Document 5LkwMzNRM8Mj2EBjXoykvgER5
FILE NAME: Early Asbestos Damage Suits (EADS) DATE: 1929
DOC#: EADS012
DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Documents from Case of Robert Marshall for Helen Marshall
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jer_s_e_y: SUPR*E4ME COUR1THp V
t,,he `inn " "roue n a,tu.re of~ sru.d. S.OMERSETti CjOUNTY. * -
^ROBERT'ICARSHAIiradminis^ra^orl1' 0B^ e iri .ccn:i Y^ i V l u ^ Yas
ad prosequendum of the r i g h t s , , goods, c h a t t e l s and c r e d i t s o f ' :
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` Hc-uE.-L. cEN; -.L. IARSHALL, ood-e-jc ejaVs.e0d , cl,os;* jfo.viia .-/ .. . .l.*-r i n t f t a '-i.' o
.a r m n siw-l
, Plaintiff * ^
ACTION AT LAW _
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red cue : itea Cate jio .v* l .= cf.ur m<.o c o n t a c t
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JOffiiS-MAliVILLE .CORPORATION,, a . .
' c o r p o r a t i o n o f the S t a t e '1of- - i * .
New York, _ L.
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,, Defendant*
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cr e a rn ed oy the
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>*-. no L'.'.ioi-i "d^e o f t h e n a t u r e o f the s a i d
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T h e , p l a i n t i fif , R o b.e.yr tL..Uic-a rs.h-ia l l , a d m i n i s t r a t o r ad
prosequendum of. the r i g h t s , ^goods, c h a t t e l s ^ a n d ^ c r . e d i t s #1of^
Helen l i a r s h a l l , d e c e a se d , r e s i d i n g a t M a n v i l l e , New J e r s e y ,
says that:
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1 , The i n t e s t a t e , .Helen l i a r s h a l l ,, was. i n the
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employ of the defendant corporation, a t i t s p la n t in Hanville
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New J e r s e y , in the y e a r 1928, and for s e v e r a l y e a r s p r i o r
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t h erreto * i . *
2 , . The defen dan t c o r p o r a t i o n , a t the time h e r e in
s e t f o r t h , waB engaged i n ( the manufacture o f a s b e s t o s produc
for commercial purposes. .
..
t .
3 . The s a i d defendant em ployed,the i n t e s t a t e a t
the time and place abov s e t . f o r t h in i t s manufacture of sai<
-:.V V-.-- r "1 1 . .!
.V.* ;.i M," '' n o t ` -i
a s b e1s t o s *p r o d.u c t s , and the sna:i d d e fMe n`d.?a n*t../ao n l y knew,'oybut" -
w A / i i i a + o n n n t o i r\
4 . The defendant not o n ly knew, h u t sh o u ld have
:
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`
`" * *
>'* ", head ,
knora, the dangerous nature of said asoestos f lo o r s ana
^n*l i 1* r , 7+i *, .y* i *** * **%v*
f* ,y ^ * *.**': <* *,/
ohe
p a r t i c l e s , and f a i l e d t o keep the Bame i n c o n t r o l , ' h u t was
di:vl. r~ r 1 t t h e r e o f , -i 1v*.:**;V*r 2 %. 1 ^ -8 ,
n e g lig e n t in allow in g the said dangerous f ib e r s and p a r t i c l e s
toesc ap e and to come i n t o c l o s e p roxim ity of t h e ' i n t e s t a t e * s
person and exp osed t h e i n t e s t a t e so t h a t she came i n t o c o n t a c t
' * *' * *: * B' *!*. Y. *'* T^ l **r *** \ -r C : '* 1' *.v ii(3;)' q r ** i *
w ith, and in h a le d , the sa id dangerous f i b e r s and p a r t i c l e s to
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t V-'. ^ hth
the e x t e n t t h a t her b r o n c h i a l t u b e s , lungs and. body became
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bo:-.fit r..f next c f k in of Helen
i n f e c t e d w i t h the same*
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5 , I n t e s t a t e was not informed or warned*by the
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d e fe n d a n t, and had ho knowledge o f the nature of the s a i d
dangerous,, a sb e sto s f i b e r s and p a r t i c l e s with which s h e w a s >T- ' ,
brought into her brot
c l o s e proximity by the '-rj * . .. ;
d e f e n.d a*n tys e n e g l i g..e n c e ,
6 . The n e g l i g e n c e of the defendant complained, of
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is as follows:
:
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. *; -* . * ** f- r- .
.
.
:
.... i ( a ) In f a i l i n g t o use re ason ab le care to p ro v id e
the i n t e s t a t e w ith a reasonably sa fe p lace o f work.
: r *' ' , .> ; * * * * . -
. a .?
(b) In f a ilin g to use reasonable care to provide
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the in te state w i t h proper masks or oth e r a p p l i a n c e s or s a f e -
. " , : - r : --.d? v... : guards m said work.
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(c) In f a ilin g to use reasonable care to provide
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a proper ven tila tin g system at it s plant.
