Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-10-23
Collier VS.. Oakland Wool
en- Co. on Trial.
Personal Damage Action With
An Ad Damnum Of $4,000.
Disposition Of Some Of the Cases
on the Docket.

In the supreme judicial court. AS
ociatc Justice Albert NJ. Spear of
Gardiner presiding, Tuesday morning.
was begun the personal damage action
of Arthur E. Collier versus the Oak
land Wooden Company, both of Oak
land. before the second jury Of which
Samuel G.. Otis of Hallowell is foreman
Hon. Forrest Goodwin OF Skowhegan
appears as counsel for the plaintiff and
Hon. William 7. Haines and John f..
Nelson, Esq, both OF Waterv!lle. for
the defendant. The ad damnum is
placed at $4,000.
This is an action to recover injuries
received in a burr picker in the mill
run by the defendant, July %, 1~6.
The plaintiff alleges that while in the
exercise of due care he had his right
arm carght between the rollers at the
back end of the machine and torn of,
about three inches from the shoulder,
whereby the plaintiff was greatly in
jured and suffered great pain OF body
and mind. and has been put to great
expense for medicine and medical at
tendance. all of which was owing to the
want Of due care on the part of the
defendant company.
After the opening by Attorney Good
win six witnesses were sworn in behalf
of the plaintiff.
Arthur B. Collier of Oakland, the
plaintiff was the first TO take the
stand. He testified that he was 81
years old and was at work for the de-
PENDANT company on July %, 1906. en-
tering their employ on June q, 1906.
Hired to work in the picker room
nights. There were three machines in
the room, a burr picker, mixer and
duster First run the burr picker on a
Thursday night before he was injured
on Monday Run the machine part of
Friday night and started to run it
Monday night when the accident hap
pened at 7.15 o'clock.
On cross examination by Attorney
Nielsen the witness testified that he had
worked in wooden mill before the acct
dent Was not in charge OF the picker
room part of the time. Placed right
land on the gear revolving and that
was the way that the accident hap
pened. He did rot see or hear the
roller The machine was covered up
by protectors to within two feet of the
ground. He was obliged to stoop to put
the gear No one could have seen the
; roller or known of its presence without
beng told.
On redirect examination the witness
testified that he had put on the belt
several times before the night of the
accident
James Bull of Oakland was called as
! the next witness. He testified that he
worke d in the picker room before Ar
! thur Collier. the plaintiff; being en-
ployed on the same burr picker on
| Which the plaintiff worked. The belt
in question came Oft several times dur
| ing the time that he ran the machine.
He never knew that there We're any
rollers exposed in the rear of the ma
! chine. There was no light behind the
| machine in the night time and it was
| dark in the day time.
Roy Sparrow Of oakland testified
! that he is now employed in the Cascade
wooden mill and formerly worked in the
! same picker room in the Oakland Com
pany'S mill where the plaintiff was en-
| plOyed when he was injured. and
worked on the same machine. Learned
after working in the room month
| that the rear of the machine was UNI
| guarded.
The members Of the jury left on train
No. II at 2.3o o'clock for Oakland to
view the scene of the accident and
| were ordered to report ut $50 o'clock.
| this morning.