Salt Lake Herald-Republican | 1901-07-28 | Page 5 | Negligence of the City Caused Child's Death

Negligence of the City Call sed Childs Death 1 1 The of Ernest Bench i Johnson Johnso the l baby that j was as drowned droned in a flume near Sixth and andL L streets street Thursday night was due to negligence on the part of the city and its it employees according to the decision of the jury in the Inquest begUn began Friday and ended yesterday in Judge Kroeg ers court As a result of the finding of the jury a suit to recover damages from the city it is 18 said may be filed by the father of tbt victim After the jury composed of John T Lynch B H Young and Thomas S Fowler had visited the scene of the accident yesterday morning the inquest was resumed in Judge office and B E J Bench who lives near the thene scene ne of the accident was examined He said that the ditch and flume had been in a dangerous dan condition for fifteen years and that ample notice of the tact fact had been given to the city authorities authorities ties during that time but nothing had been done W H EL Bywater also testified fled fied as to the dangerous condition of the place and as all to notice of it having been given to the th city authorities Deputy ale John To Axten for tor forthe the Fourth precinct and two employees testified that they knew w the place was dangerous but ft as 88 their belief that the cross pieces in the flume on the Johnson premises were what caused the drowning of the child as they held him in the water Chairman George Canning of the irrigation committee I testified that his attention att had not been called to the flume or ditch The verdict of the jury was as fol follows follows lows The jury is of the opinion that the death of the child was caused by y inexcusable negligence on the part of the city and its employees empl as we e lear from the testimony of ot witnesses brought before us that the officers In Inthe 1 the irrigation department have been cognizant of its dangerous condition t I for years and yet it to remain I uncovered and in a dangerous condi condition I tion I The father of the child said Rid yesterday i that he did not know yet but It was wasI probable that he would file suit against I the city The funeral of the child will willI I be held at 10 this morning from fromI I I the family residence at 11 S1 L street