(d) In f a ilin g to use reasonable care to give
proper warning, in fo r m a tio n and knowledge a b o u t ' t h e d anger->'?rs,
*
, ' .v
ous c h a r a c te r o f i t 3 work w it h the s a i d a s b e s t o s f i b e r s and '
p a r t i c l e s to the i n t e s t a t e , a t the time and p l a c e above men-
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I..-3 y A!C 01 V`i.U, 0 *.<0 r*
i1
y
i n j u r i e s , e x t e r n a l l y and i n t e r n a l l y , in and about her head,
body and lim b s, and her r e s i s t a n c e power was, low ered, and she
died,
as
a result
thereof,
r'.< 1 on December-23,- 1 9 2 8 . 0
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fi. On the 7 t h day o f May, 1929, the p l a i n t i f f ,
RobertMarshall, was.duly appointed,by the Surrogate of
!
'
Somerset County, adm inistrator ad prosequendum o f Helen
Marshall, ; i
to
p r o s e c u t e*
it h e
action
for
damages,
for
the
death
of his in te s ta te , for the b en efit of next of kin of Helen
M a r s h a ll, d e c e a s e d , and now p r o f f e r s h i s l e t t e r s o f a d m in is t
tration.
`.
9 . The s a i d Helen Marshall l e f t s u r v i v i n g h e r , father he^, Robert M arsh all; her mother, Agnes M arsh all; and
her b ro th ers, John Marshall; Enoch Marshall; Benjamin
Marshall; Edward M arshall; Henry Marshall; and her s i s t e r
Rose Marshall; a l l dependent upon the s a id i n t e s t a t e for
support.
10. P l a i n t i f f , as a d m in istr a to r , a3 a f o r e s a i d ,
for the b e n e fit of said next of kin, is vested by virtue of
the s t a t u t e , in such c a s e s , made and p rovid ed w i t h a cause
of action against the defendant for negligently causing the
d eath of h i s i n t e s t a t e , and b r in g s t h i s a c t i o n w i t h i n two
years a fte r the death of said in t e s t a t e .
1 1 . The Baid next o f k in s u f f e r e d p e c u n ia r y l o s s e s ,
by r e a s o n of the d e a t h o f the s a i d ^ e l e n M a r sh a ll, i n the sum
of $40,000.00.
P l a i n t i f f demands the sum o f $ 4 0 , 0 0 0 . 0 0 as damages
*4 I *
namo i s Hobort l i a r a h a l l * I n P o l i s h , i t i s B o l e s l a v U a r s z a l e k . 1
ara n a r r i e d and 1 have a w i f e and s i x l i v i n g c h i l d r e n . 1 l i v e i n U a n v i l l e
and my P o s t O f f i c e box i s 277. 1 amja c i t i z e n o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s , and i
speak E n g l i s h and P o l i s h . I am working a t t h e p r e s e n t tim e f o r t h e . J o h n s -
H anville Company for the la s t s ix years and have been working -for three ` . ,
yy e a r s f o r t h i s comrpany a b o u t l l O ) . . t.e..n *y.e.a r.ks,. ago.. _ 1 h..a..v. ei,-.a csuoi.n . B e n e d i c t ,'-na.l
* *' -
'* .V* /
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working f o r t h i s company. : - /
s' ?' - i t "wi l VS
On t h e 24t h o f December, 1928, my d a u g h t e r , H e l e n , who was a b o ^ u t , ^ ,or.
20 y e a r s o l d , d i e d i n t h e Borough o f U a n v i l l e . . S h e was b u r i e d #i n a S o m e r - .
v i l l a , Hew J e r s e y C em et e ry . H el en was w ork ing f o r t h e J o h n s - i l a n v i l l e , Co*,
f o r a b o u t t h r e e o r f o u r y e a r s , something l i k e t h a t . - Shp c a r r i e d a p o l i c y t.* .
w i t h t h e P o l i s h Union o f W i l k e s - B a r r e , Penna* and t h e p o l i c y .r e a d y . f o r j . *
One th o u s a n d d o l l a r s . I pa id t h e f u n e r a l e xpen se s out o f t h e * o n e t h o u s a n d
d o l l a r s , Liy d a u g h t e r was t r o u b l e d w i t h b r o n c h i t i s and iahe was t r e a t e d ' b y.
D r . F l y n n o f S o m e r v i l l e , N. J . and by a n o t h e r d o c t o r , w|boee name i d o . n o t
remember a t t h i s t i m e . About t e n y e a r s a g o , my d a u g h t e r t o o k s i c k w i t h t h a
S p a n i s h i n f l u e n z a and she came back t o h e a l t h , but she was t r o u b l e d - . a l l - t h e
time with E r o n c h i t i s , but she never in h e r l i f e s u f f e r e d w ith l u n g . t r o u b l e .
