Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1914-10-27
Went Out at Four O'Clock and
Reached an Agreement Some $500
.-. Five Hours Later.
BIG JUDGMENT WAS EXPECTED
Insurance Company Will Have to
Pay $4,000 and Costs Of
the Case.

The jury in the case of Fred
Weber VS.. the City of Webster City
retired at about four o'clock yester-
day afternoon and about nine
O'Clock reached an agreement, find
ing for the plaintiff, giving him
judgment for $4,000. On the first
ballot, according to reports, eight
of the jurymen voted for $50, 600
Judgment and six of them hung for
that amount until an agreement was
finally reached. The lowest judg-
ment favored by any of the jurors
was $4,000 and only one voted for
that and that was on the first bal
lot.
| What course the city and the in
surance company will now take is
unknown. The insurance company
is liable for $4,000 and costs and it
may be the company will not ap-
peal, knowing that it will have the
supreme court costs to pay and that
the judgment will draw six per cent
interest from date. OF course the
city can appeal and the legal de-
partment may advise that course.
The reports current on the street
to the effect that the city tried to
settle with Weber are untrue. The
city has done practically nothing
for him since the injury inflicted
nearly three years ago, not even
paying his hospital bill and refus.
Ing absolutely to pay the bill sub
mitted by DR.. Forest F. Hall. city
physician, for medical attendance.
Moreover, when the case was post
poned from the last term of court
the attorney for Mr.. Weber asked
1.-The city to give Mr.. Weber small
allowance to help him along until
the case could be reached in the
courts and the city refused to do
anything.
The public generally expected a
big Judgment for Weber and the
concensus of opinion seems to be
that the amount allowed is about
right. 1t is the largest personal in
jury judgment by all odds ever al
lowed in the county and we believe
the largest ever allowed in this part
Of the state. o. J. Henderson, as
sisted by D. M. Kelleher OF Fort
Dodge, handled the case for Mr..
Weber and that it was we'll handled
appears to be proven by the verdict.
Wesley Martin and D. c. Chase APP
peared for the insurance company
and the city, which fact is ample
evidence that the defense was con-
Quoted with consumate skill.
Our readers will recall that Mr..
Weber was injured more than two
years ago by the explosion of the
water heater at the power plant.
He was working beneath the heat
er at the time and received injuries
from which he has not yet recovered
and from which he probably never
will recover. The wounds inflicted
by the boiling water and steam have
never healed; both legs are drawn
I'D and he is unable to walk. He
remained at the hospital for about
two years and since leaving that in
stitution has tried to make some
money by selling pencils, cigars, ETC.,
upon the street, having a wheeled
chair as a means of locomotion.
The hospital and doctors bills
for services to Mr.. Weber will ag-
gregate about $4,000, which have
never been settled. Some time ago
1t was thought that an operation by
a well known Chicago specialist
might be of great benefit to Mr..
Weber, but as the operation and hos
pital expenses would be in the
neighborhood of $1,000 the injured
man could not have it done. 1t may
now be too late and II the case Is
carried to the supreme court 1t must
be indefinitely postponed.
-.s Cradle Roll. -.,-a,----