Document ByVXk2Kk44m14GQgzbwmkwjOX

lit g| ' - ' S T A N D A R D O IL C O M P A N Y 'V'.rt-V* " $& (IN C O R P O R A T E D IN N EW j e r s e y ) 2 6 0R O A D W A Y > N E W Y O R K , ;v-y`;-y C H E S T E R O . S W A IN 4 . GENERAL COUNSEL G U Y . W E L L M A N .! ?i: i . ASSOCIATE GENERAL COUNSEL ' F R A N K S .P E R R Y ED W IN S . H A L L T H O M A S W .P A L M E R E D W A R D F. J O H N S O N HENRY DODGE G E O R G E H .T O W E R F IT Z H U G H C .P A N N 1 L L . C O U N SEL v' April 10, 1933 Be: Jr. v. 5. W. Rowe and Standard Oil Company. Mr. E. W. Webb, Ethyl Gasoline Corporation, 135 la s t 42nd S treet, New York City. Dear Mr. Webb: This w ill confirm our telephone conversation of th is morning in regard to the above cited case. I am sending you herewith a copy of the complaint which was served on April 6. I understand from our conversation th is morning that you approve of our sending Mr, Gillaon, of our,Annuities & B enefits Department, to South Carolina to make an in vestigation of the case in conjunction with our attorneys-in'Columbia, Messrs. Benet, Shand &McGowan, and to begin negotiation for a settlem ent. V . /y- v I have not yet learned whether the injured was ever examined by a company physician, but i f we are able to obtain a physical examination now, I agree with you that Dr. Kehoe should go down to make the examination. I am today asking-for a further report on the matter and : w ill communists with you again a s soon a s I have learned anything new. Enclosure HD:AB N8312 --r z x irc a STATS CF 'SCUTI I CAROI I I ' jA. CCl'i.'T'/ OF I JiU' iLSORO* ) i k 'jm;j c o u r t o t cc:r.:o;j ; l : . j * r P lain tiff" 3 . 'i. Rows and S ta n d a rd O il Company* a c o r p o r a tio n , D efen d an ts ) ) ) COKTLAlIu' J ) j P l a i n t i f f above named co m p la in in g o f th o above named defendants a lle g e s: 1. That p lain tiff J r . is a re sid e n t and c it i z e n o f th e County o f Marlboro S ta te o f South C aro lin a; th a t the ^ d e fe n d a n t S , W. Rowe i s a r e s i d e n t and c i t i z e n o f tho County o f M arlboro and S t a t e o f S o u th C aro lin a* and t h a t S tan d ard O il Company is and was a t th e tim es h e re in sfin tio n ed , a c o rp o ra tio n d u ly ch a rtere d and e x is t ing under and by v irtu e o f th e law s of one o f the S ta te s o f the American Union d o in g b u s in e s s i n th e County o f M arlboro s t a t e o f South C arolina where i t m a in ta in s and o p erates f i l l i n g s ta tio n s and has ag e n ts and employees* 2 . T h at S ta n d a rd O il Company owns a f i l l i n g s t a t i o n i n th e Town o f B e n n e t t s v i l l e , S t a t e an d County a f o r e s a i d , a t th e c o rn e r o f P a st Main and P a rso n a g e S tr e e ts and th e d e fe n d a n t 1 . Rowe a t a l l tim e s h e r e i n a f t e r m entioned was i n th e em ploy o f S ta n d a rd O il Company and theroby in charge o f, and operated such f i l l in g statio n and a l l o f th e m a tte rs and .things h e re in a fte r a lleg e d were done by th e m id E . W Rowe i n th e c o u rs e o f su c h employment 3 T hat a t th e f i l l i n g s t a t i o n above d e s c r ib e d , th e d efen d an ts d isp en sed and so ld to th e p u b lic d i s t i l l a t e s o f crude o i l and the by-products of such d i s t i l l a t i o n - g aso lin e, lu b ric a tin g o il, e t c . ; and th e y s o ld t e t r a e t h y l le a d g a s o lin e u n d er th e name o f "Bsso", w hich i s g a s o lin e i n to -which t e t r a e t h y l i s in tro d u c e d to c r e a t e a higij t e s t and more pow erful m otor fu e l than th e p la in g a s o lin e . 4. That ordinary g aso lin e, ap p lied to the tender p a rts tiie body, is o f such consistency a s to burn, scald and otherw ise - 2- seriously and p erm an en tly aim* damage and i n j u r e and ca u se g r e a t pain s u ffe rin g ; th a t ap p lied to th e eyes i t w ill burn sca ld and d estro y th e tissu e s causing in te n se p ain and agony im pair th e v is io n and e v e n tu a lly c&aee b lin d n e s s a l l o f which was w e ll known to th e d e fe n d a n ts s ta n d a r d O il Company and 3 . ... Howe. 5 . That a s p l a i n t i f f i s inform ed and b e lie v e s t e t r a e t h y l le a d g a s o lin e i s a h i g h ly p o iso n o u s compound and i s r e a d i l y ab so rb e d by th e tis s u e s o f th e body and p o re s o f th e skin and th e in h a la tio n o f th e vapors from te tr a e th y l lead g aso lin e a lso conveys th e poison i n t o th e system w hich p o is o n i n s i d i o u s l y a t t a c k s th e human body causing dulled perception sluggishness in sa n ity and b lin d n ess, accompanied by g re a t p a in and agony* and to th e ravages and poisonous e f f e c t s o f t h i s compound a s p l a i n t i f f i s inform ed and b e lie v e s seme p e rso n s a r e more s u s c e p t i b l e th a n o th e rs a l l o f which was w e ll known to the defendants. 