Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1906-02-22
WILKINS BROS. VS..
STANDARD OIL CO.
Verdict Tor Plaintiffs, $4,000.


desday morning, and closed at noon on
Saturday The jury went out soon after
noon, and its deliberations continued until
$50 Sunday morning when verdict was
rendered in favor Of the plaintiffs for
S21, 200, SIS, 900 for Charles W. Wilkins
for personal injuries, and $4,000 TO Wiki
ms Bros for loss Of property. Il is street
rumor that eleven of the twelve practically
agreed on this verdict, Saturday night, bus
it took one man all night to bring himself
to like conclusion.
THE EVIDENCE THURSDAY.
Charles Gleeson was recalled and identi-
fed the lamps one Of which was exploded,
and two not exploded.
Elmer E. Haines testified that all the
lamps were lighted early on the morning Of
the fatal day.
Prof Sadler, an expert chemist testified
that the action of the Morris and Lodge
lamps indicated the presence of gasoline,
though he had never made experiments on
that line. On cross-examination, he de-
clared that under certain conditions or
temperature coal oil is as explosive as gaso-
line; that the vapor Of gasoline being agi-
tated would naturally fall.
Sidney Emery, consulting chemist at
the Dupont Works, went to the Wilkins
store month after the explosion, and said
such wreckage could not be caused by the
two pounds of powder said to be in the
store, and added that the powder would
not produce smoke He offered TO burn a
z fntity in the presence Of the jury, but
s eaTT7s9n "a filmed to ALLOW the sx-
p ylent. 10 theleross-examination, moth
ing contradictory was brought out.
DIR. Harry H. Clark stated he attended
Charles wilkins professionally. On the
evening Of the explosion he found She de-
fendant in bed, with the skin burned
entirely of from his collar bone up, limbs
in same condition. and there was not par
ticle of hair on head; face swollen beyond
recognition, attended him for weeks. and
even now; caunot see how the man can re-
gain his former health. On cross-examina-
on, the doctor said be found powder marks
back Of Wilkins ears; that they are there to
to-day.
Z. K. Wilkins, one of the Defendants
merely corroI Grated the statement of his
brother as to the business Of the firm.
DR.. George E. Readings testimony was a
correlation of Dr. Clark's.
Mrs. Charles Wilkins testified that her
husbands health since the accident as COM
pared to that before, was vastly different.
He could not remember things as before;
was feeble at times and is now nervous
wreck.
Mr.. Wescott stated that while there were
dozen additional witnesses to testify to
the same facts, they would not be called,
and the plaintiffs rested.
Defendants counsel moved for a nom
suit, and argument on that motion was held
in the Judges room. The motion was
denied, and Mr.. McGill briefly outlined
the defendants case. He said they would
show that the tank was emptied that morn
ing Of gasoline, and that other merchants
supplied from the same tank on that day
had no trouble with the oil.
In this statement Mr.. McGill was sus-
tanned by the testimony Of Wm. Turner.
McGill & Son, R. A. Jester, John Watson,
VIM. Flowers and Adolph Kline, all Of
whom bought from 80 to 1sO gallons Of oil
on that day, and heard no complaint from
their customers.
The most important witness for the de-
fence was James 7. Williams. driver Of the
Standard Oil Company's wagon, and the
man who delivered the oil that day. He
said his route was from Woodbury. to
PennsgroYe; that there were storage tanks
at both places; that on December be came
up from Pennsgroye with load Of gasoline
haying 40 gallons in the tank when be
arrived at Woodbury. that evening; he went
out early in she morning on December 5
and sold Is gallons, then returned and with
the aid Of Mr.. Wilmer Cox, in charge Of
the station, emptied the remaining twenty
five gallons back in the gasoline storage
tank; then the wagon was moYed to the
headlight tank, and 6S5 gallons Of head.
light oil run in. His first stop was at
Truncer's store, Thorofare, but he didn't
want any. His second stop was at Wilk-
ms Bros; where he put in 20 gallons Of
headlight oil. The wagon was a single
tank, and held 6S5 gallons; bis sales
slips that day proved shat he sold that
quantity at 81 cents per gallon.