Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-03-11


days in the hospital and had not been
able to work since the ACCIDENT. WIZ
ness received s1.70 per day wniie at
work fer the Street Railway witness
was unable TO walk at the present time
without crutChes. The leg injured was
| the left one and it was fractured above
the knee. The day on which the ac-
cident occurred was a RAINY gay.
Witness on cross-examination ad-
mitted that he had tened trolley on
this particular car for three weeks pc
fore the accident. The car started to
go un hin three times and II was on
the third backing that the accident oc-
Cured Witness had the trolley rope
in his hand all the lime that he was
running alongside the car.
The Jury before the opening of the
afternoon session accompanied by an
officer went 70 the Grove street juno
ton where an opportunity was gwen
them to view tie car which figured in
the accident.
The first witness called at the after
noon session was Joe Royer. fellow
workman with Nigue on the gravel car.
Roger was unable TO speak English
and Paul RiSSCn of Augusta acted as
interpreter for him as well as for sew
eral other witnesses OF the French ma
tionality. who testified. Witness teSt-
fed that the plaintiff vas standing still
on the step when he was hit by the
pole 1t was 10 time at all after Niguc
got on the step before he was struck
by the post Witness on cross eXami
nation denied telling Tarini, the car
hnv oorin 70
the step when he was struck.
Noel Bergen testified that he was
employed at COnant's lumber yard in
Auburn when the accident took place.
Witness was standing about so feet
away on the other side of the street
from where the accident occurred and
saw Vigue when he hit the post. The
car was running about four or five
miles an hour.
Witness hollered to Vigue, look out
for the post as he got onto the car.
1T was too late for he was struck
them the witness explained on cross
examination. Witness wasn't exactly
sure whether ear ran back twice or
three times. Vigue was trying to get
on the car and trying to put the troll
ley on when he was struck.
Clovis Laddy. yard boss Of the Con-
ant Lumber Co, testified that he was
pretty nearly midway Of the hill when
he accident occurred. Saw the trolley
catch on the guy wire and Vigue ran
behind the car and while he was trying
to plt the trolley back. Witness saw
Vigue jump on the car when the car
was about car length distant from
the post. The car was going fast
enough so Nigue had to run TO catch it,
Dr.. John Stureis of Auburn testified
that while he was on duty as a sur
geon at the Central Maine hospital at
Lewiston he attended the plaintiff. The
injury was a fracture of the left
thigh, but he did not see the plaintiff
when he was discharged.
DR.. w. Fl. Harris of Augusta testi-
fled that he had been Il physician and
surgeon for % years and during that
time had quite an experience with
fractures. He had made an eXamina-
ton of the plaintiff, finding fracture
of the left thigh. He believed that the
plaintiff had an absolutely useless leg.
Fourteen witnesses We're sworn in
behalf of the defendant. The first wit
Auburn, electrical engineer for the L..
A. & w. Street Railway The accident
happened on the Auburn Heights line.
The pole was erected in 1903 by the
Lewiston & Auburn Telephone Co. The
only interest which the Electric Road
has in the pole is the maintenance Of
a trolley arm and feed wires upon it.
George w. Bumpus, city clerk of Au
burn. testified that no pole plan was
filed with the board of mayor and al
dermen when pole and conduit rights
were granted the Telephone Co.
George w. Bowie of Lewiston. super
interdent of Transportation of the
Lewiston. augusta & Waterville Street
Railway testified that the car figuring
IN the accident was ear No. 10, which
was Quilt in Bath under the Supervi-
sion OF the witness. The ear was built
with four steps, two on each side, and
So far as witness knew four steps had
always been maintained upon it.
The reXt witness called was George
S. Kicker OF Lewiston. carhouSe fore
man at Lewiston of the Lewiston, Au-
ersta & Waterville Street Railway. 1t
was the duty of the witness to keep
ali C'tIS tIltll CAME illlo lllt Cii HooSS AZ
repair Car 40. 10 had four steps on
the day Of the injury to the plaintiff
and At the present time it had four
steps. Witness on cross examination
stficd that one of the steps was
wrcn"hod off the car about Jan. -.
1909
George A. Reward of Lewiston, mo-
torman Of the Lewiston, Augusta &
Watcrviha Street Railway. testified
that he bad been in the employ of the
company for 10 years as conductor and
motorman. Witness was familiar with
car No. 10 and had worked on it as
both conductor and trolley tender. The
car had fodr steps on the day when
the p1aintin uoc hurt Nipup was on