The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-01-09
Jury Gave $4,000 and the
Settlements Were for
$4,000 and $4,000
IN CALEDONIA CO.
COURT THIS WEEK
All Three of the Suits Were
Important Negligence
Actions

St. Johnsbury, Jan. "a verdict for
workman in negligence suit was fol
lowed in Caledonia county court this
week with settlement of two other negli-
gence suits, thus shortening the term OF
the court considerably.
The suit in which was verdict for
damages, was awarded William J. Cross
vs. Passumpsic Fibre Leather company
Harland b. Howe represented the plain
tiff and Alexander Dunnett and Harry
Blodgett the defendant company. The
case was important. 1t grew out OF an
injury which the plaintiff sustained to
his foot on Thanksgiving day, 1912, in
the defendants mill at Passumpsic. The
evidence showed that the plaintiff had
to 90 down through hole and across
a plank to do some OF his work and
that the plank in question was near a
large fan which revolved with great
rapidity.
The declaration alleged that without
fault on the plaintiffs part the defendant
company had not provided reasonably
safe place for its men to pass along in
doing work about that place and that
by reason thereof the plaintiff slipped
from the wabbly plank and was caught
in the fan, injuring his foot so that the
doctors at first advised amputation.
Amputation did not commend itself to
the plaintiff and as result of the in
Jury he now has bad foot and ankle
The defense was that there was an
other safe way provided for its workmen
and that they were not obliged to go
through the dangerous way and, there
fore, they assumed the risk incident
thereto. The trial lasted a week and
several witnesses were called on both
sides. The jury returned a verdict for
the plaintiff in the sum of $4,000 dam
ages and costs.
This case was to have been followed
by another important negligence case of
Harry r. Morrison VS.. 4. & II. Fairbanks
y Co. for injuries which the plaintiff
received while working in the defendant
factory. Morrison was injured by a
tool falling and striking him on the
head, infiicting severe wound and in
effect paralyzing a part of his body so
that he is in very poor condition at the
present time. 1t is understood that this
case involved some very fine legal points
and a great battle was expected. The
Fairbanks company wished to give the
plaintiff a good settlement, however, and
it is understood that they settled for
$4,000. They had also paid nearly 5000
in other bills for him previously.
While the settlement fever was still
rife the negligence case of Ida Locke VS..
the ST. Johnsbury & Lake Champlain
railroad was settled, it is understood
at about $4,000 for the plaintiff. Mrs.
Locke sustained an injury to one limb
while dismounting from the train, claim
ing that the trainmen started the train
before she got off. This does away with
three very important cases and shortens
the term considerably.
The present case is to recover for hay
sold BY Gilman brothers of this place
to Austin Booth of Middlebury. Har-
land B. Howe appears for the plaintiffs
and James B. Donaway for the defend
ant He is assisted by Alexander Dun
nett. Next week will doubtless be de-
voted to taking care of the state cases
md the week after an important case
IF Williams Manufacturing Co. vs., In
,urance Companies will be set for trial