Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1913-05-16

road company. The cOmpany's
experience is also that the most
e dangerous cases are not those in
which death or serious physical
injuries have occurred, but those
in which the plaintiff complains
of having had his feelings hurt by
being insulted, ignored or neglect
cd, or in which the injuries are
not visible, but have occurred to
the nerves, or in such a way that
they cannot be seen.
A colOred man has been allowed
as much as 81, 800 because a train
did not stop for him on flag, al
though the train crew testified
that they never saw him at all.
That is the salary of the state
treasurer for six months. This
beats having a private train.
A verdict of $50, 900 was given
in one case where an employees
clearance papers stated that he
was discharged because his SER
vices were unsatisfactory. This is
the governors salary for six years.
The supreme court did not permit
the judgment to stand, but the
verdict is significant. The com.
pany does not dare to tell a man
why he is discharged, as the re-.
suit is likely to be a suit for defa-
nation of character, with an
award Of heavy damages. A rail.
road company which has found a
conductor making unsatisfactory
reports to the auditor of passenger
receipts, cannot afford to put its
detectives on the stand, because
to do so would disclose how the
man vas found out and who are
the detectives, and would prevent
the discovery of other conductors
who make unsatisfactory reports
to the auditor of passenger re-
celpts. Since it is dangerous to
tell the employee the charge
against him, thus we reach the
abOminable result that a man
must be condemned unheard.
Some columns of the address are
given up to relations of such speci-
mems of personal injury litigatisn.
While they make interesting read
ing our limitations forbid space
for more except the famous cold
feet cases; which demand perpetu-
alton in cold print as a veritable
curiosity in our court annals:
A short time ago in the interest.
ing little city of Mound Bayou,
which as you will remember is
practically a community composed
of negroes, a factory was opened,
resulting entirely from the thrift
and industry of the negro race.
This joyful occasion brought the
negroes to Mound Bayou from ey.
erywhere. Special trains were
run from New Orleans, Memphis
and Jackson on the day of the Gel
cbration and the resources of the
railroad company were taxed to
the utmost to find equipment of
any kind in order to carry all the
who offered themselves for
the journey.
The hotel accommodations in !
Mound Bayou were not as great as $
some other cities of the country {
md unfortunately there came an {
Unexpected cold wave which re. '
luced the temperature the night ,
visitors went home to some I
like freezing point, and as {
hey allege, no adequate arrange. Z
nents were made to heat the cars. a
understand that l express J
opinion on the merits of these G
asses, | shall discuss only their c
lumber. But now my story be-
,ins.
Of the passengers who came a
rom Jackson or Vicksburg, five e
hundred have already placed their r.
laims in the hands of counsel and c,
ne hundred and eighty. five more b
ave brought suit-6S5 in all. b
'ot a soul who came from Missis. ell
lppi south of Vicksburg or from Il
'ennessee or Louisiana has ever cl
resented a claim. If the com Il
any should pay all the claims bl
hat have been presented, the st
mount would be p%rohibitive, ii
lille by refusing to pay the D.
laims, it has embarked upon a to
horeless sea of litigation. ia
One of the $50 cases has been re
ecided against the railroad, the W
Try awarding the sufferer $500. 90. ~
It this rate the road would be ~
ixed over 5000, 900 by this bunch tn
f ''cold- feetos." W;