Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-02-15
John A. Wcltcr, of This City
Starts Big Suit For Person
al Injuries
CLAIMS INJURED IN WRECK
Tho Petition Alleges That Welter Sus-
tanned Injuries in Head on Collision
of Passenger Trains That Caused
Total Loss of Sight of One Eye -
WeIter is a Deaf Mute.

John A. Welter, a travelling sales
man living at llo4 West Church street
caused to be filed this morning by his
attorneys Il petition in personal in
Western Railway Company for $4,000
damages. This sum is sought to COM
pensate Weller for the alleged total
loss of the sight Of one eye, the inn
pairment of the other and additional
injuries received in a head-on collis-
ion of passenger trains in this city on
the morning of July 81, 1907.
The fact that Weller is deprived of
other faculties, having been both deaf
and dumb since childhood, adds a Pc
culiar feature to the case.
Suit Brought b ,ustce.
The suit is filed ithe name OF
Charles b. Hall, as 1sustee for Welter.
Hall is resident of Chicago. The
was deaf and dumb al the time of
the wreck, he had full use Of his other
faculties. Continuing, i. says that he
was a passenger on the early morning
north-bound train from ST. Joseph,
Mo-, to this city. AS the train drew
into the, west yards The station was
called and Welter, with others, arose
from his seat, preparatory to leaving
the car.
Collision Hurs Him.
Detailing the circumstances con-
nected with the alleged injuries, the
petition says that while Welter was
standing in the aisle. waiting for the
train to stop. the train he was ON
collided with another passenger, the
latter south-bound. The force Of the
collision, the petition says, threw We'll
ter off his feet and against the seats
and partition of the car, which he
struck with his head. shoulders and
back. This violent concussion de-
tached the retina Of Welter's right eye.
permanently destroying the sight of it,
and also seriously damaging the left
eye. and otherwise injuring him.
Charges Negligence in Particulars.
The petition charges the company
with negligence in allowing the two
trains to be on the same track, and in
not preventing their meeting and col
lision: also in allowing them to come
together oiu collision when it could
have been prevented by precautionary
measures.
Welter Young Man.
The petition says that Welter, at the
time Of the accident, was 81 years Of
orr III
to earn $4,000 a year net. He trav-
eled and had under him other sales
men. At one time he was selling
well-known brand of soap. The allie
cation is set up that because of his
blindness, and other injuries. he has
been incapacitated from continuing his
business, and has been prevented from
entering any other business with which
he was familiar. 1t is claimed that he
requires the attendance of a person
when on the street or away from home.
Mrs. Welter is also deaf and dumb.
There are three children in the fam
lily.
The head-on collision in which the
petition says Weller was hurt hap
pened near the South First street
early morning passenger trains, came
together on a siding, and altho but one
person was injured, according to the
report Of company officials at the time,
the engines Of both trains were
wrecked. The wreck was caused by a
misunderstanding Of orders, or an err
ror on the part of the tower man, who
the switches, which brought
the trains together.