Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 October 1901 — LIABLE FOR DELAYING DEAD. [ARTICLE]

LIABLE FOR DELAYING DEAD.

Illinois Appellate Court Holds Hallway Is Responsible. The appellate court of Illinois has decided that a corpse can be injured sufficiently to warrant the collection of damages. The decision was secured on an appealed case from McLean county. Fred Beam of Springfield, a soldier in the Spanish-American war, died in the hospital at Chickamauga and while the corpse was being transferred some delay ensued. It was impossible to forward the body on the regular train, for which transportation had been paid. Instead the road ran a special train and asked more money. This extra price was not paid, and in addition the family sued for 950 damages. The appellate court holds that the railroad had no right to charge more than the regular rates for transporting the body on the scheduled train in that the delay was through no fault of the shipper. The claim of damages by reason of injury to the appearance of the remains is held to be valid and reasonable.