6 . That ab o u t th e summer o f 122S th e p l a i n t i f f h erein th e n a boy s e v e te e n y e a rs o f a g e , was by 3. ... Howe th e a g e n t o f s ta n d a r d O il Company in ch arg e o f te e f i l l i n g s t a t i o n h e r e in b e f o r e d e sc rib e d employed a s a wage e a rn e r o f th e defen d an ts to h elp o f f and on about th e s a id f i l l i n g s ta tio n and h i s d u tie s were f o r a p e rio d o f from two t o t h r e e y e a r s , to w a it on th e t r a d e by d is p e n s in g a t r e t a i l th e petroleum products and b y -p ro d u cts th e re so ld under th e d ire c tio n and c o n tr o l o f K. i . Howe, a g e n t f o r S ta n d a rd O il Company. a.t t h i s time and p r io r th e re to * p l a i n t i f f was i n e x c e lle n t h e a lth , o f good physique and possessed o f a l l o f h is f a c u ltie s and p e r fe c t eye s ig h t. 7 . T h at S ta n d a rd O il Company and 3 . Howe p o s s e s s e d o f th e knowledge* a s th e y were* th a t o rd in a ry g a so lin e was dangerous and th a t i t wouldburn* sca ld and s e r io u s ly and perm anently in ju r e i f a p p lie d t o , o r poured o v e r th e body o r in to th e e y e s ;t e a t te tr a e th y l lead g a .o lin e was a h ig h ly poisonous compound, dangerous to handle and re a d ily absorbed by the tis su e s o f th e body and the pores o f th e s k in ; and knowing the dangers o f in h a lin g th e vapors therefrom * and th e te r r ib le consequences o f having conveyed.:into th e sy stem t h e - p o is o n s therein co n tain ed owed to th e p l a i n t i f f , th e n a m inor, th e du ty of w arning him of the dangers in c id e n t to th e y ' -'V . -O' negligeatly* w ilfu lly and w ith a reck less d isreg ard of th e ir d u tie s and the consequences thereof fa ile d to do. a . T h at th e d efen d an ts s ta n d a rd C il Company and 2 . v. Howe r e q u ir e d p l a i n t i f f w h ile o n d u ty w orking a t th e f i l l i n g s t a t i o n h erein ab o v e d escrib ed t o v?ear th e re g u la tio n standard C il Comra n g uniform * n o t p ro v id in g f o r him i n d i v i d u a l g arm e n ts, b u t p ro cu rin g same a s th e o ccasion a ro s e , and fre q u e n tly th e uniform s so provided were s o ile d , d ir ty and sa tu ra te d w ith g a so lin e and te tr a e th y l Isad g a so lin e) hut d e s p ite which and th e knowledge of th e defendants o f the dangers and consequences of th is p la in tif f absorb in g t h e p o iso n o u s compound th ro u g h th e t i s s u e s o f t h e body and p o re s o f the sk in , and o f th e dangers o f d ire c t contact with h is eyes, d e fen d an ts n e g lig e n tly * w ilf u lly and r e c k le s s ly re q u ire d him to wear such so ile d uniform s, sa tu ra te d w ith g aso lin e and te tra e th y l lead g a s o lin e and th e re was in d u cted i n t o p l a i n t i f f 's system th e p o iso n o u s compound, t e t r a e t h y l le a d . 9 . That fre q u e n tly , w hile p l a i n t i f f was in th e d isch ar o f h is d u tie s in and around the f i l l i n g s ta tio n in w aiting upon eustaaers and dispensing high te s t g aso lin e, q u a n titie s of the t e t r a e t h y l le a d g a s o lin e would s p i l l on h is hands and o th e r p a r ts o f h is body, and he would in h a le th e vap o rs th ere fro m , b u t n e v e r was he warned o f th e dangers th e re o f by the d efen d an ts, o r advised o f p ro te c tiv e measures* alth o u g h defen d an ts were w ell aware of such f a c ts and th e dangers to which r d a i n t i f f was exposed; and th e said d e f e n d a n t, s ta n d a r d O il Company and th e s a id 2 . -7. Rowe n e g l i g e n t l y w ilf u lly and re c k le s s ly fa ile d in th e ir d u ty to warn p la in tif f * and a s a consequence* f r a tim e to tim e th e re entered in to h is system by a b s o rp tio n and i n h a la tio n q u a n t i t i e s o f th e p oisono us compound known as tetraeth y l lead. 1 0 . T hat th e m achine from which was d isp en sed t e t r a e t h y l load gasoline* b esid es being o therw ise d efectiv e and unsafe* a s h e r e i n a f t e r more p a