The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-06-21
CAME TOO LATE.
But Topeka Is Under Moral
Obligation, Says Mayor.
e. B. Arthur, Former Officer, Is
Helpless Cripple.
ASKS S2,444 FOR DAMAGES
Time Is Up in Which City Can
Be Held Liable.
Injuries Received While On
Duty as Officer.
ASKS S2,444 FOR DAMAGES

Crippled for life as result of IN"
;uries received while in the discharge
If his duties as a motorcycle police OF
ficer more than i year ago. C b. Ar
thur. accompanied by his wife, Eliza
10Th Rarr Arthur, appeared at the
city hall this morning to explain 70
sneciaI committee representing inc
citv why he should receive some cum
nensation for the expense entalleo ny
his injuries. Arthur filed claim I"r
S2.44465. e.
damages. Arthur told members or the
cotnmittee-Mayo J. E House, lily
Attorney George p Hayden ana CoIi-
missioner Tandy--the story OF three
major operations necessary 10 save ms
lef, leg that virtually had been torn
from his body, when he was struck
bv an automobile. driven by Mrs. y; a.
TAYLOR one Of the operators mas
seldom before been performed.
Story of Accident.
II was early in the evening Of Oc-
tober II. 1914, Arthur tod the com
mittee. that he vas sent by Ch1ef d
Police Ross, who has since died, TO
answer . call from Seventh and FIJI
more streets Arthur wheeled his
motorcycle out of the barn back OF
the city prison on West Fifth street
and was about to mount W hen the car
a negro physician, crashed into his
machine The impact threw him more
than thirty feet, he declares.
When the automobile crashed into
his motorcycle. ArtEur's left leg was
caught between the bumper of the car
and the side of his machine and prac-
tically severed. he testified this morn
ing only through the aid of skillful
treatment was it possible to save the
leg. the former policeman declared
Its usefulness. however, has been per
manenIly impaired.
Rushed to Hospital.
Bleeding from his torn leg and in
juries on his head and arms, Arthur
was rushed Immediately to a local hos
pitai. where the task of tying up tori
arteries and veins was at once com
menced. Eight inches of an artery
extending from just below his knee tC
the bottom of his foot was torn out
Arthur testified. The loss of thai
blood vessel was in a large measure
responsible for the slow mending OF
torn tissue, there being no arteria
circulation in that part of the leg.
While on the operating table imme
diately after the accident, bone tina
had been crushed was removed Sur
geons also sewed up a long cash OF
the back of Arthur's head and treated
number of decorations on boil
arms and his side. More than Ia
rious wounds.
90. On Back 10 Weeks.
For nineteen weeks he lay strapped
To board. Arthur told the committee
The injured leg failed to heal prop
erly. however. and he was returned t
the hospital for a second operation
Part of the bone in his leg was missing
hut by setting the remaining bone il
line, surgeons hoped it would event
ually knit together.
For months surgeons awaited the
outcome of the second operation. Fin
ally il became apparent that the bone
was not knitting properly, and it wal
then that DIR. w. D. Storrs performed
the operation that probably has neve
before been performed in the state
Arthur declared. The operation in
cluded the taking of bone from aboV,
the injury and bringing it down to par
tally fill the gap in the break. End
Of the grated bone were nailed to
gether- Then surgeons again awaited
the outcome of their labors. On,
more operation will be necessary. say
Arthur. before he finally is discharge,
from the care of his physicians
To Make Recommendation.
In treating his case, surgeons wer,
confronted with the problem create
by the absence of both bone and ar
terry Absence of arterial circulation
retarded the building of new tissu
and made necessary not only skiileu
surgery but compelled Arthur's circt,
latery system to work out some new
method of handling circulation in tin
liver portion of his left leg
Following the recitation OF Arthur
story. he was notified that the tim
linut had passed when the city legal
u COULD be held for damages Tn
ely however, is under moral obi
gat.Nn to assist him. Mayor H Duse de
clared. The committee will M. i.
some recommendation to the board Il
commissioners.