Democratic Sentinel, Volume 3, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 May 1879 — Five Thousand Dollars for an Eye. [ARTICLE]

Five Thousand Dollars for an Eye.

Charles Weihman’s suit for damages against Gottlieb Knoedler and Jacob Schneider was ended yesterday. On July 5, 1875, the plaintiff in this suit, then a lad about 10 years of age, was passing a tavern at No. 823 Callowhill street, and, dropping some money, he was in the act of stooping to pick it up when a wad from a toy cannon, which had just been fired, struck him .in the eye and pui it out. The accident happened on Monday, the day on which the Fourth of July was celebrated in that year, the 4th falling on Sunday. It was in evidence that the cannon, a brass weapon about ten inches long, was placed in the doorway, pointing out toward the street, and was not visible to parties on the sidewalk, and in this position it was fired off by the defendants named above. Suit was brought to recover damages, both compensatory and exemplary, for the gross carelessness and reckless disregard of the rights of persons passing by. There was no defense in the case, and the jury rendered a verdict of $3,500 against Knoedler and Schneider and $1,500 against Futsdfer, judgment against the 1 latter being entered because of nprv appearance.— Philadelphia Tidies.,