Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1917-09-21
AWARDS $40, 50I IN
AFFRA RYDER CASE
Largest Verdict for Personal In
juries in County's History
Jury's Finding Against Vermont Last
Block Co. More Than $500 Larger
Than Previous Verdict.

plU,OO1.OO Ill MS sui dSdiHSI thV W.
mont Last Block company of Brattle-
boro, which is in bankruptcy but which
carried liability insurance. The case had
been on trial since Tuesday. The YER
dict was the largest for personal in
juries ever rendered in Windham coun-
ty. The largest previous verdict was
rendered in July, 1912, when Lyle Car
penter of Brattleboro was awarded
$9,250 in his suit against the Central
Vermont Railway company for the loss
of leg.
Mr.. Ryder was injured at the last
block factory, where he was employed,
Feb. 4, 1914, last block jumping from
a chute and striking him on the head,
fracturing his skull.
At the trial in May, 1916, the jury
awarded the plaintiff nearly $1,000. The
defense went to the supreme court on
several exceptions, one being that the
judge erred in charging the jury that
the plaintiff, if the defendant was found
liable, was entitled not only to damages
sustained up to that time but also to
damages which he might suffer in the
future by reason of the accident. The
exception was based on the fact that
the record of the evidence did not show
any testimony supporting any reference
to future damages. The supreme court
sustained that exception and remanded
the case on the question of damages
only, holding that the liability of the
defendant was established.
After the jury was impanelled Tues
day Mr.. Ryder was examined. He said
he was strong until the accident, but
that since July of that year his at
tempts to work had been unsuccessful,
that he was afflicted with dizziness,
pains in his head, neck and back, could
not sleep well and had frequent hemor-
rhages at the nose.
Archie Mather of West Swanzey, N.
H., Ryder s son-in-law, Mr.. and Mrs.
John Hanks of Brattleboro and w. b.
Warren of Halifax testified to their OBJ
servations of Ryder's condition, which
was in substance as Mr.. Ryder had pre-
viously stated.
A spectacular incident happened IN
the afternoon. During the noon hour
Attorney Harrie b. Chase and Frank Il.
Barber for the plaintiff had one side of
Ryder's head clipped-the side which
was fractured by the last block at the
factory-and when court convened in
the afternoon Ryder came into court
with his head done up in a barber s
the defense, and the plaintiffs attor-
ney's held conferences with the court,
and finally the case went along.
DR.. Edward r. Lynch of Brattleboro
was the last witness of the day. He
testified to having attended Ryder at
the time of the accident and to having
hno rha, H.. NNa1+ y
Springfield, Mass, operated on Ryder.
He illustrated to the jury, using Ryder
in his demonstration, just what the OPP
Grafton was and how it was performed,
and he testified that Ryder's condition
was becoming worse and would continue
to do so and that the plaintiff never
would be able to resume manual labor
DR.. Lynch s testimony laid the founda-
ton for claim for future damages.
Wednesday c.. l.. Wyman of Brat
tleboro, who was foreman at the last
block factory when Mr.. Ryder was hurt,
testified that up to the time of the acct
dent the plaintiff was robust man and
a steady worker.
DR.. H. +. White of Brattleboro testi
fed that he had treated Mr.. Ryder from
time to time since the accident and that
the plaintiff had loose piece of bone
in his skull as the result of the injury.
lie said Mr.. Ryder's injury was perma-
nent, that his earning capacity was de-
stroyed and that he never would re-
cover.
Sanford A. Daniels of Brattleboro
quoted from the insurance mortality
tables to the effect that Ryder s expect
ancy of life at the time of the acct
dent was 1913 years.
The plaintiff g wife corroborated
what her husband had testified to re-
garding sleeplessness and hemorrhages
at the nose and said that at times he
was out of his head.
The plaintiff rested at ll30 o'clock,
and by the consent of Mr.. Ryder he
was examined by DR.. George r. Ander-
son and DR.. Harry =. Greene of Brat
tleboro for the defense, that they might
be ready to testify when court recon
vened at 100 o'clock.
DIR. Anderson was called after dinner
and was examined at length. He testi-
fed thai Ryder was suffering from hard
ening of the arteries, in no way due to
the accident, and he thought Ryder was
able to do work such as he was doing
before he was injured, which was run
ming bench saw.
Dr. Greene testified that while Mr..
Ryder was not well, in his opinion the
loose piece of bone in the plaintiff s
skull would knit and that the pain
would cease and he would be able to re-
sumo work.
Yesterday o. b. Hughes was put
on the stand as the last witness for the
defense, and it was shown by him that
the Last Block company was in bank
ruptcy and that he was trustee of the
concern and that the managers of the
company were not now located here.
Ilarrie B. Chase made the opening
argument, Julius Wilcox and Fred
Gleason Of Montpelier made the argu-
ments for the defendant company, and
when court re-convened at 2 o clock
Frank f. Barber began the closing ar
gument for the plaintiff.
The next jury case to be taken up is
that of Frank \. Larrow of Brattleboro
against Paul ID. Cobb, formerly of Brat
tleboro and now of Springfield, Mass,
and George Martell. In a collision be-
1 n