The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1913-11-26
OPPOSE ALLOWING
PUNITIVE DAMAGES
FIVE MEN EXCUSED FOR CAUSE
IN CASE OF LEE We. G. 4 9. !.
RAILROAD COMPANY.

vor of punitive damages, five men
we're this morning excused for cause
in the circuit court while the jury was
being empaneled for the trial of the
civil suit of j. ]. Lee, father and next
friend of Miss Nancy Lee vs.. Gulf and
Ship Island Railroad Company, in
which $4,000 punitive damages are
asked for the plaintiff because of the
alleged assault upon Miss Lee, a six
teen-year-old girl, by Tress, the agent
of defendant at McLaurin station in
this county 1t is charged in the de-
claration that Miss Lee went to the
station at the request Of another young
woman to inspect and receive a ship
ment of crockery, and while there was
invited into the wareroom for the
purpose of seeing the package; that
the agent, Tress, approached her and
forced her against the wall, in the
mean time hugging and kissing her;
that when she protested and resisted
his approaches he attempted to close
the door to the warehouse and would
have assaulted her had she not defend
ed herself with board until young
man from outside the building come
to her relief.
More than an hour was consumed
in securing a jury, both regular panels
were used and talismen were sum-
moned. The plaintiff used three and
and defense four peremptory chal-
lenges, before the jury was completed.
Hon. J.. M. Arnold is presiding at
the hearing of this case as special
Judge by request of Judge Johnson,
who is taking a much needed rest.
r. S. Hall and E. A. Anderson rep
resent the plaintiff and Hon. George
May of Jackson the defendant.
Miss Belle Harrell was the first wit
ness introduced. She testified that
she went with Miss Nancy Lee in a
wagon to McLaurin, for the purpose OF
getting a shipment of crockeryware
Upon arrival there, Agent Tress came
out and turned the wagon, backing II
up against the platform. Miss Lee
went into the station and while she
was in there witness heard scuffline
and later when Miss Lee came out
she was crying.
Says Tress Kissed Her.
. Miss Nancy Lee, young girl wear
ing short skirts, who gave her age a.
sixteen years, was the next witness
She stated that she and Miss Harrel
drove to McLaurine in her fathers
wagon. She entered the waiting room
and found Agent Tress in his office
She asked him about the freight ant
was told by the agent that he believed
the crockeryware was damaged ant
invited her into the wareroom to in
spect it. She followed Tress up ;
fight of four steps, entered wareroon
through partition swinging doors
which closed behind her. She stoo'
near the barrell in which broker
crockery was said by agent to b
while he took the box to the platform
Upon the agents return he approache
her and at once caught her and hugge
and kissed her while she struggled t
release herself. When he did releas
her agent started to close the larg
door leading to platform, but desiste
when she threatened to strike hil
: with board she saw lying near. Sh
, then left the wareroom through tn
partially open door and met Tol
Dean on the platform, who asked ht
"how she was feeling" to which ST
replied 81 am feeling bad, am mad
Miss Lee was asked several tint
5 on cross examination If Agent Tre'
I did not come out and turn the wage
/ so as to back 1t up against the pls
form. This she denied each time.
At noon Miss Lee was excuse
After the jury had left the court roo
the plaintiffs attorney complained
the Court against Claim Agent G.
v Kemp being allowed to converse wi
defendants witnesses so long as tn
are under the rule of the Court. T
Court ruled that no one except
d attorneys in the case be allowed
n converse with witnesses on either 81
81 relative to the case, while witness
rs are under the rule.