Notes |
- Buffalo NY Morning Express - 11/23/1922
The appellate divsion at Rochester
yesterday handed down a decision in
the case of Lucy Rosebrock, as administrator
of the estate of Edwin
Rosebrock, against the General Electric
company of Schenectady and the
Tonawanda Power company, affirming
the decision of Justice Dudley in
holding the General Electric company
liable for the death of Edwin
Roaebrock and holding the Tonawanda
Power company not liable.
On October 31, 1920, Rosebrock
and twelve other expert electricians
were in a tower belonging to tho Ni-
agara Falls Power company at Ton
awanda for the purpose of installing
new electrical machinery which had
been purchased from the General
Electric company of Schenectady
The work was being done late at
night In order to inconvenience the
people of Tonawanda as little as pos
sible. At about 2 o'clock in the
morning a terrific explosion occur-
red which shattered the tower, de
stroyed the electrical machinery and
killed or fatally injured all of the
thirteen men.
Four of these men were employees
of the Tonawanda Power company
and nine were employees of the Gen-
eral Electric company. Suits were
brought against all of the companies
by Hamilton Ward, representing
Mrs. Rosebrock and the other widows.
There have been five trials of
these cases In Niagara county. Rose-
brock was survived by a widow and
one child. The jury awarded a ver
diet of S30.000 against the General
Electric company, and under Justice
Dudley's instructions, released the
Tonawanda Power company. This
has been sustained by the appellate
division.
Other cases which have been tried,
but which have not yet been argued
at the appellate division are Melissa
Doel. as administratrix of the estate
of Samuel Doell verdict $40,000
against the Generall Electric company;
Margaret Meahl. as administratrix
of the estate of Edwin Meahl,
$35,000; Frank Shamrock, as administrator
of the ustate of Edward
Shamrock, $15,000.
Eight cases remain to be tried
Each trial takes two weeks.
Doell and Shamrock cases are set for
argument before the appellate division
today. Mr. Ward represents
the plaintiff in both the Shamrock
and Doell estates and Adelbert and
Welles Moot repraient the General
Electric company and Thomas He and Father Staunton will speak
Wheeler the Tonawanda Power com
pany and Franklin D. L. Stowe. the
Niagara Falls Power company.
|