The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1902-05-30
WANTS HEAVY DAMAGES.
Irmgerd's Chief officer Sues Inter
Island 90. For $4,000.

DlOuBuJ Ill JHe dulnlIdlJy ulNlSlOn vi Iue
United States District Court by Hans
Lorenzen against the Inter-Island
Steam Navigation Company j. ].
Dunno and r. w. Breckons are proctors
for the libellant.
The libel designates Hans Lorenzen
as q mariner and late chief officer on
board the American barkentine Irm-
gard. He shows that he is 26 years Of
age and an unmarried man, and that
he assisted his father in the support
and maintenance of his mother and his
five minor brothers and sisters living
in San Francisco, who are partly de-
pendent for their support and main
tenance upon his earnings.
At the time of receiving the injuries
of which he complains, he was the
holder of an unlimited chief officers
license for sail, and an unlimited Sec
ond officers license for steam, and
from the signing of the articles on No.
vember 20, 1901, until the time Of his
injuries he was chief officer of the Irm-
gard, in perfect health, strong and
hearty, and enjoyed the full and free
use of his limbs.
He shows that the injuries complain
ed of were caused by a marine tort
occurring upon the Irmgard while the
respondents steamer Noeau was lying
alongside of, and made fast to, the for
mer vessel, while both were at anchor
700 to 900 feet off shore in the harbor
of Honolulu. Further, he declares that
he was not then or ever a member OF
the crew of the Noeau, and that when
the facts and circumstances constitut-
ing his injuries occurred the Noeau
was discharging sugar into the Irm-
gard by her own appliances and crew,
and that the libellant had nothing to
do with the discharging operations.
The complaint describes the Noeau's
gear including a steam winch used in
transferring the sugar from the steam
er to the sailer. 1t was on January
30, 1902, when through the alleged care
lessness and negligence of the defend
ant the complainant received his in
juries The gaff of the Noeau support
ing the burden line extended over the
Irmgard's deck, being braced with
guys fastened fore and aft to the steam
err itself. No part of the hosting gear
was attached to the Irmgard.
Libellant was on the barkentins
rail when he saw the first slingload of
sugar about to be hoisted out of the
hold of the Noeau, but before the sling
load came up through the hatch he
jumped down off the rail and proceed,
ed to walk forward on the port side
When he had gone Is feet away from
the Irmgard's hatch he heard someone
call out suddenly, Hold on, hold on. :"
Thereupon he turned to look and saw
the slingload of sugar descending upon
him and not over three feet away. He
endeavored to avoid being struck by
said slingload but was unable to do so,
and in the words of the complaint
said slingload struck this libellant and
knocked him down, made him insensi-
BILE, severely bruised his shoulder, arm
and breast, and broke his leg in two
places below the knee"
The carelessness of the defendant is
represented in detail as consisting OF
the manner in which the guylines were
fastened to the gaff, so that the gaff
was allowed to swing out Of its proper
position and cause the slingload to de-
scend upon the libellant.
Besides the severe physical pain
from his injuries, he was put into
great mental distress from anxiety lest
he should lose his right leg and thus
become unable either to earn his live
lihood or assist in the support of his
parents and family, Libellant further
shows that from January 80 until May