The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1905-02-27
RAILROAD CORPORATIONS GIVING BAT
TIE TO FICTITIOUS CLAIMANTS.
CASE AT FORT WORTH
Court of Criminal Appeals in Session
In that City Hands Down
Very Interesting Decision i'm
Bogus Claim Cases.

During the past year several men
who attempted to defraud, and some
who did defraud, Texas railroads
through bogus claims for personal
injuries alleged to have been receiv-
ed by them while engaged in rail-
road employment, have been con-
victed of perjury and fraud and SEN
fenced to serve long terms in the
penitentiary of the state The last
to join the ranks of those referred
to is NJ. b. McDonough, who former
| ly lived at Fort Worth and who was
convicted in the district court of
Tarrant county OF perjury, commit
ted in his evidence in a personal in
jury case he had instituted against
the Gulf. Colorado and Santa Fee
Railway Company
The case is one of nearly three
years standing and has just been fin
ally decided by the court of criminal
|
decisions ever rendered by a court in
a perjury case.
McDonough was given a sentence
| of three years in the states prison
| by the trial court. The upper court
has finally affirmed the contentious
of the state and the railroad company
and the convicted man is now serv-
| ing the commonwealth without com
pensation.
McDonough was employed in Aug
ust, 1902, in the capacity OF brake
man, by the Gulf, Colorado and San
"a Re railway company After SER
vice of less than a week and on the
night of August 10, OF said year, he
alleged that. while at work In the
Fort Worth yards of the company,
| he had been thrown to the ground
| by a defective brakestaff. causing
On the same night and about the
same time, as was charged by an
other employe of the company, a
handhold on another car gave way,
precipitating him to the ground and
causing him serious injuries and
mental anguish. In both instances
defective cars were found in the
yards Eext morning The alleged
accidents, however, were so similar
and in such rapid succession that the
suspicious of the Santa Re reDresen-
tatiyes were aroused, A searching
Investigation was begun and the
company officials prepared them
selves for the best fight possible.
Both men made heavy claims for
damages, but that Of the second
| claimant was not prosecuted with
vigor McDonough, however. sued
the Santa Fe for $4,000 and pro-
ceeded TO contest the matter with
much energy. Through the direction
of Mr. c. X. Lee. the Santa Fe's legal
advisor at Fort Worth, a deposition
was obtained from McDonough for
use at the trial that was expected 10
follow the filing Of the suit He was
asked 10 name all the railroads he
had worked for previously and to
state whether he had ever before
filed claim for personal inJaries
against a railroad company. tie an
swered the question fully detailing
the names of nearly dozen railroads
he had been employed BY. but max
tng no mention OF aus demand for
damages he lad made against any
or them.
Bv az Investigation of their
records che Santa BE- representatives
discovered that Meponaueh bad
worked for fhsir company several
sears before and that he bad stated
Iu his application ioF enplNme
.that Dr. had been employed by chs
KATY. Ont shaf Ia his second appiica.
llau be- indicated lhas he hsd haA
ao railroad experience ia TsNas
trsrfue az bis record while wlia Tee
AslF Developed thc faet that. uRls
gunE lannths before, he had hAd an
arc,atBt ia che Yards Al p@uison
iasntisallF similar 10 that claimed
fs have suffefed az Fuft Worth aud
stat 81 bad ~ftlea @ith the ksty
claim Department FOO sNaH. rtls
tlfvvf tentFosefalun ~ facts far
aishaa NJ i.ee and hls assistants
ALA the sstasues fhey desired aud
ta~~ A@Aassf the trtal - AeDon
an2h salf @ish mura patience
wh~m me eaa@ waA emaama tie
nlAgafiff hnhal@sg gufo shw enurt yuam
"a efuaeAssa % NaEaoaoszxA'a cIaa3-
exanlnafasn a. eunsasmssi aeoxe. ana
msr~ ~as pHsx~n- Esis taAstm@aY