The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1922-12-07
DEFENDANTS
WILL APPEAL
FROM AWARD
Lorenzo E. Woodhouse,
Took the Verdict Coolly
-Of the Total Amount
100000 Is For Actual
Damages and S65,OOO for.
Exemplary Damages

pfU3,UVu WAS Hiauf tV-udt by shr jut
which for more than forty hours delib
Grated over the million dollar claim oi
Mrs. Dorrit Woodhouse against her
wealthy parents Jaw, Mr.. and Mrs
Lorenzo Il. Woodhouse Of New YORK
and this city, for the alienation Of the
affections Of her husband, Douglas
Woodhouse. The case had consumed
five weeks III hearing
On the award, 100000 is for actual
damages and $4,000 for punitive, o.
exemplary. damages. Although the
suit was brought for 81 100000, Attor-
ney Warren r. Austin for the plain
tiff stated in his argument to the jury
that the plaintiff would be satisfied
with verdict Of 100000.
The case was given to the jury on
Tuesday afternoon. The jury came in
yesterday and asked for instructions
from Judge Sherman r. Moulton. They
then retired and again at $3.50 this
morning they came in and asked for
further instructions as to the law on
1amages, that request giving some
hint of the trend of the deliberations.
AT l0:40 they came in again, and, in
response to the usual query, the fore
man, Burr d. Martin, of Jericho, an
nounced the verdict as above stated.
Intimation of possible adverse
verdict revealed by the request for in
struction about the Aw on damages
had, perhaps, prepared Lorenzo e.
Woodhouse, the wealthy father of
Douglas Woodhouse, for the loss of
the case; and he took the verdict cool
ly. There was only small crowd in
the court room at the time, much in
contrast to the conditions throughout
the greater part of the trial Steps
were taken Immediately by the de-
Tense to appeal the case.
Questions Asked By Foreman.
w iftH tHG luA n t1Aft III titN itfOi IlllIk
TO ask for instructions the foreman
asked two questions of the court. The
first question was: 'If the damages
are found against both defendants
ranging from one to a million dollars,
is the husband or wife liable for the
whole amount regardless of the finan-
cial standing of the other?" The sec
ond question was: sSupposing the
amount be S250,O00 for exemplary
damages and $250,00O actual damages,
could the exemplary damages be col
lected from either the husband or the
wifef'
Attorney Page took exceptions to
the charge because question two asked
as to the collection of damages. That
Is thing about which the jury had
no concern. Thereupon Judge Moul-
ton inquired of the foreman II the sec
ond question referred TO the collec-
tion of the money and the foreman
replying "If the exemplary damages
should be S250,000 and it developed
that amount could not be collected
from Mrs. Woodhouse, could IL be coll
lected from Mr.. Woodhousefv Judge
Moulton then explained that the Jury
had nothing to do with the collection
Of the money. That they only had to
do with the fixing of the damages.
In half an hour the jury returned
and awarded $685. 900. Of which s65.-
900 is exemplary or punitive damages.
When the verdict was read in unemo-
tional voice of a>court official, attor-
news for the defense were heard to ut
ter whispered ejectulations Of varying |
As soon as Judge Moulton |
had dismissed the jury and court had |
adjourned. Warren r. Austin. attor-
bey for the plaintiff. was showefed |
with congratulations Of those who |
were in the court room. He appeared |
70 be deeply gratifed over the YER
DICT.
A motion was made by the aftor-
ncys for the defense to have the YER
dict set aside but il is thought this
rannot be argued before Christmas a.
sir. Austin left for New York as soor
y possible after the trial and viii not
'< hack for several dsvs It i thought
hat the ground on which a motion to
IT aside the verdict i based i that
4 il too large and shows preiudics
rainst the defendants
Dorrit Stetens Woodhou=s and c.
Douglas Woodbouse usre married in
september. lqis She va fbe daurh-
sr Of q soap salesman and rcunr
n Fooibouse. at tts time of ~ mar
- fn1 sr.ae ...rr-frtraf q ....|-.. Z.