Mexico weekly ledger., 1901-05-09
TOWN OF MEXICO SUED.
Reed Case at Clayton on a Change of
Venue.


From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat.
The Circuit Court room at Clayton
was the scene Of a lively legal con
test yesterday, which was transferred
from Audrain county to st. Louis
county on a change Of yenue. Mrs
Mary Reed, wife William F. Reed.
proprietor Of the Merchants Hotel al
Moberly, Mo-, was the plaintiff in q
damage suit for $4,000 against the
city Of Mexico, Mo-, for injuries alleged
to have been sustained through a de
fectiye sidewalk. Each side was rep
resented by four attorneys, and the
defendant had a private stenographel
to take down the testimony. The
trial is expected to continue at least
three days. There is also a claim OF
$4,000 by the husband for the loss OF
companionship Of Mrs. Reed during
her illness, which will be heard sepa-
rately.
The witnesses, among the most
prominent citizens Of Mexico and Mo
berly, including Mayor W. X. Potts,
of the former place, formed a line
across the entire court room as they
stood up and took the oath from
Deputy Clerk Frederick Hencken,
Attorney George Robertson of Mexico
representing the plaintiff, opened the
case, and was answered by w. w. Fry,
Mexico's attorney. Other coun-
sellers interested were George 5. Gro
yer, of this city; Robert Shackleford
and Judge G.. A. Wurdeman, Of Clay
ton, for the plaintiff, and Rhodes
Clay, OF Audrain county; John ID.
Orear, and Col. w. f. Broadhead, OF
Clayton, for the defendant.
Mrs. Reed. the plaintiff, first tc
testify, said that she was visiting in
Mexico October 25, 1899, when the
accident occurred. She spent the
afternoon with a friend, and on hel
way to her hotel, near the court house
square, where there was a short piece
of board walk, shielded from the
electric light by the shade trees, the
darkness prevented her from seeing a
loose board, and she tripped and fell,
spraining her ankle, wrenched her
back and bruised her hip. Passers-by
assisted her to the hotel, and thence
to the train. After reaching home
she called a physician, DR.. W. L. Falki
but in spite of medical assistance, she
was compelled to remain in her room
many months, and is still suffering
from the injuries received. As a re-
suit of the fall, she claims the injured
limb shrunk in size, and is II inches
shorter than normally. Other wit
nesses for the plaintiff are DR.. Thomas
Irwin and William Kelly, of Moberly,
Mrs. Bessie Martin and Mrs. Henry
Reed.
The attorneys for the city set up a
general denial Of all the allegations
made in the plaintiffs petition. They
claim that the municipal officers ex-
ercised a reasonable care in keeping
the walks in order, and that the
plaintiffs negligence was c%ontributory
to the fall and injuries, If there were
any of the latter.
Dependent on the case on trial yes
terday is a suit for $4,000 damages
against the same defendant, which
will be tried tomorrow. This is for
the loss Of the companionship Of the
plaintiff in the first suit, resulting from
her alleged injuries, which the hus-
band claims deprived him of pleas
ures naturally due.
Mr.. and Mrs, Reed arc pioneer resi-
dents Of Mexico. Mrs. Reed, who is now
Sc years Of age, has made her home
there since her infancy, and her hus-
band was for many years n of the
leading business men Of the place. He
operated a general dry goods store,
the largest in the place, Nine years
ago he sold out and went to Moberly,
engaging in the hotel business.