The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-04-04
SAYS WEILAND
CHEWED Thumb
Mrs. Elizabeth Cunningham
Sues For $1,000 Damages.
AN ACCIDENT, SAYS WElLAND.
Plaintiff Tells Story Of The Alleged Assault
and Manning 10 a Jury.
HUSBAND CORROBORATES STATEMENT
Defendant Claims That While Tying 10 Scratch
His Face Mrs. CunnIngham's Thumb Col
Into His Mouth BY Accident

Smithficld avenue sought this morning
TO induce a jury in Judge Douglas
court 10 give her verdict for $1,000
damages against her neighbor. Ferdi-
nand Weiland for assault. Mrs. Cum
ningham claimed Mr.. Wciland bit her
thumb so badly that she had TO have
1t twice amputated. The assault, she
claimed, was unprovoked on her part,
but the defendant said IL wa sail an
accident. Mrs. Cunningham pronounc-
ed Weiland a "treacherous person
The plaintiff testified that on Jan. l6,
1898. she took a lamp To carry TO the
attic, so il would be handy for her
bOarders when they came in. In pass
ing the tenement where a family nam
ed Gilmore lived she heard Weiland's
voice and not desiring TO have him
about offered the Gilmores fifteen days
rent II they would send the visitor
away, as Weiland was treacherous. ON
her return from the attic the defend
ant came out and assaulted her ana
got her thumb i'm his mouth and inJur-
ed that member 50 severely that she
went 10 see DR.. Palmer. who treated
her a few days and by his advice she
went 10 the hospital, where an opera
tion was performed. Her arm soon
became very much swollen and she
thought If she was To die IL would be
better 10 die at home. SO she left the
hospital. At her home she called DR..
Joseph r. Hawkins. who treated her
and later called DIR. Mah0ney. The two
doctors took the second joint OF the
thumb off and both before and after
the operation she suffered great pain.
Mrs Cunningham claimed she did not
now have the proper use OF one OF her
little fingers.
on cross q examination A. J. Cushing,
counsel for defendant. said: Were
you half drunk on the night of this
AFFAIR.""
mo" was the answer. Mr.. Cush-
ing. YOU know me better than that
Mir. Cushing then said: You have
been arrested for being drunk several
times. nave you not? You have been
I'm trouble with the police about selling
liquor?
mo; never in my HE, was the re-
ply.
In redirect Mrs, Cunningham was
asked if A. j. Cushing was not her
counsel at one time. Her answer was
i'm the affirmative and Mr.. Cushing
said: That's how l know about the
questions | asked.
John Cunningham, husband or tho
plaintiff. testified he had known Wer-
land. the defendant. for years. He
heard the noise in the entry of his
house on January 10th 1898. and went
out of his tenement and found the de-
fendant chewing Mrs. Cunningham
thumb just as dog would crunch
bone Mrs. Cunningham twisted Wei
lands moustache and made him open
his mouth and release her thumb. Wit
ness and his wife went To the station.
At the time Weiland was drunk enough
to be ugly and hoggish. Witness wife
suffered a great deal for many months
from the bite.
on cross exam nation witness said he
saw no scratches on Mr. Weland's face
on the night of the disturbance.
DR.. william III. Palmer testified he
had attended the plaintiff several times
In January. 1898, he dressed a very bad
wound on her hand which could have
been done by the teeth. He advised her
to go TO the hospital.
DR. Joseph T.. Hawkins testified that
i'm February, 1898, he treated Mrs. Gun
ningham for n lacerated thumb. The
wound could have been caused by teeth
He removed the thumb below the sec"
ond Joint and the result Of the injury to
the thumb was very painful hand and
arm.
Mr.. Weiland claimed he called on Mr..
Gilmore on the evening OF the trouble
to yet money for some work he had
done Mrs Cunningham's young son
came 10 the door and demanded that
he retire from the house and he sent for
his wife and when she came he was
about 20 leave the house VIXEN Mrs.
Cunningham came up and offered Mr..
Gilmore months rent III he would
leave. Soon after the defendant says
ne started to leave, but when he got
into the entry Mrs. Cunningham sprang
at him and began scratching his face
and one Of her thumbs 10y accident got
INTO his mo h..
Page & Page ana Arthur Cushing
were attorneys for the plaintiff.
This afternoon the jury returned ~
verdict of s3S5.50 for Mrs. Cunningham,