A f t e r my d a u g h t e r d i e d , 1 d i d n o t come t o the b o s s e s o f th e uohns-lian v i l l a C
t o a s k them f o r money or c h a r i t y or somet hing of t h a t s o r t on a c c o u n t o f
t h e d e a t h o f my d a u g h t e r , b e ca us e 1 f e l t and knew t h a t t h e company f o r . w h i c h
my d a u g h t e r `was working had n o t h i n g t o do w it h h e r d e a t h . -
y
A few months a f t e r I b u r i e d my d a u g h t e r , a man came t o see me and he .
t o l d me t h a t h i s name i s Lawyer Samuel G r e e n s t o n e , a l a w y e r from Newark on
Broad S t r e e t , ne was i n company w i t h J o e Lewandowski, who i s working f o r
t h e J o h n s - i m n v i l l e Co. J o e Lewandowski works i n "A* B u i l d i n g . - x r e c o g n i z e d
lr. G re enstone immediately because a few years ago 1 was ta k e n t o h i s
o f f i c e i n Newark by a man i t c h e l l a b o u t s t a r t i n g a l a w s u i t f o r t h e - d e a t h o l
my o t h e r d a u g h t e r s , N e l l i e and Anna. From t h e t i m e 1 saw t r . G r e e n s t o n e
t)io johii<vM^:jviHa Co* und what e ve r he i s g oi ng t o g e t ho w i l l s p l i t wi t h mo
f i f t y - f i f t y . G r e e n s t o n e s a i d to roe t h a t ' the r e a s o n he w i l l t r y to g e t money
f o r t h e d e a t h o f my d a u g h t e r , H e l e n j i s be causo she was working f o r t h e
J o h n s - l i a n v i l l e Co and t h a t t h i s company o u ght t o pay. money f o r h e r d e a t h
and t h a t he w i l l t r y t o g e t i t * 1 n e v e r knew a n y t h i n g a b o u t l a w , and 1 don'
u n d e r s t a n d what law i s , t u t I t h o u g h t t h a t a s long a s fce can g e t money and 1
,
; r-r*
c an g e t so me th in g o u t o f i t , l e t him go ahead and t r y * he t o l d me i t w i l l :
no t c o a t me one c e n t and he s a i d t h a t he w i l l f i n d out e v e r y t h i n g froml t h e i
d o c t o r s w h a t . t h e t r o u b l e was t h a t my d a u g h t e r d i e d so young# t o l d ~
_er
.
VSr G r e e n s t o n e v e r y p l a i n l y t h a t I am a f r a i d t o bot^Tlihe company w i t h l a w
s u i t s and X d o n ' t want t o f i g h t t h e company i n c o u r t s and 1 t o l d him 1 d o n ' t
c a r e t o and I would n o t 6 t a n d f o r i t t o b o t h e r t h e J o h n s - l i a n v i l l e Co# f o r t h
d e a t h o f my d a u g h t e r , H e l e n ; and Lawyer G re e n s to n e s a i d " D o n ' t be a f r a i d f
nothing w ill happen to you and I w i l l f i x t h i s " , he s a id t h a t I would not
have t o go t o c o u r t - maybe o n e e , b u t I would not need to be a f r a i d and t h a t he would f i x i t
About a week l a t e r , the same l a w y e r , L r . Samuel G r e e n s t o n e , came to
my hous e and t o o k me and my w i f e , Agnes, t o S o m e r v i l l e , where 1 s i g n e d a p a p e r end he t o l d mo t h a t I have g o t t o s i g n a p a p e r i n o r d e r t o g e t eoae
money from t h e j o h n a - W a n v i l l e Co. 1 d i d no t u n d e r s t a n d t h e p a p e r whic h 1
was s i g n i n g , i t was too h a rd E n g l i s h and Samuel G r e e n s t o n e , th e l a w y e r ,
had no i n t e r p r e t e r f o r me. X can speak E n g l i s h and 1 u n d e r s t a n d i t a l l r i g h t , but hard words I d o n 't understand. X understand every day E n g lish .
X r e a l i z e t h a t I g o t i n t o t h i s l a w - s u i t a g a i n s t my own w i l l and A
d i d not want t o sue t h e J o h n s - M a n v i l l e Co. f o r t h e d e a t h o f my d a u g h t e r ,
H e l e n , and I do not want t o sue now. Samuel G r e e n s t o n e was t h e man who
p u t t h i s i d e a i n my h e a d . X n e v e r 6Snt f o r him and X never a ske d him t o
sue t h e J o h n s - a n v i l i e Co. i n c o u r t f o r t h e d e a t h o f my d a u g h t e r , H e l e n .
I am w i l l i n g t o s i g n p a p e r s a t any t i m e t o withdraw my case pe n d in g i n th e
courts against the Johns-lJanvilla Co. because I fe e l th a t the Johns-U anville
Co. had n o t h i n g t o do w i t h t h e d e a t h o f my d a u g h t e r , Helen# 1 am making
foreman, R ic hard S m ith , o r by Lr* u g h e s, or by anybody e l s e connected <ith t h e Johns-Han v i l l a Company# 1 was n o t ' t o l d t h a t 1 w i l l g e t a b e t t e r