The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-05-08
NJ GOWN SUIT
CONTINUES IN
). COURT MONDAY
LARRX SAMUEL Mo2owN SUES
CHARLES L. SoNNEBoRN AND
WIFE FOR S25, 900 DAMAGES
Claims 20 Have Been Permanently
injured In Fut1o Atts ups to save
Ch1ld's Life.

The opening guns wcrc fired yestcr-
day in the suit OF Harry Samuel Nc.
Gown against Charles /. Sonneoorn anu
wife for $4,000 damages. After the
presentation OF the CounselS pleas the
Jury was selected and two witnesses
for tho plaintiff. Frank pcGarino and
Orville Duvall put on the stand: Since
most Of the day was consumed IN Sc
IectinE a Jury. the case was continued
after the testimony OF these two until
Monday morning.
The suit promises 10 be one OF the
most sensational that was ever tried IN
. local court. Judge J. i. Som rt,.,S
is presiding and Attorneys Russell
Goodwin and Frank NCshitt represent
the plaintiff. while J. Bernard lIandlan
Is counsel for the defense.
Plaintiffs Claim
The suit arises out of an accident oc-
curing on October .. 1918, when AN
Overland rooster. alleged I" hay" nech
driven by Mrs. Sonucboru crashed INTO
and killed little Robert Wilson at IN"
intersection OF tho Bethany pike WIN
this accident the plaintiff alleges that
he sustained permanent injuries IN an
attempt to save the chlld's life.
-McGown. who has just attained ms
majority, alleges that while lie was
coming in to this city 10 enlist In the
United States Marines. ne SAW the
Sonneborp car being driven AZ an cN-
cesslvo rate OF speed about 10 CRASH
into the child. In n futile attempt 10
save its life he received broken leg
and arm and several ribs. The attor-
heys for the plaintiff allcge that their
client was at the joint or death Tor
number OF weeks and was only released
from the hospital after q conIlhetichS
Of seven months.
During this time young McGown was
forced to undergo two operations
Plates were put IN both arm ana iee'
md 1t is alleged that he will be life
- Attorney Iandian in his preliminary
FemSrks argued that the accident was
absolutely unavoidable.
- Attorneys Statement
49, Mrs Sonnet born" nc said had driven
aver that road four times day for
neriod Of several months. She knew
That road as we'll as any driver could:
Owing 10 the existence or nalr-pih
Curve there II is an impossibility to
6fiye rapidly.
I'm coming past that corner on the
morning OF The accident She was FORCED
TO swerve to the right TO avoid truck
m the road. after which IN hnSl eitort
60 save the child from injury she turn
ef the car sharply 10 the left but was
100 late"
- Samuel McGown. the plaintiff. was
before his injuries. we'll k"0wn avn,
fete in tho Wheeling district He had
served a number OF seasons as right
eAckle on tho football team OF Triadel-
phi High, and was otherwise protnln-
ent in scholastic athletics. He later re-
reiyed a Carnegie medal for his heroic
Hction in attempting TO save the life or
the Wilson child. at the time when Nc
80 nearly lost his own.
- The counsel for the PLAINTIFF yester.
DAY introduced two witnesses both or
whom testified that Mrs. Somehow was
driving her car at an excessive rate or
speed Frank DegarmO was the hrst
witness to be called.
- Excessive Speed
. Degarmo testified that he was aooaru
- truck at the time OF the accident ana
sAaS- he saw the car drive INTO the
chIld. He stated that the machine was
con%ing around the curve at rate or
speed not less than twenty miles per
hour.
Oryille Duvall who was called 10 the
witness stand after pCSarr'o disagreed
rs Ihe speed Of the Somehow car
Id fixed the rate at twenty-five miles
per hour, and testified further than the
emergency brake had not been set. He
stated that h" knew this since he had
helped to pull the machine back from
fhe telegraph pole on the LETT hand side
of tho road near Vance Memorial
church where il finally came 10 stop.
and that at that time the brakes were
not locked.
The plaintiffs have Il number OF wit
nesses yet to be heard so that 1t is NOT
likely that they Will rest their case be-
fore Monday evening. The case was
continued until that time yesterday
afternoon by order Of Judge Somerrille
before whom 1t is being heard.
The jury trying the case was select
ed only after a hard fight. They are as
John W. Mcconnell A. Robrecht, Fl.
r. McConkey, Newton Waltz, James NJ.
>Neek, Robert Fisher. John Mckahon.
Chester ~ Schafer, Fred G. Fox,
l. Peterson.