Norwich bulletin., 1915-10-12

N retary: William Robbins of Woon- socket, junior past state councillor. The committees are: J J. Becker. J. P. Salisbury, Charles F. Small. finance: George w. Chase, Everett C. Lawton, Frank H. Walling, law; A Gerern- credentials.
 The state councillor in his report win recommend an appropriation of $lo0 as bonus fund to be distributed among councils making large gains in membership. During two years end- ing December S1. 1914. the order made net gain of 191 councils, and a net gain in membership of sS,0S2 through out the country.
 The convention today will act on a proposed amendment to the national constitution relative to national rep resentation. The amendment, if adopt ed, will reduce the number of repre- seutatives in some of the states and give to states and territories where councils are under the direct juris- diction of the national council, rep resentatives without regard to the number of councils or the numerical strength of their membership Plans for making open meetings feature for the coming year will be discussed. The sessions of the convention are secret
 The superior court for Washington county, Judge Chester w. earrcws, reeonvened in Westerly Monday morn l ing. The first case called was that of ! William H. HiscoX. now of New York. nephew of the late Charles H. Potter. against John T. Edmond, executor of l the Potter estate concerning the val 1 idity of the will of MT. Potter as ad- admitted to probate in the Westerly | probate court. Everett B. Whbpple, clerk of the probate court, produced the original will and read the contents. | It provided for the payment of all just debts and funeral expenses and per petial care of cemetery lot. The mort gage and note on real estate, amount i ing to $500 was bequeathed to g. broth- l CT, Jesse Potter, of Stonington. All | the rest and residue of the property, ed, two-thirds to Jesse Potter and one third to a sister. Diantha A. Mitchell, of PlainfieId, N. J.
 | The will was executed April g, 1915, I in the law office of Harry B. Agard, I and witnessed by MT. Agard and Att torney Clarence E. Roche. Both wit nesses to the will testified as to the signature of MT. Potter who declared the document to be his last will and testament and that he was of sound mind, that the witnesses were asked to sign their names as such, and that they did 50 in the presence of each other The object was to approve and establish the will Of MT. Potter.
 Judge Barrows stated that as no ob- jection appeared, he would instruct the jury to render a verdict estab- fishing the validity of the will. The jury rendered a verdict in accordance with instructions.
 The next case called for trial was the case of Mary K- Knight of Paw 1 cafuek, town of Stonington, against the town of Westerly. through James M. Pend1efon, town treasurer. Under the law residents of a town are bar red from jury duty in cases where the : town is party to the suit. and ths l Westerly jurors were excused unti
 Wednesday morning. no session of tho
 court being held on Tuesday. Colum-
 bus day, and legal holiday in Rhode Island. Albert B. Crafts is attorney 5 for the plaintiff and Town Solicitor Harry B. Agard guards the interest," l lected to serve on the case: Henry B Reynolds, Edwin B. Rogers, Erastul l c. Dawley, North Kingstown; John E I Stedman, George A. Carpenter, Jr 6 John S. Jordan. Richmond; Erlo N. G | Barber, Ulysses G. Gardner, Hopkin i ton; Albert Ea Brown, Palmer H. Pen
 dleton, ChaAestown; Edmund c 1 Champlin, Naxragansett.
 Attorney Crafts told interestingly o N the old boundary lines in the vicinit. of Broad andeAfain streets, to show ! that the point where Mrs. Knight re lceived alleged injuries. was within tn
 highway by the ancient boundarie n and also within the boundaries of tn
 present location and was entitled t
 damages. He said that there was a.
 indention in the tar sidewalk, at tn 2 l corner of Main and Broad streets nea f the Briggs building. which was tw {. feet in length, with varying depths : the. size of the heel of a woman's sho' = He said the heel of one of Mir r. Knights shoes caught in this hole an e she fell forWaid,, striking on bot
 knees. She p5kked. herself up an r leaned against the Briggs building an z woman with Mrs. Knight suggeste
 that she should go home. But instea n Mrs. Knight and her woman frien . went down Main street and. attende
 the moving picture show, and remaine 6, through the entertainment, althoug Ie she felt the blood trfckling from he a wounded knees. At the close of tn . movie show it was suggested that sh I- go home in a cab Not realizing ths if she was seriously injured, said M
 Crafts. she walked home, distanS the 18th of September. 1914. She coul
 go no further, and she will never | able to walk much, Or do; much house
 work. There was rupture of blood ves
 sells and the abdomen and back st 1 verely strained. She can move abol ithe house with the aid of two cane
 but when. her daughter and son wei
 sick upstairs, she was not able to st
 them. She sustained a severe nel
 vous shock. did not get and sleep consequence for three weeks, and no is able to sleep but very little. ST is not able to partalxe of substanti
 food; her nervous system is disol
 ganfzed.
 MT. Crafts said he would prove tn
 this defect in the highway had exis
 ed for some time and with the fr knowledge of the then chairman of u highway department of the town
 Westerly. He said that in Octobe
 1914, month after the accident
 plaster cast was taken of the defe
 in the sidewalk, which would show q
 conditioEs as they existed. Subs
 quently, he said. this defect had be,
 covered orer with a tar preparatic
 which had been removed just befo
 court convened. and to which he
 I not object.
 Town Solicitor Agard stated th
 the alleged defect in the hfghnay h
 been simply covered oyer. in order
 preserve as much as possible this { leged defect so that it could be SC
 bT judge and jury when the case car
 to triaI,mand was mot covered hecau
 it was Considered a defect in the sid
 walk.