Opinion ID: 2077880
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: walter h. wood

Text: Walter H. Wood was injured in August, 1948, while working for the Missouri Pacific Railroad. He testified that respondent called him by telephone and asked him if he was the Walter H. Wood who worked for the Missouri Pacific Railroad and who had a back injury, and upon being answered affirmatively, respondent then came to his home in North Little Rock, Arkansas, in November, 1948. At this time respondent asked if O.C. Brown, his man, had contacted Wood and being advised that such contact had been made, respondent requested the case, told Wood of his big verdicts, and that this case was worth $50,000 in Chicago. Wood testified that O.C. Brown later came to his house, praised respondent highly, and urged him to come to Chicago to see the respondent. At that time Brown left his card and told Wood to give him the names and addresses of any injured railroad men and he would see that Wood received a nice little check for such service. Wood also testified that respondent made the same proposal to him. Brown again made a trip to the Wood home in January, 1949, and continued to urge him to come to Chicago. On these calls Brown would discuss with Wood other cases he was trying to get and told him of large verdicts the respondent had obtained. In February, 1949, Wood wrote to Brown giving him the name of Teeth Mauldin who had been injured. In June, 1950, Wood received a $25 check from Brown together with a letter signed O.C. stating in part that, I wish he had gotten $100,000. Then we would have made some money. Wood further testified that Ludwig Cramer called at his home; introduced himself; said he worked for respondent; inquired concerning certain area Missouri Pacific Railroad employees who had been injured; and called them from the Wood home by telephone to make an appointment. Subsequently, Wood went to Chicago where he and Brown met by prior agreement; thereafter, Wood signed a contract with respondent. The case was later settled by attorney Feigenbaum, who acted as local counsel for respondent in St. Louis, Missouri. Wood's wife corroborated her husband in all material respects. The solicitation of Mauldin by the Woods is also corroborated by the testimony of Teeth Mauldin and his wife. The Woods were the informants and O.C. Brown was the contact man in procuring this case. To rebut this testimony, respondent introduced an affidavit executed by Wood at the time that he signed other settlement papers in attorney Feigenbaum's office, which recited that the Wood case had not been solicited. Attorney Feigenbaum testified, but made no specific reference to the circumstances surrounding the execution of this affidavit, and attorney Feigenbaum's son, Robert Feigenbaum, who took the acknowledgment on said instrument, was not called as a witness. However, Wood testified that he just signed several papers for the attorneys' records; did not read them; that he was rushed into signing them; that he did not swear to anything at that time; did not meet a Robert Feigenbaum and did not know a Robert Feigenbaum. The circumstances surrounding the signing of this affidavit naturally detract from its probative force. In re McCallum, 391 Ill. 400. Willie Webb, an employee of the Missouri Pacific Railroad, who was likewise hospitalized while Wood was receiving treatment for his injuries, was a witness for respondent. Webb testified that he and Wood visited daily while they were in the hospital; that while on the train from St. Louis to Little Rock they discussed Wood's injury and that Webb then told Wood that respondent was acting as his attorney. Webb also testified that Wood wrote to him stating that the respondent had tried the Hawkins case at Little Rock, and that Wood had called respondent at his hotel. Mrs. Wood was called as a rebuttal witness and denied the substance of much of Webb's testimony. Webb's testimony was corroborated by a statement obtained from Wood by respondent's witnesses, attorneys Graham and McElligott, who testified that Wood stated that he met Willie Webb, an injured fellow-employee while they were hospitalized; that Webb told him that respondent was his attorney; that he took from Webb respondent's name and address; that when he returned to his home in North Little Rock the paper there reported that respondent was trying the Hawkins case; and that he (Wood) called respondent at his hotel and asked respondent to get in touch with him before leaving Little Rock. These attorneys further testified that Wood refused to sign this written statement because he feared it might jeopardize some further claims he had against the railroad. Respondent also offered a letter written to Wood by Taussig, after Wood had first testified. From this letter it could be implied that Ericksen had, without authority, promised Wood that his hospital and pass privileges, which had been withdrawn by the railroad when he filed suit, would be restored if he testified against respondent. It stated, I am certain you must have misunderstood him when you say he told you that you would get your rights back. Mr. Ericksen had no authority so to do. Taussig, in response to the subpoena duces tecum issued for Wood's letter to him, stated that it was lost and such letter was never produced.