Putnam patriot., 1921-03-11
.-e.- .s zeAz .zss szssrfsss-ssseasssses.s , BAKER VS. RYAN CASE
 READY FOR JURY

Evidence All In. - Judges
 Charge and Arguments
 Next Tuesday
 Large Crowd Hears Stories of Oecu
 pants of Two Cars In Collision
 The superior court room was crowd. ed all day Thursday while evidence was being heard by Judge James H Webb and jury in the case of Guy L. Baker, assistant cashier of the Firs; National Bank of Putnam, against John T. Ryan, formerly public ser. vice automobile driver in this city The case grew out of an automobile accident that happened near Alexan. ler's Lake in the early morning hours Sunday, July 20, 1919. The cars of he two men collided and Baker is su. ing for damages of $500. Ryan has put in a counter claim, claiming dam ages of $700. Each alleges that the other was negligent in the operation of his car. The evidence was all in at , o'clock Thursday evening. The judge will charge the jury after the arguments next Tuesday morning.
 In the crash, testimony showed, the front and rear lenders and running board and right front door were torn off the Baker car and the body twsted and frame bent. Neither Mir. Baker nor James Murray and Leon Provost, who were riding in the Baker car, were injured. A young man named Arnold Barry, who with another young man, happened to be walking along the trolley track in the highway just before the accident happened, was knocked down and when the machines had come to a standstill he was found to be underneath the Ryan car. Barry was very badly injured and for time his life was despaired of, but he has recovered to a great extent and was Tn the court room on Thursday.
 The plaintiff was the first witness after City Engineer George Perry had and explained a map of the locality. MT. Baker said that he, Jas. Murray and Leon Provost, left cot tage on the shores of the lake in MT. Bakers Dodge touring car with MT. Baker driving. They were proceed ing up grade in Philips lane, so-called, and had turned into the highway to Putnam and while on the trolley track on the east side of the road the car driven by Ryan crashed into the Baker car. It was about 12.15 in the morn ing of July 20.
 Baker said he was in second speed and was proceeding 10 or l5 miles an hour as he came out of the lane. He had the ear almost strengthened out headed north when the Ryan car struck him. He said that he had pow erful headlights which threw a hght across the main highway and was re- flected by some pine trees across the road. He also gave several warnings on his horn.
 After the crash the Baker ear was pushed ahead some fifteen feet. Mr. Baker explained the damage done te his car and said he had traded it in for new one.
 Oliver P. Bancroft, owner of gar age. said the car was brought to hls 3lace. He described the damage done md estimated cost. He said that new parts alone cost $582, and that witt abor charges cost $675 to $68o.
 On eros sexamination MT. Bancrof said he was mistaken as to what h said the parts cost. He detailed eacf tenn and found that 1t was but SoJ Ie explained that new body would cost $400, but admitted that ne" ,ody was not purchased. He said the ,ody was taken to Hartford by truck md there repaired by experts
 Frederick Bruce, automobile agent. who sold the car when it was new to MT. Baker, estimated that the cost or ,utting the machine back into gooo condition was $550 to $500 and tha' in taking it in trade from MT. Bake for a new machine he had allowe s5e5 for it. The machine cost $119 uben it was new a few months befol the accident.
 James Murray, teller at the Nation ,l hank. told of the accident and the circumstances surrounding it, his tes- timony being much the same as that If MT. Baker, beside whom he was sit ting when the crash came. MT. Mur- ray estimated that the Ryan car was coming along at from 40 to 45 miles an hour just prior to the crash. He described the position of the machines inst after the crash and said that the Ryan machine was backed a few feet from where it stopped to permit of oetting Barry out from under it.
 MT. Murray said that the Baker ear WAS on the trolley tracks and had almost strengthened away on its course northward when it was struck by Ky ans car.
 Leon Provost also corroborated the evidence of Baker and Murray.
 The defendant took the stand in the afternoon. He said that he was com inc to Putnam from the lake with a load of passengers He estimated his sneed at from If to 18 miles an hour He was familiar with the location of philip's lane. He said the first he saw of the Baker car was when it "sho' out in front of him. He applied his