New-York tribune., 1903-07-05
LAWYERS BUSY SEASON.
They Bag a Good Many Damage
Salts an the Vacation Period.

summer is the haymaking season for the
thrl1ty lawyer" said an attorney whose prac-
uce consists mainly in trying damage suits.
While courts are for the most part closed
until autumn, activities in other places are op-
Grating with special energy for the production
OF profitable law business. It is with a sense Of
qualification not unmixed with greed that the
industrious lawyer looks upon the opportunities
OF the summer season. There will be work for
him TO do shortly. There Will be accidents on
the Fourth of July that can be salved only by
the judicioUs application of damages. The crap
ulous picnicker will fall off a trolley car; the
treacherous bathing pool will claim its quota Of
victims; the captive balloon will belle its name
and sail away into the empyrean with its in
experienced aeronauts; the crowded grandstand
viii give way, and, in fact there will be a
thousand and things to kill MAIN holi-
day seeking humanity, on lake and river, at
the seashore and in the mountains, at the race
track and the picnic ground. Some of these
unfortunates, or their representatives, will call
at the thrifty lawyers office and plans for
autumn campaign of damage suits will be made
during the midsummer months; witnesses will
be looked up, their testimony taken and every
thing trimmed into legal shape.
The public has idea how easy it is to
cure damages, providing that contributory
negligence is not proved If they were con.
would have time to transact any other kind
of business. For instance a case was settled in
Michigan not long ago. clown in one of the
show rings Of a circus negigently exploded
giant frecracker whereby a spectator lost the
sight of one eye. Although this spectator was a
trespasser, having entered the tent surrepu-
tiously, the proprietor of the circus held
responsible for the injury, it appeared that
the plaintiffs presence was discovered and he
was suffered to remain while the negligent act
was committed. The spectator recovered
1000
"One who maintains public bathing beach
must be vigilant in keeping the premises safe
for his customers, and he cannot escape liability
merely by showing that he has done nothing
to render the premises unsafe. 1 recollect an in
teresting case that settled last year in
Wilkesbarre. A rich resident invited { number
Of children to his grounds for a picnic. On the
grounds was an artificial lake, and number
Of the boys naturally went in swimming. AT
the points where they entered the water the
bottom descended gently for about forty feet
and then suddenly deepened to six feet. One
Of the boys went to this point and was drowned.
Suit was brought against the owner Of the
grounds, and after a stubbornly fought legal
battle the parents recovered damages.
"A man who had paid admission fee TO
witness a horserace sued the owners Of the
grounds for injuries received while attempting
to escape from a racehorse which, becoming un-
manageable in one of the races, ran through an
opening in the fence surrounding the track and
among the spectators. 1t was found as fact
that the running away Of the horse was not due
to the defendants negligence, but that the de-
fendant was negligent in not properly incloslng
the track. The injured party recovered satisfy
ing damages"