The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-07
THE CYCLIST IN COURT.
EASY FOR HIM TO GET HEAVY
DAMAGES.

Tie Former Strong Feeling Against
WhccImen Has Melted satO Great
Regard - WOmen's Injuries Very
Heavily Settled out of Court.
Every bicyclist is worth 100000
1t used to be almost impossible for n
lawyer to recover damages due a wheel
man for injuries received to himself while
riding. because the public was "sore" upon
bicyclists and the courts were against
them. Now the Judge In the case is a
cyclist himself, and the jurymen either
ride wheel or have sons that do so. To
get damages is easy. And not only are
personal injuries settled with cash, but
damages to the wheel as well.-Councll
Of the l.. A. w.
Frank Bourne OF Brooklyn was riding
through Prospect park one pleasant wheel
ing day when light buggy came speed
ing along. 1t overlook Mr. Bourne, who
was thrown from his wheel, dislocatng
his shoulder. A dislocated shoulder is not
considered a serious thing. but Mr.. Bourne
| took II TO court, and the owner of the bug
gy paid $3.50 damages, besides defending
] himself against very sharp suit
| In the same city William Drake was
crossing the track Of a suburban trolley
when the train came along Jumping
from his machine Mr.. Drake escaped, but
the wheel was run over and persisted a
trolley death. The court awarded him
$50 damages, although the price Of the
| wheel when new did not exceed that sum.
But the trouble to which the rider was
| placed was sufficient to allow him the full
price Of his wheel 1t is serious thing
| to compel a bicyclst to jump from his
| machine without due warning of danger.
| Recently some one accused the rev
| York Central of awarding small damages
| to the owners of injured machines. In
| reply TO this Chauncey NJ. Depew, presi-
| dent of the road, came out with vigor-
| Gus protest. He said that his railroad
invariably paid 800 for a damaged wheel.
no matter what the original cost of the
wheel might have been. He added fac
| tiously that all the machines carried or
damaged by the New York Central were
hlgh-grade wheels without exception.
| Last month Porter Merrihew OF Omaha
was riding behind the delivery wagon of
a large clothing house. The driver Of the
| wagon started to turn into side street,
but changed his mind and pulled his horse
| up sharply. Merrihew came up against
the back of the delivery wagon with great
force. He put out one hand to break his
fall and save his head and the hand got
the full force Of the blow. II was cripp.ed
hopeessly, and the dry goods house paid
5000 sooner than allow the case to go to
court where much higher damages might
have been recovered.
/ In New. York city a well-known cyciist
was riding down Broadway, using the slot
| of the cable street car for a path. Be
hind him, going slowly, was the car Sud-
denly the motorman, without ringing his
gong frightened his grip and the car ran
| infn the GVpiiEf from the sending him
flying into space as though hit by the
cowcatcher OF locomotive
The first court showed most peculiar
anti-cyclist spirit. And 1t was decided
that the young man had no business to ride
In the slot OF cable car. But, on carry
ing the case into court again, this decision
was reversed and the bicyclist triumphed.
II held that a rider had perfect right to
ride In the slot If he pleases. and that &c.,
900 for a broken leg was little enough TO
give him IL overtaken by the car.
An injured elbow gave Wills Tucker,
a growing lad of Cleveland, $500, with
which he promptly bought nickel-plated
Wheel which he rode with one hand. And
a bruised and pounded knee-cap secured
$3.50 for Charley Wright of Buffalo.
The loss of an eye Is worth $4,000 to
any man, and last year over 300 eyeIess
individuals recovered IL. A fractured
skull, which should be worth much more
from the standpoint Of personal useful
generally the smaller sum sufiices, as the
skull has way Of getting well quickly in
these days OF surgical wonders
Internal injuries brought 5000 TO Hem
~ Peck of Louisville, and a broken rib
gave a Milwaukee man $1,000 One thou
sand dollars is a small sum for a broken
arm, and II Ia recovered daily, while ten
times that amount frequently comes In,
according to the value of the work which
the injured man performs daily. The
damages" is supposed to recompense
man for his wages during the time he is
disabled and for the personal expense to
whichNhe is placed.
Where man Is totally disabled-arm
and leg broken, ribs disturbed and there
is mental shock"-he gets 100000.
Few women have recovered damages
In court The effect of a natty woman
cyclist telling her tale of woe TO a jury
would be such that few defendants care
20 risk t.. Women's injuries are settled
out of court, and round sums the injured
wheelwomen get.
Lawyers say that the frequent recovery
Of damages Is making drivers much more
wary. and where a cyclist was formerly
run down by malicious cabs and cartmen.
he Is now treated with the respect to
which he is entitled. Frank Harris.