Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-12-23

| Goodwin. a deputy sheriff. He had been
directed by the court TO measure the
| distance from Miss Goldsmith's ankle
to the edge of her skirt in order to set
| tie q point in controversy over mat
ter that involved $4,000.
Miss Goldsmith, one day last April,
after she had finished her hours study
in an art room in the Holland building.
started down on the elevator. 1t passed
the third floor all right, but at the sec
ond her dress caught on projection IN
the shaft She was jerked violently
against the roof of the lift thrown
down to it's floor by the force OF the re-
bound, and in some manner her foot was
caught between the gate and wall and
crushed. Since then she has been COM
PEELED to walk on crutches. and Is not
able to follow her usual pursuit of
teaching subordinate classes in art at a
weekly salary of $40. She brought suit
against the Holland Building Company
for $4,000 damages. The plaintiffs allie
cation was that the elevator was not
properly Gagged or the accident would
not have occurred The defendant
claimed that Miss Goldsmith was stand
ing too near the edge of the elevator and
that she stuck her foot between 1t and
the wall of the shaft.
Wednesday, when she appeared In
court, subdued expression Of regret
and compassion ran round the crowd.
The clutches seemed so strangely out of
place under the arms of one so fair In
the first part of the proceedings expert
surgical testimony was adduced show
ing that she was crippled for life, and
that she would never be able to walk
without the aid of her wooden supports.
She was gently assisted to the witness
stand, and at the request of her coun-
sci removed her shoe, united the band
ages carefully and exposed her foot to
the view of the Jury. At the same time
DR.. Wiley G. Broome stepped upon the
platform Immediately below Miss Cold
smith and with skeleton ankle and
foot In his hand proceeded to Illustrate,
by comparison with the affected men,
Der, the exact location of Miss Cold
smiths hurts. He cut the tendon in the
dummy and at the same time pointed to
the place where the injury of like nature
had occurred in Miss Golds,nith's foot.
It was practical description of the an
atomical disarrangement that could not
work Dr. Broome was assisted by DR..
Andrew G. Moffitt. Their Illustrations
were watched with interest by the
crowd OF spectators as well as the jury.
After this was over Mr.. Sutherland
addressed the court and said that he
would like to have measurement
made Of the distance between Miss
Goldsmitt's ankle and the hem of her
dress. "The defense claim that she was
standing within six Inches Of the edge
Of the elevator. and this was the cause
of the accident. I want to disprove this
claim" he said.
Judge Ryan studied moment and
gravely acceded to the request.
Then Miss Goldsmith was assisted
from the witness chair to standing po-
sition in the attitude mentioned. Judge
Ryan selected Deputy Goodwin to per-
form the delicate task. He secured an
ordinary yard-stick from the carpen-
ter's room in the building and with the
grace of true Chesterfield knelt at the
woman's feet. He was only moment at
the task. He measured carefully, as he
knew that the outcome of an important
case depended largely upon the accura-
cy Of his figures. Having made the
measurement he said. Fourteen inches.
your honor"
Exactly so,' said Mr.. Sutherland,
with respectful bow to the court.
Fourteen inches is just how far Miss
Goldsmith was standing from the edge
OF the elevator when she met with this
accident. which has crippled her for
life"
The jury retired, and few minutes
later brought in a verdict for the plain
tiff in the sum of $500. People in the
courtroom crowded around the young
woman and extended her congratula-
lions.