Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 March 1894 — Six Thousand Dollars [ARTICLE]

Six Thousand Dollars

IS WHAT JASPER COUNTY IS STUCK FOR IN THE RYAN CASE. The trial of the case of John All* man, administrator of the estate of Reuben P. Ryan, deceased, took place at Kentland last week. Mr. Ryan was killed Feb. 11th, 1893. He was attempting to cross a bridge near Remington, with a load of hay. The bridge is high and the grade leading to it was very high and narrow, in fact scarcely wider than the wheels of a wagon. In driving upon the bridge, the wagon slewed around, it be ing a very icy time, and Ryan was thrown off and fell a distance of forty feet, striking upon his head on the ice in the stream below, with such violence as to breakthe ice, six inches in thickness, and he was killed instantly. He was a sober and an induatrinng man but very poor, and left a widow and several young children in destitute circumstances. The administrator of the estate took the view that as the bridge was in a dangerous condition, and that the county, through its agents, the public officials, knew that it was dangerous, the county was responsible for the man’s death. A claim was presented tothe county commissioners, which’ they declined to pay. Suit was* therefore brought for SIO,OOO. The case was taken to Newton county cm change of venue. It was first tried last December, but the jury disagreed as to the amount of the damages that should be awarded.

The second trial began on Tuesday of last week, before Capt. Swigart, of Logansport, as special judge, and lasted 2| days. About 12 witnesses testified for the plaintiff and 9or 10 for the defendant. The jury remained out two hours and then brought in a verdict for the plaintiff for $6,000. The jury was said to have been unanimous for the plaintiff, from the first. The customary motions for a new trial were made by the defendant’s lawyer, which will be argued later, after which, if the new trial is not granted, judgement upon the verdict will be entered.

The attorneys in the case were, R. W. Marshall, of Rensselaer, assisted by John T. Brown, of Fowler and Cummings <k Darroch, of Kentland, for the plaintiff, and for the defendant, S. P. Thompson, of Rensselaer. The dangerous character of the bridge and its approaches were graphically presented to the jury by maps and diagrams, and by a large photo--graph.