The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1922-01-05
FIGHT TO FINISH
ON MEYER CLAIM
County to Contend Against
Paying Compensation to
Former Sheriff.
HEAR EVIDENCE TODAY
Commission Told Meyer Did
Not File Any Formal No
tice of Claim.

"Kenosha county will fight to the
limit the payment of any compensation
to former Sheriff Joseph Meyer on ac-
count of this injury" said District At
torney Frank S. Symmonds this morn
ing while the industrial commission
was in session at the city council
chamber awaiting the presentation of
evidence in connection with the claim
of the former sheriff for injuries
which he received in a fight with Joe
Paren, self confessed burglar, who he
was taking to the state prison at Wau-
pun last July. The former sheriff has
claimed compensation from the county,
under an appeal to the industrial COM
mission, on the grounds that he was
injured while in his official duties as
sheriff Of the county. The. county has
not made a formal answer to the
claim, but it is admitted that sensa-
tional statements reflecting on the
official conduct of the sheriff will be
made to the commission by county of
ficials before the day is over.
No Notice to the County.
"The county of Kenosha has filed no
formal answer to this claim and the
only answer that has been made is
contained in letters which have passed
between the commission and the county
officials" continued the district attor-
ney 81 am busy in court and Attor-
ney Clarkson will appear for the
county this afternoon. The county
was never given any notice of formal
nature of the injury of Meyer. If
notice had been filed with the county
within thirty days after the injury
physicians would have been named to
look after the case and an examina-
ton of Meyer would have been made
to determine to just what extend he
was injured. We have nothing on
which to base claim in the matter
and will fight it to the limit"
Meyer Claims Permanent Injury.
In his petition to the industrial COM
mission the former sheriff claims per-
manent injury to his right side and
he asserts that at the time of his in
jury his salary from the county
amounted to $518.75 month If the
compensation is figured at this rate
he would be entitled to receive con-
siderable sum from the county. The
county officials hold that at the time
of the accident the sheriff was receiv-
ing a compensation from the county
of $2S9.58 month. It was declared
that no statement had ever been made
to the county clerk that Meyer had
been injured and that he would ask
compensation and that the only knowl-
edge which the county officials had of
the accident was through unofficial
sources.
Paren Serving Ten Years.
The accident on which the claim was
based occurred on July 30th of last
year. Joe Paren had pleaded guilty
to charge of burglarizing the home
of Charles w. Nash and he was being
taken to the state prison at Waupun
to serve term of ten years. He had
been taken without the formality of
putting on the "cuffs' and as the train
approached Milwaukee Paren asked the
sheriff to allow him to go to the water
closet. The two men engaged in a
battle in the water closet and Meyer
was badly injured. Paren did not
carry out his plan to escape as pas
sengers in the car joined in the fight
and turned Paren over to the officials
at Milwaukee. Meyer was removed to
Milwaukee hospital and he recovered
sufficiently to return to his home here
in few days. 1t is admitted that he
suffered terribly from the wounds in
flicted by the man Paren.
County officials denying liability for
the accident" to Meyer assert that he
failed to use proper caution in seek
ing to take man like Paren to the
state prison without having him prop
erly handcuffed and without being ac-
companied by sufficient guard.
Hear Otto Claim.
The commission this afternoon is
also hearing the claim of Nicholas OF
to for compensation. Otto was in
jured in motorcycle accident while
serving as a special deputy to enforce
the rules of the road. The contention
is as towho should pay a bill to
Kenosha doctor for the care of Otto.
| The amount of the bill is in the
neighborhood of $500. Otto received
his full pay from the county while he
was in the hospital. The action be-
tween Otto and the county is an en-
tirely friendly one, the county insist
ing that the commission shall fix the
extent of it's liability.