The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-04-29

X-RAY PLATES SHOW
SKULL FRACTURE
Fifteen Exhibits Shown by Plaintiff,
Including Carriage and Coupling -
Defendant Says He Gave Warning
that Mare Had Pecuiarities.

Practically all of the testimony of
the plaintiff in the damage suit for $lO,-
GOO brought by Mrs Margaret Hough-
ton of Brattleboro, wife of Artemas
lloughton, against Liveryman George
b. White of this place, was in when
the room recess was taken today in
county court at Newfane. 1t is ex-
peted that the defense viii take up the
rest of I he week and perhaps more. The
case has developed into one of much in
terest.
Mrs. Houghton. who was injured Sc
riously June 10 of last year by being
thrown out of one of Mr.. Whites liv-
cry carriages when the mare which her
husband was driving ran away while
going down the Church street hill.
claims that the mare was unsafe and
that one of the couplinges which fas-
tened the thills to the axle was de-
fective.
Medical testimony took up a large
part of Yesterday afternoon. DR. W. j.
Kaine, DR.. c. r. Aldrch and DIR. Grace
w. Burnett being called 10 testify
Other witnesses included H. +. Jordan
and Chief of Police George Wilson.
Among the exhibits by the plaintiff,
of which there are u. were some X-rav
plates made bv Dr.. Aldrich. which he
said showed fracture of Mrs Houeh-
ton 5 skull
Witnesses this forenoon included
| Paul A. Chase, John Stratton Mrs.
ArtemuS lIoughton E c. Johnson,
wheefwright, and DR. Burnett. whose
cross-examination was completed Mr.
Johnson told Of the manner in which
I the coupling in question was taken from
his shop.
The Jury spent about half an hour
| examining the various exhibits, one of
| the last ones abeing the carriage in
volved, which was shown in the hotel
yard
One of the interesting features of the
| trial thus far has been the testimony
as to the peculiarties of the livery
mare. Liveryman White, the defendant
called as witness by Attorney Frank
! +. Barber for the plaintiff, testified
that the plaintiffs husband Artemus
| IIoughton. called him by telephone from
the stable. Mr. White being at his
home, and said that George Pixley, an
cmploye at the stable. declined 20 let
him take the mare. which was the only
animal left in the stable. Mr. White
said he explained to Mr. Houghton what
the mare might do and that if he took
her ii would be at his osm risk.
The spectators were somewhat amused
when one OF The stable employees who
was called as witness told how safe
) docile and easily managed the mare
was
It has been apparent from the exam
; nation and cross examination of Wit
nesses that while the plaintiff elaim
thai the coupling was broken befor'
the accident happened that the breal
was observable and that it ought t.
have been discovered at the stable th
. defense will claim that whatever defec
there was in the coupling was not oh
sclvablc. that the coupling broke whel
, the mare began hucking ut the top o
Church street hill, and that, the thill
having hit the mare 5 heels she natur
ally would run. whether safe or unsaf
under the ordinary meaning of TIN
! terms.
Mr. Houghton denies that Mr.. Whit
; told him that if he took the mare h
! would do so nj his own risk, so ther
is question of fact for the jury t
/ find.