The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-12
TURP|N DECIDES
UNIQUE LAW POINT
Citizen Must Pay for Negligenc,
When He Did Not Know 1t
Existed.
SUIT OVER DEATH OF HORSE
Electrocuted by Wire Which
Was Grounded on
Chandelier.

| NltlGens having electric fixtures In
their residences nre liable for any dam
| age mat may be incurred, whether IL
| happens on their property OF not, anu
whether they arc cognizant Of any
dcfect or not, according to "a decision
rendered yesterday by Civil Justice
furpin The suit was that of Yeamun
against the City Of Richmond. the vir-
gina Railway and Power Company
and William Ereling. and tho court's;
ieciSion gave Mr.. Tcaman "a verdict
of damages In the sum of $ao5, Brellng
ncing held responsible
Joseph II. Ycamun, u West End grocer.
was owner OF n delivery wagon driven
hS u negro boy. on August 80 last-a
rainy day This horse was driven
through an alley between Grove and
fioyd Avenues, Park and Allen Ave
mes Just when turning into a cross
alley without comiug into contact
with any pole, wirc or other fixture,
the horse jumped suddenly as though
badly shocked. and fell dead. The
driver and others who came to the as
ststancc OF the animal were slightly
shocked, and t being evident that there
was some electrical disturbance, the
virginia Hallway and Power Company
was notified
On nearby pole n transformer was
found to be In good working order
Tests of line after limo showed all in
Sood condition until leak was shown
IN the line leading to the house OF
william V. ID. BreIing. also grocer
by trade, living ut ISIS Floyd Avenue
Following this line the electricians
found ground" or defective con-
nection in a combination gas and cleo
trio chandelier on the second floor of
MT. Breling's homo. Mr. Brelfne could
have had no knowledge OF the defect,
as the lights in his house burned prop-
erly when turned on. and his bill for
the previous month had not shown any
evidence of leakage OF current. The
chandelier was put up in November
1908, after having been passed upon
by cit inspectors. and has since work
cd satisfactorily.
Traced Grounded Current.
Examination by electricians both for
the city and for the Virginia Railway
and Power Company traced the
grounded current through the gas
pipes and across MIR. Brclngs yard
and into the alley. Here peculiar con-
ditions had left dry spot which the
charge of ITO volts was not strong
enough to drive through. The horse
In walking through this alley bridged
this gap with his body. and the entire
current passed through the animal.
elcctrocutlng 1t instantly. II was tes-
tilted that the body OF "A horse offers
very low resistance. and that Cur
rent of this voltage, even had man
straddled the gap. would only have
shocked without killing hm.
Mr.. Yeaman tiled a claim for his
horse. valued at s2c5. Jointly against
the city. the power company and the
ncighbor. whose unconscious ncpli-
Gcnce had caused the damage The
car company put on witnesses to show
that Its transformer was IN good work
ing order. and current supplied at the
residence OF Mr.. Breling. Tho city In
spcctors told of having properly tested
the installation in Mr.. BrelIng's house
when first put In. and when IL was
found to be In good order. The ground.
ing OF current in chandeliers used
Jointly for gas and electricity was
stated to be not uncommon.
Mr.. Ycaman was represented by
David Meade White, Assistant Attor-
ney Anderson appearing for the city.
and John Is. Gayle for Mr.. Brcling
Mr.. Gayle gave notice OF appeal to
the Law and Equity Court