The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-03-27
A VERDICT FOR $4,000.
Jury Gives Verdict for Large Amount
for j. a. MilIer-MOtiOn for q New
Trial.

After being out for little more than
an hour Thursday night, the jury
consisting of Messrs. j. H. Guthrie.
foreman, w. l.. Brunson, Cuthbert
Pritchard, S. w. Allen, H. D. Player,
Jas. A. Hodge, j. P. Brogdon, Nj. D.
Moore, j. r. Nettles, r. A. Dennis, T.
b. McManus and E. p. Mcneil. re-
turned verdict for the plaintiff for
the sum Of $4,000 against the de-
fendant. the Atlantic Coast Line
railroad company.
The case Of Jas. A. Miller against
the Atlantic Coast Line railroad COM
pany Is now celebrated one. The
suit started from an accident which
happened in Columbia on October IS,
1909, in which the plaintiff alleges he
received injuries which have disabled
him from working since that time.
common pleas in this city more than
a year ago and resulted in the pre-
siding Judge, Judge Prince, directing
verdict for the railroad company on
the ground that Miller had received
benefit from the relief department.
and was therefore not liable to re-
cover. This decision Of Judge Prince
was reversed by the State Supreme
court on a decision of the Federal
Supreme Court, which dclared that
the benefit from the relief depart
ment had nothing to do with cases Of
this nature.
Upon the convening of court Mon
day the case was called and it has
been continued for four days, the at
torneys on both sides fighting every
step with undated vigor. 1t being
big case the best lawyers of the
railroad company were employed on
one side. while the best lawyers of
this city and one Of the best lawyers
Of Columbia were employed on the
side Of the plaintiff. Messrs. P. A.
Wilcox Of Florence. L. W. McLemore
OF Florence. and r. o. Purdy and
Mark Reynolds Of this city were en-
gagged in the conduct of the case for
the railroad, while Messrs J. H. Cliff
Of the city, and E. J. Best of Colum-
bia. represented the plaintiff The
suit was to recover $4,000 damages
for the injuries received.
Various doctors were put up by
both sides as expert witnesses to tes-
tify in the case, the opinion Of these
experts as a whole being widely di-
vergent as to the cause of the patients
present condition. some being of the
opinion that he was suffering from
one disease and some from another.
The arguments commenced about
eleven o'clock Thursday morning and
were continued until seven Thursday
night, three argumnts being made on
each side. Mr.. Best opened the argu-
ments for the plaintiff. He was fol-
lowed by Mr.. Purdy for the defen-
dant, Mr. Clifton for the plaintiff.
Messrs. Reynolds and Wilcox for the
defendant and the arguments were
closed by Mr.. Jennings for the plain
tiff All Of the arguments were good
some Of them being rather lengthy.
judge Rice made his charge shortly
after seven o'clock and it was a clear.
concise and brief statement of the
law i'm the case, being as good II
charge as has been heard on a
similar case in this court house Court
then adjourned for supper and, was
| recalled to hear the verdict at
about $50.
Mr.. Reynolds for the defendant at
once asked the Judge TO make n note
on the records Of the court for the
hearing of an argument for a new
trial. He also stated that the railroad
company would not hc willing to have
| The verdict stand. but would appeal
| the case should a new trial not be
granted