Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-03
SETTLING FOR A MANS ARM
How the UnsOphisticated Victim Was
VIctimised by Indemnity
Company


A ~tragically true and pathetic story il
published in the July American Magazine.
1t is an account Of q mana Dane-who
lost his arm in a tannery and Of how his
employer treated him afterward. What
lends particular interest to the incident is
that 1t is told by the lawyer employed by
the indemnity company with whom the
crippled mans employers were insured.
the following il the story in part;
HE WAS a Dane and had been in this
country but a year, In Denmark he a
been a master butcher earning the equiva-
lent Of g per day. With his wife n one
ohild he had come to America In the hope
Of bettering his condition, and had taken
the first work offered in the city to which
he came. This work was manual labor at
. machine used In a tanpery for removing
the hair from hides. The hides are treated
In watts, then removed heavy and dripping,
and thrown over the machine which is in
tina form of an inclined plane running down
ana away from the operator. Back and
forth over this plane, which is flexible,
runs a knife roller, revolving rapidly,
which cleans the hair from the hide. This
whirling cylinder Is controlled by q lever
near at hand, which stops, starts and
changes its direction.
Dane had worked at this machine sew
eral month swithout accident. One day he
saw q lap in q hide as the cylinder came
upward. he reached for the lever and so
set 1t that the cylinder should have
stopped. As he did so. and relying on its
proper action, he reached over to
S~traighten the hide with his left hand.
The machine aid not obey the lever, the
cylinder armed with it's swiftly revolving
knives, came upward and In a twinkling
had chewed and destroyed his arm to the
elbow. The surgeons saved part OF the
stump Of arm which remained.
'The man was taken to the hospital,
thence to his home, and was treated by
the employers physician. His wages were
continued, and within six weeks, though
scarcely able. he returned for work and
was set to piing bark in the yard.
Matters went on as usual for a few
months. then. at the request Of the la
bIlty company which insured the employer.
the superintendent Of the factory asked
Dane. In q matter-of-eourse way, to sign
q paper releasing the employer from all
liability for the loss OF the arm. He re-
fused. asked for time; friends had advised
him not to do so, he said. The liability
company then asked for a full investiga-
ton by their local attorney.
THE evidence was Investigated, the
friends and fellow workmen were inter
viewed and statements made by them re-
duoed to writing, Then. II being the policy
VI thss concerns to buy claimants off II
II can be done cheaply enough. their at
tornsy was authorized to pay him ts5O,
less the amcrnt already expended for his
doctor, hospital bills. and wages while not
working. These items amounting 70 N7250.
IT left the magnificent sum Of A1L5O to be
paid TO this man as the net price OF his
arm.
Il am the lawyer in the case. and ! con-
fess It with shame. I made the offer. but
he refused IT, saying that he had seen Z
lawyer who advised a suit offering &c
accept as his fee one-half Of all that was
recovered generous soulD. After seYera.
interviews he Offered to accept $500 as full
payment. His offer. OF course. was laughed
at most %scoFnfully and promptly refused
as utterly absurd. ! told him OF the greai
resources Of the company. the attorneys