The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-02-12
yourselves. Such a course is not only
unwise from business point of view.
but it is submitted that it is very poor
roIificc.
AND GROWING EVIL"


Mr.. z. Parmelee Prentice, writing in
the February North American Review,
on ''The Speculation in Damage Claims
for Personal Injuries" calls attention TO
the fact that the number of damage
cases against corporations is increasing;
that the per cent of cases Won has been
growing; that the amounts allowed by
juries and courts for personal Injuries
also become larger and larger and adds:
'Of course no railway or manufac-
turing firm or corporation can long with
stand such assaults as these when they
meet public approval and the support
of the courts. A treasury which is open
to any adyenturer will soon be an emp
" treasury Mr.. Prentice brings
abundant proof, especially from the rec
ords of the Chicago courts, to prove his
assertions. The means adopted by law
yers and spectators in these damage
claims calls for condemnation. The
prosecution for personal injury suits is
abusiyeness now. Lawyers, runners
professional witnesses and speculators
are combined in the business: The eff
fort of all is to make case and reap
reward That many claims are purely
bogus and supported by perjury is with
out doubt true That there is much evil
and injustice done corporations no one
will seriously question.
MI Prentice should bear in mind,
however, that the corporations have
been 70 blame for this condition of pub
lie mind that approves the action of
courts and juries. in cinching them
with heavy damage judgments-partial-
ly at least. The corporations, instead of
treating the claimants as having any
rights, resisted all demands with bull
dog tenacity. Fellow servants with the
injured man We're, as rule, made his
enemies in court. Every effort was
long and tedious litigation. The claim
ant was for the most part poor and had,
in self defense, 10 interest somebody in
his behalf. He could do this only by al
lowing that somebody TO speculate in
his damage claims" He could not
have a trial without help. He must have
and employ lawyers, good
ones at that If the evidence stood upon
that of some fellow employe the blame
was shifted, if possible, upon some
fellow servant, in which case the COR
poration escaped; if the implement of
the corporation caused the injury, it
had, in all likelihood, patent defect, in
which case the injured was guilty of
negligence and the corpor
alton again escaped liability. These
and numerous other instances have
made a bed on which the corporations
find it hard to lie. In very many ways
- especially quasi-public
defied the public
welfare instead of serving it in the pur-
pose for which they have been created.
If the corporations now find the public
mind little warped and prejudiced
against them they have but to prose- |
cute their inquiry a little further and |
hey viii find some fairly good reasons |
to account for this condition.
Mr.. Prentice may be assured that as !
ong as his corporations resist every |
lain for damages for personal injuries:
omnlOy the ahleSt LAWYERS TO stand i'm |
very technicality known to the law to |
defeat such claims, he may expect the |
continuance of this enormous and |
growing evil