Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-01-29
SKoWHECAN

Linwood e worster vs.. Napoleon J.
Grenier in which II plaintin seeks 70
recover soo,oea damages for personal in
juries sustained. was the first case TO
be heard at the afternoon session of the
supreme judicial court. The plaintiff
Linwood E. worster. while at work al
the Harold simonds garage in Madison.
was injured by the explosion Of some
gasoline. The contention OF the plain
tiss is that while filing the gas tank of
car driven by Thomas Tague. the
defendant lighted a match and caused
the gasoline to explode. thereby terribly
burning him and causing him to receive
injuries from which he still suffers. The
plaintiff was the first witness called.
He stated that he was employed by Mr..
Simmonds at his garage in Madison and
among other duties he tended the gas
eline pump. He also stated that Mr..
Tague Mr.. Grenier and others came to
the garage on the evening Of the 3lsr
of May and asked f'r gasoline. That
he inserted a hose in the gas tank and
started to pump. lie further stated that
Mr.. Tague and Mr.. GreEier walked TO
the rear of the car. that Mr.. Tague
asked for match and that Mr. Gre
nier replying Here's one drew il from
his pocket and scratched 1t on the gas
tank Of the car. That an explosion i'm
media:ely followed. Mr.. worster stat
ed that he Pulled the hose from the
tank. that his clothing was on fire and
before the flames were extinguished he
was severely burned about the legs. Mr..
Worster testified that he was in bed
during June and July and suffered in
tense pain from the burns. and that
during the dressing the pain was ter
rible Mr.. Worster stated that he was
on, of his head for period OF about
month. beginning in July. and that
two or three days before August % he
was able 70 sit up. On October he al
tempted to do some work around the
garage but found that he was physically
unable. On cross-examina,ion the de-
tense hrough. out the fact that there
was a fire In the vicinity Of the garage.
Asked on cross-examination if he were
not gaining. Mr.. wors.er said that he
could see TO change in his condition
since December. Philip c. Elman OF
Detroit. Mich, who is employed at the
Sulphide Pulp & Paper CO. IN Madi-
son testified that he was in the rear
seat Of the car on the side next the
gas pump and heard Tague ask for a
match He also heard the reply of
10
followed Immediately. He testified
shat the clothing Of the plaintiff was on
fire and that he rolled in the dirt in at
tempting to put out the flames. Carroll
Parlin, who was in Green's store about
three feet distant from the window on
the west. which had view of the
garage. saw the car drive up. saw
Worster start filing the tank Wits gas
and then saw defendant strike a match
in the rear of the ca. He said there
seemed to be flames all about. DR..
George E. Young oil Skowhegan test fed
that he saw the plaintiff at his home
in Arson in July, he thought. when he
went with Or. r. G. Stanwcod on con-
suItat;cn He testified that plaintiff
had bad burns on left and right legs.
starting about three inches above the
ankle That there was a small ARIA
, in the groin near the left thigh which
was burned. DR.. Young c,assed the
burn as a third degree burn. When ask
ed as TO pain suffered by plaintiff. DR..
Young stated that when he assisted pr.
Stanwood to dress the burns the pain.
as evidenced by the actions Of the pa
tient, was severe. He stated that the
burns had healed by means of scarf
tissue which in some cases had adhered
to the tendons. DR.. Young testified that
such pains and prickly sensations as
the plaintiff testified to AZ having might
be caused by the nerves or the filling
Of the weakened blood vessels and ar
teries. DR. Young stated that he made
an examination OF the burns and scars
on defendants legs on January S.
When asked how long such condition
as the plaintiff was now In would last.
the doctor stated that II might be years
or it might be months, depending upon
the treatment the plaintiff received and
the manner in which he responded to
treatment.
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