Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1905-03-02
CIRCUIT COURT OF
CUMBERLAND COUNTY

| Thursday afternoon was entirely
consumed at the Court House with
taking testimony in the damage suits
brought by Rebecca Hogate, Aphonso,
Alonzo. Sherman and William Bennett
against DR.. T. J. Smith. AS the
Pioneer" stated yesterday the coun-
sci for the plaintiffs is Judge John
Westcott and Rex Donnelly and for
the defendant Walter H. Bacon and
James J. Reeves. The taking of testi-
mony was resumed Immediately after
the MONDAY recess.
Thursday Afternoon.
DR.. William Wescott, of Camden. a
brother of Judge Wescott, was called
to the witness stand as an expert on
the cases of the Bennett boys injuries
received at the waterback explosion in
the DR.. Smith house. He described
their injuries and the consequent re-
suits which he had discovered.
DR.. N. Howard Burt gave testimony
relating to having been called into the
children at the time of the explosion.
With this witness the plaintiff rested.
A conference at side bar was then
held in the Judges library between
the Judge and all the lawyers in the
case. The result OF this was that the
case was resumed
James ]. Reeves opened for the de-
fenses. He claimed that the bursting
OF the waterback was solely an acci-
dent for which the defendant was in
no way responsible and in no way con-
tributory.
Isaac L. Stetser, who was .sboy
boss'' at the CUMBERLAND Glass Mfg.
Go. in January, 1900, was called and
testified that Alonzo Bennett, one of
the boys injured by the explosion.
came to work at the factory at which
he was engaged on the Sth day of
January. He was then apparently all
right and able to work at swapping
up
| Miss R. D. Davis. school teacher,
said that Alonzo came to school in the
winter of 1900. She remembered the
time of the explosion, and it was not
long after the explosion that he came
to school
The plaintiffs had declared the boy
did not go to school,
Preston Stratton, of the Crystal
Steam Laundry, detailed that he had
lived in the house No. 20 North Pearl
street. where the explosion occurred,
and that he had removed from it in
December, 1899. That he had let the
water out of the drain pipes in the
house and so informed DR.. Smith at
the time of his removal.
| George Duffield. Elias Griner, Mrs.
Anna Griner, Mrs. Elizabeth G Smith
ali gave Testimony for the defendant,
and then DR.. Smith himself was called
to the stand.
He said he had lived in this city
since 1870, was practicing physician.
He said he was medical inspector of
the County Asylum for the Insane. He
was the owner of the house No. 203
North Pearl street. He rented the
house to the plaintiffs and gave them
the key.
Preston Stratton, the preceding ten
ant, had told him that he had turned
the water off and left all in good con-
dition. He afterward by examination
himself found the house all right as
Mr.. Stratton had told him.
He showed the parties Mrs. Bennett
and one of the boys-how the water
was turned on. One of them turned
it on, either Mrs. Bennett or one OF
the boys He did not turn 1t on him.
slef. He had left the house just be-
fore the explosion; he got the word
| by telephone at about O'Clock. before
he got home to his own office: he re-
turned to the house and, of course,
was greatly excited at what he learned
had happened. He found the three
boys had received very slight hurts,
one a small blister on the forehead,
the other small blister back of ear,
andAthe oder boy they said had a
bruise on the thigh. The wounds
were all slight and very insignificant
He was there attending to their hurts
i for the next four or six days, when he
/ left them all entirely we'll.
| The doctor was given sharp cross
4 examination by Judge Wescott.
/ Judge Endicott excused all the
/ jurors not ON this case until Friday
morning at 10 O'Clock.
/ The echoes of the Walter Wilson
campaign for County Surrogate comes
up in a suit against former Judge
| Hendee and his son, and E. D. Mid
dlekauff on note for $780, An effort
will be made to have the case put off
when it is called.
T.