Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-05-12
Industrial Commission
WithhOlds Decision In
Case of Peter Rheaume

Wednesday forenoon in the case of
Peter Rheaume VS.. the Employer
Liability Assurance company and
the Aetna Life Insurance company.
Because of the illness of the petit
toners wife the adjourned hearing
! was held at his home at the head
of the Falls, at which Arthur l..
Thayer, chairman of the Industrial
commission, James L. Boyle, attor-
ney for the petitioner; Charles J.
McGraw. attorney for the Aetna Life
Insurance company to which the
/ city's liability affairs are now en-
trusted and a stenographer, were
present. Mrs. Rheaume testified
that her husband came home one
night in April 1919 completely ex-
hausted and disabled and continued
that way for about II months as a
result of hernia. Mrs Mamie Ma
thurin, daughter of Mr.. and Mrs.
Rheaume gave testimony wholly
corroborating her mothers testi-
mony, the evidence showing that
disability on account of the ruptures
arose for the first time about April
1919
Mr.. Rheaume has two ruptures
for which he claims compensation
under the Maine Workmen's COM
pensation law. He was laid up for
ii months during which time he was
paid by the city SO weekly and it is
assumed that this was because the
city felt morally obligated on &C
count of the long and faithful SER
vice of Mr.. Rheaume, which had
covered a period of 40 years He
recovered and went back to work
Evidence has previously been intro
duced to show that the ruptures
We're received previous to four years
ago.
The decision OF the commission
will be handed down later.
Another case heard before the
whole commission consisting OF Ar
thur l.. Thayer of the Industrial and
Accident commission; G.. Walden
Smith, Insurance commissioner;
Roscoe A. Eddy, labor commissioner
this being on account of an accident
sustained by Eugene Quint of North
Arson on April g. 1919. Mr.. Quint
was employed as yard foreman for
the North Arson Manufacturing
company a lumber concern. His
left hand was caught in the gears
of the machinery and he suffered
the loss of his index finger and ring
finger. AS result of the accident,
the little finger is stiff and the last
Joints of the middle finger are also
stiff. Mr.. Quint had been paid
compensation by the Insurance COM
pany for the loss of two fingers ac-
cording to law. He resumed his
employment on January 90, 1920 and
has been working ever since. A pc
tition for further compensation is
now made on the ground of perma-
nent impairment of the usefulness of
the hand. The Insurance company
was represented by Charles J. Nc
Graw, and Chairman Thayer con-
Quoted the case for the injured man.
DR.. p. S. Merrill gave a test as to
the impairment of the hand based
on an examination which he made
lust previous to the hearing. DR.. E.
H. Risley and DR.. E. w. Paine, also
both of this city, examined the in
iured hand previously and their
written reports were introduced into
| the evidence and admitted as part Of
the records in the case.
| Drs. Paine and Risley stated that
theer is about 80 per cent. disability
which perhaps can be reduced to IS
per cent while DR.. Merrill gave his
estimate as Is per cent disability.
The decision will be handed down
later.