdt
what he knew " the case no ShOuid say lhtl
the present curvature of the spine was not actual
but apparent. When he examined Mss thompson
sh was nervous, and In "A sense her nina was us
eased. He treated her for about three months. MI
De Wit demanded in crois-examination whether
the doctor would treat person Tor three months
whom he knew to be taking. ana the witness re-
piled that If she suffering from hysteIld ne
IN hsin
Then you think the plaintiff Is victim or a
spectral delusion?" asked the lawyer.
Il d." reply. and think she would soon
walk erect II the phantom was Dismissed. ,
DO you think the curvature was caused oy INC
accident ,-.... >. .o,,.. a .r,.,,
OF that kind. III. -,
Brooklyn Hospital. and who was emp.oyei lOr some
years by the Brooklyn Heights Railroad company
a. an expert IN damage cases. testified tndt 'Ae
ilschargel her because he dl not think she was a
fit subject for treatment there lie sa4l mat ne
thought tho curving Of her S,ne was wiiii ana not
the result OF disease . 49,. ,,-,o. -
lived in the same house with the plaintiff som" TINE
after the accident testified that Miss Thompson :
limp is worse now than II was then she also sl,d
that the plaintiff played cards In her apartments
until late at night ana sat nor hours az KIM" III i
sim backed chair. ~
The wftness admitted to Mr.. De witt that she was
the defendant in divorce suit trl"l i.W ",.-rk>
agn She said that she ia not know that VI -
husband in that suit, and she al not ihnk Snr
favored his sido than she dl her SIDE ~" 30 !
not come 20 court 10 testify hTaus" she nal any
ill-fee,ing toward the plaintiff hut because ~" ~
subpo"nacd she hal no nl-focling toward Miss
Thomps0r. ami she simply teStNying a. 20 inc
facts a. she asked TO DO.