Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-11-18
SUPERIOR COURT
Naterville. November IL.

Wateryille. November II.
Court came in at 10 O'Clock this
morning. The case opened yesterday
just before Adjournment, Laroche vs.
Roundy. was taken up and witnesses
sworn.
In this case the suit is brought for
bodily injuries sustained by Mrs. La
roche by falling down the stairs of the
, basement of the house occupied by
her and her family. and owned by the
defendant. Mrs. Martha Roundy. The
house was located at No. Allen road.
The first witness described the tene-
ment and particularly the stairs to the
basement, 1t seems that these stairs
were used by the tenants in the house.
three families besides the plaintiff,
and some roomers. The basement was
used for wood and coal and for gen.
eral storage, according to the testi-
meny of the different witnesses.
The first witness was Carl Meader.
civil engineer. He made a plan of
the stairs that was used by the plain
tiff's attorney in the description of the
stairs.
| Mr.. Laroche was put On the stand
to explain the condition of the stairs,
at the time of the accident to Mrs.
Laroche. and as they are now. He
claimed that the third stair from the
| top was broken.
Mr.. Meeder was recalled and went
into the measurements of the stairs.
. the height of risers and the width of
the treadS: also the condition of the
walls. where the electric light was
etc.
Mrs. Laroche then took the stand
and told the story OF her accident
4. She said she started to go down stairs
and upon stepping on the third stair
| she fell and struck on her hip. On
| cross examination by MIR. Nelson she
stated that she knew that she fell, but
, did not know how she fell. She was
confined to her bed some days. Dr.
| Goodrich was called, and Mrs. La
| roche said that he did not know
whether he rhip was broken or not.
! She said she fell the 9th OF April and
was taken to the Bangor hospital the
| 9TH OF May. She said she suffered
| pain something fierce" before she
! was taken to Bangor. She said she
also had DIR. Hurd and that he said
| her hip was broken. At the Bangor
hospital she was treated by Dr.
Peters, an X-Ray picture was taken
and her hip was found to be broken.
| She was put in plaster cast which
remained on six weeks. She was in
the hospital nine days, then was re-
| moved to her sisters home in Old
town. About the last of July she be-
/, gan to walk with crutches, and bout
the first of August she began to step
on her foot.
while in court.
Mr.. Laroche testified in regard to
| the stairs, the condition of his wife's
health, which he said was good when
she had the accident, and stated thai
he had been to an expense of about
$500 for medical attendance. board of
the children. wages of hired help, hos
pital charges. and his own lost time.
DIR. b. T.. Hurd then look the
Stand. He was called just before the
plaintiff went to the Bangor hospital.
He found her hip broken and advised
her to go to hospital for treat
ment. He said that when he saw
her Mrs. Laroche was suffering con-.
an examination of Mrs I.aroche last
Monday in company with other ply
sicians. At this last examination he
found a shortening of the right leg
of about half an inch, and also found
her quite sensitive in the region Oh
the lower part of the spine That
| foot was also somewhat rotated out,
ward. The doctor said in his opinion
Mrs. Laroche would never make a
com plete recovery SO that she would
| be as she was before the accident.
DR.. William c. Peters Of. Bangor
told the history of plaintiffs case
while she was in the Bangor hospital.
He said he found her with the thieh.
bone broken near the upper end.
An A-ray picture was taken; and
three days later the leg was set.S
plaster cast was put on. which in
cluded her body and her right leg.
She was also treated for swollen
breasts. which had been affected by
ceasing 10 nurse her four months, old
twins. after the accident. The adoc-
tor said her breasts were very much
infiamed and painful, He also said
1t was considered i'm possible TO have
broken hip without a good deal of
pain. - -. 49,
John H. BurIeigh, civil engineer,
took the stand for the defense and
explained a drawing he had made of
the stairs in question. n
DR.. NJ. s. Goodrich testified in re-
gard to the condition OF Mrs. La
roche when he was called to see her
He said he told them that she should
go to a hospital and have an N-ray
taken and determine whether or not
her hip was broken, but this was not