Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-06-03

sum of SAG.
Two cases were tried together to-
day. Nos. 629 and $50, Celanine and
Frank Bechard. husband and wife,
VS.. The Watervillc. Fairfield & Oak
land Railway. The suits are for
$4,000 each, and arose from Mrs Bech-
ard being struck by an electric car
of defendants in February, 1921 Bart
lett and Matthew appeared for the
plaintiff and Perkins and Weeks for
defendants.
Mrs. Beclrard testified that she
came out Of No. 8 Mill OF the Lock-
wood Company at about IL o'clock
the day of the accident, went to the
gate. opened it, looked up the street
and saw the electric car some dis
lance away moving slowly, turned
and closed the gate and started
across the track to go to kennebec
street. The first thing she knew she
was struck by the car She was I'M
conscious when picked up and was
taken to the Sisters hospital, where
she remained two weeks, suffering
greatly. She was then taken home
and was obliged to hire help to do
her Homework for four weeks, and
now only does light work.
Dr.. Bison testified in regard to the
injuries of the plaintiff. He stated
that her right collar bone was frac-
tured, and that she was bleeding from
her cars, nose and mouth and had
several small bruises, a Slight LAGER
alton below the right eye, both ankles
were wounded, but not fractured,
and her symptoms showed concussion
of the brain. He also stated that
he had recently examined Mrs.
Bechard and found that she could
not use her right shoulder as she
formerly could, at least that motion
of the right shoulder was arrested to
a certain extent, and that she APP
pearcd somewhat nervous. and COM
planned Of headaches at the base of
the skull. The doctor stated that
it would be almost impossible to
state what the outcome of Mrs.
Bechard's injuries would be.
Several witnesses testified as to
seeing Mrs. Bechard as she came
from the mill.
Each sides put on plans OF the To-
cation and had their engineers eX-
plain them. Mr.. Frank Bechard. the
husband, and plaintiff in the second
suit, testified through two interpre-
tiers. lie was very deaf and could
only talk with persons With whom
he WaS familiar as he understood
questions only through the motion of
the lips. His son. who could not
speak English interpreted his ans
WCrs to Napoleon Durette, who in
tCrpretcd into English. Nh BcChard
testified that his wife always did all
the house work and also work out
side; that at the time Of the accident
she was working in the cotton mill
and was receiving $11 per week.
For the defendants. the motorman
and the conductor Of the car, testi-
fled in regard to the speed of the car,
and where they first saw Mrs. Bech-
ard. The motOrman testified that he
was running car No. 80, a now type
of car; that on the day in question
there was snow on the ground and
q slippery rail; that when he got
down within n pole or so of the gate
whore Mrs. Bcchard came out he saw
her closing the gate, and that she
turned back and started down the
tack, and when he was only eight or
ten feet from the car she swung
and came ineahead of the car. lie
said ne applied his emergency air,
sounded his gong, and tried to stop
as soon as he could. He stopped the
car 50 that the rear of the car was
nearly opposite the gate. Mrs.
Bcchard was picked up and put in
tho car. Or. Bisson came along and
took the injured woman to the Sis
tcrs' hospital. The conductor of the
car corloborated the testimony Of his
motorman.
There are several more witnesses
to take the stand, SO that tho case
viii take the greater part of Satur-
13N