The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-09
MoToRMAN WOULDN'T STOP.
t. l.. CARACKERs DAMAGE SUIT
AGAINST STREET RAILWAY 90.

Claims He Has Suffered Personal In
Negligence of Motorman John
Floyd, That EntitIe Him to Re-
cover Damages in the Sum of $780,
OOO-The Accident Occurred Last
Observation-Disclosures In Injuries the
Plaintiff Claims Have Left Him
Permanently Lame and Made Me-
cessary the Partial Amputa ton of
"A Foot.
Thomas l.. Caracker, by his next friend.
Louis B. caracker, fled suit in the SUI
perior Court yesterday against the Sa-
vannah, Thunderbolt and Isle of Hope
Railway. The action IL for damages for
personal injuries, and the plaintiff asks
for $4,000
The petition recites that on the after
noon of Dec. 81, 1899, Caracker was stand
ing on the corner of Montgomery and
Third streets, with the intention of taking
the first north bound car for the business
section of the city. Car No. 80 approached
the point at which he was standing, run
ming north, and he hailed it. AS the car
continued to near the corner he waved
to the motornnan, indicating that he wish
ed to board 1t, but no attention whatever
was paid to his signals. The n1otorman.
John Floyd, did not s.acken the speed of
the car, and absolutely ignored Car
acker.
At the time 1t was more or less impera-
tive that the plaintiff should reach his
place of business and, therefore. seeing
that the motorman did not intend to
slacken speed, he attempted to board the
car as the front platform passed him. For
this purpose he placed one foot on the
platform and grasred at the rail and
brake.
Still the motorman failed to slacken the
speed of the carsand its impetus drew Car
acker off his feet and left him graspng
the rail and brake and attempting TO gain
foothold on the platform or steps. In
this posture he was dragged for three car
lengths, in the meantime vainiy implorins
Floyd to stop the car and permit him to
get on or off with some assurance or even
hope of safety. The motorman look d
him squarely and coldly in the face and
proceeded on his way.
The cars speed seemed to Caracker to
increase rather than to diminish, end final
ly, worn out and exhausted by the unuat-
ural and fatiguing position m which he
was, he was thrown from the car to the
ground. One of his feet that had reached
the platform or steps was dragged beneath
the wheels and the car passed over it,
mangling and breaking IT, and compelling
It's partial amputation some time after
wards.
BY reason of the accident Caracker re-
cites that he has endured great suffering,
was confined to his bed for three months,
incurred expenses for the attendance of
physicians and surgeons amounting to a
large sum, and has become permanently
famed. Besides these direct injuries he
AYERS that the acts OF the n1otcrman were
Of such a malicious and grossly careless
and negligent character as to eatitle him
to the recovery of punitive damages, as a
punishment to the railroad company for
having in it's employ man so needless aud
Indifferent to the life and limb Of pa ssen-
gers, and damages of this character also
he asks may be allowed him.
For the pain and injury he has suffered,
to recompense him for the expenses he
has necessarily incurred by reason of his
Illness and for the punitive damages he
thinks himself entitled 20 receive, Carac-
ker believes that the sum of $4,000 will
not be excessive. For this amount he
sues in his petition. He is represented
by Messrs. Twiggs & Oliver.
As to the carelessness and negligence
alleged to have been displayed by the
motorman, Caracker declares that after
the car had run over his foot and he was
lying manned and injured, on the track,
Floyd refused 10 slacken the speed of the
car or TO permit any one aboard IL TO
alight for the purpose of giving atten-
ton to his wounds and suffering 1t was
only after the car had proceeded a
block further that the conductor prevail
ed upon the motorman to change his evil
dent intention of leaving the plaintiff
to his own devices and to stop the car.
In the allegations the motorman is made
out as most inhuman. It is stated that
when Caracker was banging on to the
rail and brake of the front platform, he
besought the motorman to stop, for
Gods sake" 1t was Immediately follow
ing 1t that Caracker was thrown from the
car and sustained the damages of which
he complains.