The sun., 1900-03-03
DERRICK IN COURT ROOM
Miniature Hosting Apparatus
Used in Illustrating
Testimony.
HOW LAWLESS WAS KILLED
Expert Testimony Was Produced in
the Superior Court Yesterday as
to the Condition OF the Der
rick Used by the Pusey *
Jones Company.

The trial of the $4,000 damage suit of
James F. Lawless administrator vs. the
Pusey & Jones Co., was commenced in
the Superior Court Yesterday morning
and was continued until nearly p. M /,
when adjournment was taken until Mon
day morning at 10 o'clock. This was
done owing TO the absence of material
witnesses.
An element of realism was added to
the trial by the attorneys for the de-
PENDANTS bringing into the court room
for use in the case, miniature derrick,
supposed to be model of the one in use
at the Pusey & Jones Company's ship.
yards. The derrick was fully rugged and
fastened to the loistirg line was a minia-
ture ship frame.
William S. Hiles and Harry =. Joslyn
represent James A. Croker, Jr., Lawless'
administrator and brother-in-law, and
James w. Ponder and Waller H. HAYES.
the Pusey & Jones Co.
Mr.. Hilles in addressing the Jury said
that he would prove that James f. Law
at the shipyards OF tte Pusey & Jones
Co. on December 10, 1897, while at work
setting up frames for a tugboat, which
was possibly the largest boat of the kind
ever built by the company. Mr.. Hilles
claimed that the derrick was in an un-
safe condition and had been exposed to
the elements for twenty years. Had the
derrick been in good condition, he would
nlC hoN hn n IL .lz
have been used in lifting such heavy
frames.
James A. Croker, the brother-in-law
and administrator of Lawless, testified
that deceased had worked for the Pusey
Y Jones Company for ten days previous
to his death. Lawless was employed as
laborer in the boatyard, and lived
with his mother at No. 919 Elm street.
In cross'examination Croker said he
knew Lawless from twelve to fourteen
years, and said that the deceased was
accustomed to drink at times, but was
not an habitual drinker.
Mrs Annie Croker, sister of Mr.. Law
less, testified that he was always good
and industrious. Lawless began work
when about II years old, when he en-
gagged as an apprentice with the Pusey
x Jones Company for six months. After
wards he worked for the Harlan & Ho,
lingsworth Company and later for the
Pullman Palace Car Company for three
years. Reference to her brothers. sad
death caused Mrs. Croker to weep ire
qIently.
Charles B. Dougherty, for whom Law
less had worked as a driver, testified
that Lawless was industrious. He had
seen him under the influence of liquor,
but six months before his death witness
requested Lawless to pledge himself
against the use of strong drink, which
pledge the young man took and kept, so
far as the witness knew.
Thomas ]. Cooney testified that on the
day Lawless was killed, he was at work
in the Pusey u Jones shipyard. Lawless
and the witness were at work hoisting
frame of 120 foot long tug boat. Then
Mr.. Cooney described the falling OF the
beam of the derrick which was being
used to lift the steel frame.
He said he was at the windlass, while
Lawless was at the spool around which
an iron chain wound. Lawless was guild
ing the chain, facing the mast OF the
derrick. When the men had the steel
frames about 10 feet high, the collar OF
the boom broke, and, the boom falling,
struck Lawless in the eide, killing him
instantly,
John E. Connell, helper to filter
up in the yard, testified that he had
joked with Lawless just before the acci-
dent He heard crash, just as if some
thing had broken, and struck the earth
with a thud. Turning around he saw
Lawless lying on the ground with blood
on his back between the shoulders.
William e. Moon, another fellow
workman of the deceased, testified tnat
he had seen the broken jaw of the boom.
William Walls, an experienced man
on derricks, who is employed by the
Harlan & Hollingsworth Company, tes-
titled that he considered that the boom
of the derrick at which Lawless was
working was unsafe. He thought it
should either have had band or ring
OF iron attaching the boom to the mast
or it should have had throat halyafd,
which would have held it to the mast.
w. w. Knox, who is i'll the insurance
business, testified to the expectancy oi
life of man of "a years of age. He con
suited table OF selected lives, such az is
used by insurance companies, which
gave it at little over 49, years. Other
tuDlCS VI utlcCltCltll tlNG5 MeTe ~ OD-1UO,
IS 5S-l0O and So 79-lO0 These were all
English tables.
W. II, Updyke, who has an experience
OF about forty years about hoistihg ap-
p ratus, testified that he considered tile
derrick at Pusey & Jones unsafe. lie
thought the mast end of the boom shonld
have tackling Of some kind fastening
it to the peak Of the mast. Should the
hNODl lnnca bn fo Tor
but merely swing out.
Samuel i. Burris, trucker testified
that he was working at Pusey & Jones at
the time Lawless was killed. The frame
was just starting to leave the ground
Tlen the boom broke. The end of the
noom dug him, (Lawess) in the side.
H. alleged that Foreman Gallagher had
q thnlaa ~ L., do. L.. tl.,t tlca..