New-York tribune., 1908-07-29
W. R. HEARST SERVED
IN SUIT OYER FIREWORKS.
Citu Holds That He Should Pay
Part. at Least, of Damages.

Assistant Corporation Counsel Frank B. Pierce
Yesterday announced that the process servers u
the law department Saturday last serVeu
complaint on william R. Hearst in the affirnatfve
action the city has begun against Mr.. HsaIsl -
recover s24 s76 S. this being the amount or Juos
ment recovered by Mrs. Dennis Shea on account
of the death of her husband a Policeman os IIo
fireworks explosion election night NoNeihO0i
1902
Tbfs is IN. first of a series of suits to be brought
bv the CITY About eighty separate actions are M
voved and the amount OF damages clalheu -
the relatives of the dead and injured Is heaii'
s4G00.oo0 Mrs. Shea sued and recovered rom ~
city but the Corporation Counsel holds mat MI
Hearst was primarily responsible for the expiosio
Hence the action against him
The subpoenas served Mr. Hearst on SATURDAY
were the ones that the law department trfeo 10
serve on him May rs. when he went on ooaru
the Iucitania at O'Clock in the morning "hlie
the subpoena people watching the hearst
home in Lexington aven3f- When asked aoo11
the subpenas Saturday Mr. Hearst gave ti0
impression to the reporters that he had Eot peeh
served.
The title of the new action against Mr. Hearst IS
The City of New York against William r Hearst;
individually and as president OF tne Nah1on1l Sincn1
porated association consisting of seven or more
persons, the Star Company the Morning gournaI 9rI
Association the New YORK h'enlhs 'OUi--'-
Publishing Company.
Some allegations by the city are as follows:
That on or about November 4. 1902. the defendants
uronpfl,IIy and unLawfully created and maintained
a nuisance on Madison avenue and 24th street oy
lighting firing and dischargtng numerous fireworks
and cornbustibles of great force and power; that
said fireworks were so fired that part
driven upon and against Dennis Shea, who
was thereby struck and Killed; that the death Of
said Shea was caused solely by and through the
wrongful and unlawful acts of the defendants, and
was without any negligence or carelessness on the
part of said Dennis Shea
The complaint then recites that the widow
brought suit against the city, which in April.
1901 paid to Mrs Shea the of s24 SIS 66 to sat
isfy Judgment
A number of important shifts have taken place
in the litigation on account of the fireworks
nIosion since Mrs Shea her action against
the city the most important being that. while Mr..
of Appeals decision in the Shea case. when the
cv attempted to make him Jointly responsible with
itself in subsequent actions brought by Samuel
Melker and Lindau. involving the general
facts as to liability. the Corporation CounseIs Of
fee represented by Cornelius F. Collins, Josiah
J. Slower and Frank B. Pierce turned the tables
on Mr. Hearst putting him In a position where
II is possible that he will have either to pay
contribute to the payment for the killing of eigh
teen persons and the manning and shocking OF
about sixty others at the time OF the accident.
The defendant must file answer to the
plaint within twenty days from date of service,
which will be August IA Then the case will go
OF the calendar in regular order. and should be
reached this fall.