The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-11-15
Damages Asked for Injuries In
fIiCt0d on Elizabeth D. Root.
At ROGER WILLIAMS PARK
She Was Attacked BY Bruln While Watch.
Ing His Antics Last May-0thr
Clans Presented.

At yesterdays session OF the city coun-
ell committee on claims there was long
list OF claims presented for ac-
ton Of the committee. among them prob
ably tho most unique case that the COM
mittee has ever been called upon to con-
slider.
1t was the claim of Elizabeth Dew.
Root, the eight-year-old girl who was at
tackled by ore of the black bears al Roger
Williams park last May The claim really
consisted OF two petitions, one for 5000
for injuries to the child. and the other
for $500 by the mother OF the child for
loss OF wages while taking care OF the
girl during the resulting sickness.
The case was very carefully gone into.
City Solicitor Colwell stating that as ne
was not an expert on bear cases. that the
facts should be brought out very thor
oughly
Mrs. Root was represented by Attorney
Seber EDWARDS. She was the first witness
and her story of the incident follows:
On the afternoon of the 23d OF May last,
she took an afternoon off," in order TO
accompany her two children, aged and
. years, respectively. to the park to study
birds which she had noticed near tne
Broad street entrance
With the two children she crossed the
hill where the menager.e Is, and they
stopped to watch the work of artists.
Hugo Breul and Mrs. DIR. Parker. VINO
were painting animals from life their
easeis being on the side OF the menagerie
near the outside cages OF the lions and
tigers.
The first warning she had of any ac-
cident was the >child's screams. and,
turning around. she saw little Elizabeth
on the ground and the keeper trying TO
drag away the bear which was ,ipon
her The child was taken to the ofrlce
OF DR.. Morrison -on-Broad street. where
IL was found necessary to sew up two
wounds I'm the thighs OF the child.
LETTER FROM WITNESS.
letter from Mrs. Mary Gray Moss Of
Portland. Me, who witnessed the attack
was read by Mr.. Edwards. The writer
stated that she considered the accident
due to carelessness; that the keeper was
apparently trying To show of the bear
and struck the animal on the head when.
In ft resulting from rage. dashed at the
child and that there was n precipitous
rush on all sides to escape the angry
beast, eases and other accessories being
overturned and scattered in the general
confusion.
Mr.. Colwell asked whether the claim
was that the city was negligent In per-
mtting the bear TO be led about or
wnether ne was being forced TO perform
Tricks for the amusement OF the onlook-
ers and thus ruffling his temper Mr. ed
wards replied by saying that the evidence
was simply given as II might appear In
possible future litigation.
lie said that there were two grounds al
legged for negligence: First, the act OF
leading the bear near the children end
second, that the keeper had no right to
irritate the bear under such conditions
DIR. Morrison was the next witness and
said that the child was a bright. healthy
girl before the accident He described
the wounds and declared that since the
accident the child showed pronounced In
jury to-her nervous system and displayed
lack OF mental poise.
Superintendent Fits said that he In
vestigated the AFFAIR and as far as he
could learn the keeper warned the chill
dren not 10 go too close TO the bear One
OF the children, he said had some Don
corn cakes and offered them to the Var
who made rush for II. frightening the
other children. The whipping Of the ami
NAL took place. Mr. Fits declared, after
the attack on the child. He said witnesses
declared that there was no negligence on
the part OF the keeper
The case was continued for advisement
and possible further hearing
ABATEMENTs ASKED.
Mary A. Kirwin stated that she had
sold her house and to show for II had
nothing but n mortgage OF $1,000. She ask
ed for an abatement of her tax
Oscar f. Hopkins claimed that he had
traded the property taxed early in the
year for farm in Rehoboth. upon which
he was now living. He removed from this
city March 2. 1902. He said that he had
property In Providence. but did not live
here. He asked for an abatement.
The request OF the Boston Safe Deposit
and Trusts company for remission OF
tax was presented and held for advise
ment.
A claim OF s25 for damages was put In
by Wolf Silverman. a Hebrew peddler.
claiming negligence on the part OF n fire.