The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-11-01
Fake Pers Onal Injury Suits
Are Put to the Bad.
TEACHERS SALARIES TO ADVANCE
Howthe Big brain Trust" VIII Pro-
vide Entertainment for Public;
Windy City News.
Especial Correspondence


Chicago, Oct. pa good fairy of
sixty four this year as in previous
years, will help nearly a hundred
Chicago boys prove that sane cele-
bration of Halloween is not only
practicable but bully" Thanks to
Mrs Alice c. Whitney, the garbage
cans, gates and vehicles in her neigh
borhood do not mysteriously vanish
from accustomed places and turn up
on front porches, church roofs and
telephone poles. Her diagnosis is that
boys have energy that just must be
applied or it will turn to deviltry.
Her cure consists of great bonfire
on her lawn from which boxes and
crates are accumulated for months,
and after the bonfire there are roast
sandwiches, cookies candy and hot
chocolate. Every boy has to promise
mot to touch a thing in the neigh
borhood" and the boys have kept
their promise. As result the police
man on that beat finds Halloween
more uneventful than other even
ings instead of the most strenuous
of the year.
Another industry to suffer during
these golden autumn days is the fake
personal injury business which the
past, present and future expense of
Chicago, was found fourishing like
green bay tree. Claims for damages
totaling 100000 were found to be
frauds when photographers snapped the
claimants in active enjoyment of sound
health and a full set of sound mem
bers. One little suburb of 200 adult
residents boasts 100 suits against the
| city. "Falls on defective sidewalks
are favorite grounds for suit. Some
claimants who have recovered damages
from railroads or traction companies
turn around and sue the city on the
plea of the same injuries. One woman,
who claimed to be crippled for life,
was photographed as she hurried
blithely homeward swinging basket
of groceries.
The extent to which human ma.
ture enters into judicial proceedings
was shown last week when prominent
Chicago attorneys were found to be
seriously alarmed by the growing prac-
tice of publicly discussing evidence
in advance of trials. Some mystery
was given to the reports that
committee was being or had been or
would be organized to put check
on the practice in the interest of
economy and justice. In the enthusi-
asm of preparing cases, either as
prosecutors or defenders spurred by
ambition to win, there has been gra-
dual departure from the old custom,
still followed abroad of saying moth
ing until both sides were heard in
court. Both sides have talked and the
iurymen could not fail to have some
bias from the first. The cost to the
state easily could be one argument
for making trial serve its purpose,
the difficulty in finding veniremen
without prejudice is daily growing
greater Defendants are. at disad-
vantage for the utterances of prose-
cutors are in their nature news. The
work of the committee may have i'm
portant results in time, even bringing
about new ethics in legal practice in
the United States, but apparently the
committees plans have not been ma
tured yet.
1t looked blue for Chicago's hopes
of getting the national republican con-
vention last week until the new ar
mory for the Seventh Regiment, IL
linois National Guard was thought of.
That building will seat $4,000 people
and will be finished by May l next. 1t
will be built largely with funds of the
state of Illinois so it will be up to
the state of Illinois to provide Chi
cago with the big convention. The
requirements of the next republican
convention will be very different from
those of the convention in 1904, it
will be no ratification meeting, no
love feast, and the contest will attract
a mammoth crowd-not less than l5O,-N
900 people. The estimates made are
for 5000 seats for the delegates, al
ternates and press representatives and
5000 more for visitors. The coliseum
is out of the question as to size and
is not suitable; Chicago alone would
fill every seat that could made avail
able in that structure. The commits
tee having the convention problem
in hand is made up of veterans who
are determined to win.
A ten course Chinese banquet, given
here by Hip Sing Tong, was success