Norwich bulletin., 1918-01-07
DECISION AGAINST WESTERLY LAWYER
Supreme Court Denies Claim of Albert B Crafts for $5OO00 Alleged Due From Mechanics Bank-TMee Federal Prisoners Go Through Town Saturday Night Fire in Barn-John Wilcox Adudged Guilty of Larceny.

The supreme court of the state of Rhode Island has given decision against Attorney Albert B. Crafts in his suit against the Mechanics bank of Westerly to recover a claim of $50,- 900 alleged to have been due him for legal services rendered the defendant. The bank has been in course of liqui- dation for nearly 1T years and just at the present time is paying 10 per cent. dividend to depositors, making a total paid of s5 per cent. of deposits. It is planned to pay the full amount of deposits, with interest, before the af- fairs of the bank are finally closed. The decision in the Crafts case will materially aid to that end, as per cent of the assets have been tied up pending a decision.
 This particular case was tried before jury in the superior court at Provl- dence and occupied the court for sev- eral weeks. and resulted in a verdict in favor of the bank. The judge sub- sequently granted Mr. Crafts motion for a new. trial and the case went to the supreme court on exceptions of the defendant.
 The supreme court in its rescript says that the principal question sub mitted to the jury was whether the plaintiff had received adequate com pensation for all services rendered by him, or to state it another way, what was the fair value of the services rem dered.
 The defendant admitted that the plaintiff had rendered valuable service but claimed that he had been paid for the same and, in fact, overpaid in ac- tions of this character, to which there is no definite measure of damages, the rule is well settled that the inadequacy of the recovery must be apparent to 1 justify the allowance of new trial 1 and the opinion of the chief justice or 1 this question, although it merits care { full consideration, is not conclusive. l The defendants exception isssustain- ed and the case remitted to the supe- i rior court for the entry of judgment or 1 the verdict.
 | Senator Troy of Providence, a for
 nser reporter on New London news l paper, has introduced an act into tht 1 Rhode Island senate proposing the in ! spection of boilers and the licensing O l engineers and firenen of stationar, equipment. The act provides for [; chief engineer at a salary of g 500
 with an assistant at s1,50o year. ant
 S1 500 year for expenses. The chic
 to be appointed by the governor witt
 the approval of the senate, and tn
 chief to appoint the assistant. Tn
 act would also create a board of ap
 real of three members, to receive $1
 per diem each for actual service, an
 to be known as a board of license ap
 peals. An appropriation of $7 300 1 asked for the expense of the depart ment
 Should the bill become law, all en
 gineers would pay fee of s2 an firemen $1 annually, after passing tn required examination. The renewal fe would be $1 for engineers and 50 cent for flremen. Men operating engine pr boilers for railroads and those un der the Jurisdiction of the federal goy ernnent are exempt.
 Suits have been filed in the superie court against Edward J. Quinn to re cover damages laid at s10,000 and S5 900, respectively, by Laura T. .Eldre and Frank A. Eldred The plaintiff
 allege that they were passengers in a automobile near Devils Foot, in Mort Kingston, Aug. Il 1917 when the ca in which they were riding was strue by MT. Quinn's car and overturne LrluI d I IIIOI sues TUT U
 account of a deep wound in her rigl leg and other injuries Frank sue
 for a sprained ankle and other .ir i juries.
 Senator Casey of Richmond has i, trodueed a bill in the state sena \ which authorizes the governor to al point a commission of five members inquire into the. finances of, all depar ments and to suggest the consolidate of all boards and commissions wi q other departments to increase efficiel cy and curtail expense. The bill ca ries an appropriation of $25 900.
 The primary department of the Bib ! school of the Seventh Day Bapti church, Ashaway, has elected the officers for the ensuing year: MI Edward F. Welch, superintendent Miss Catherine Shaw, recording seer tary; Donald Burdick, correspondil secretary. The officers elected for u adult department are: Robert Coo superintendent; Albert B. Cranda assistant superintendent; George Mu
 phy. treasurer; Miss Dorothy Wheels secretary; Miss M. Althea Cranda e chorister;5 Elwood Burdick, assistant.