r t i c u l a r l y re f e r r e d to* was n o t equipped w ith a c u t - o f f a t th e faczzle, and a s a consequence th e d a n g e rs and h a z a rd s W r;^* o f h a n d lin g th e p o iso n o u s compound w ere in c re a s e d i n t h a t th e o p e r a to r was re q u ire d to d r a in the hose f o r each custom er* and cams / - 4- in to more freq u en t c o n ta c t w ith th e f lu id and th e v apors therefrom than would have been th e case had th e m achine been p ro p e rly and s a f e ly equipped and on account o f th e n eg lig en ce, w ilfu ln e s s and re ck lessn ess o f S tandard O il Co. in f a ilin g to provide reasonably s a f e and modern a p p lia n c e s , and o f 3 . 'd . Howe i n r e q u i r i n g th e p l a i n t i f f to dispense g aso lin e therefrom , from tim e to tim e d u rin g h is se rv ic e with the said defendants, te tra e th y l lead g aso lin e spilled^ . ' '1 on p l a i n t i f f 's hands and body, and he was c o n s ta n tly su b je c te d t o th e d an g e rs nad h a z a rd s o f d is p e n s in g th e p o iso n o u s compound from and through an unsafe ap p lian ce. . 1 1 . T hat in a d d i t i o n t o such u n s a fe a p p lia n c e * th e pump from which was d isp en sed te t r a e t h y l le a d g a s o lin e , was u n safe and d e fe c tiv e in th a t th e s lid e c u t-o f f which re g u la te d th e flow o f th e f lu id from th e g l a s s howl and was in te n d e d t o s l i d e p e r p e n d ic u la r ly t h e r e cm, was out o f o rd er and could not be u se d , le a v in g only th e knob c u t- o f f a t th e b a s e o f th e bowl to c o n tr o l th e flo w o f th e compound fresa sueh r e s e r v o ir in to tho h o sa . The d e fe c tiv e and u n sa fe c o n d itio n o f t h i s a p p lia n c e was w e ll known t o th e d e fe n d a n ts , and each o f them , b u t j d e s p ite i t s d e fe c tiv e and u n safe c o n d itio n , and th e knowledge th e re o f by th e defendants, i t was used ex c lu siv e ly to d isp en se te tra e th y l lead g a s o lin e and was th e o n ly m ethod by w hich th e s a id p o iso n o u s compound was d isp e n se d . 1 2 . On o r ab o u t th e 6 th day o f A ugust 1929, w h ile t h i s p l a i n t i f f was in th e d isc h a rg e o f h is d u tie s i n a t about t h i s f i l l i n g s ta tio n and was d isp en sin g te tr a e th y l lead g aso lin e from t h i s u n safe -^# dangerous and d e f e c tiv e a p p lia n c e , and was in th e a c t o f hanging th e n o z z le o n th e ra c k ,b e s id e th e g la s s r e s e r v o ir i n th e P*ace ao p re fared fo r i t , th e knob c u t-o ff a t th e base o f the re se rv o ir fa ile d to hold or'becam e trip p e d , and a la rg e q u a n tity o f te tr a e th y l le a d g a so lin e escaped from th e g la s s c o n ta in e r and gushed through the hose in to th is p l a i n t i f f 's fa c e , eyes and e a r and te tra e th y l lead g aso lin e was absorbed by th e tis s u e s of th e body and p o res of th e sk in , p o iso n - lag and burning h is eyes and poisoning h is system , a l l caused and ' bro u g h t a b o u t by th e n e g lig e n c e , re c k le s s n n s s and w ilf u ln e s s ,o f th e p l a i n t i f f to operates an unsafe dangerous and d e fe c tiv e m achine, and in f a ilin g to pro v id e fo r him a reaso n ab ly safe place in which to work and to warn him o f th e d an g e rs i n c id e n t t c h i s em ploym ent. 13. That on account o f the negligence, re ck lessn ess and w ilfu ln e a s o f tha d efen d an ts th e re was from tim e to tin e in th e manner and by th e means h erein a lle g e d , inducted in to th e p l a i n t i f f 's system th e poisonous compound, te tr a e th y l le a d ; and in a d d itio n to th e ab so rp tio n and in d u ctio n in to h is system , as a fo re sa id , and on account of the negligence, w ilfu ln ess and reck lessn ess o f th e defen d an ts, S ta n d a rd G il Company and 3 . . Howe, t e t r a e t h y l l e a d , a h ig h ly p o iso n o u s compound, and g a so lin e w as'poured in to p l a i n t i f f 's ey es, and th e p o ison in s id io u s ly a tta c h e d th is p l a i n t i f f , causing d u lled p ercep tio n and slu g g ish n e ss,, and h i3 mind h a s been a ffe c te d and he has c o n tin u o u sly s u ffe re d g r e a t p a in and agony, and he i s new t o t a l l y b lin d i n one eye and the o th er eye is p ro g ressiv ely d e te rio ra tin g to such an extent th a t he w ill su rely lo se the use of i t a lso and w ill be to ta lly b lin d ; and in a d d itio n th e re to i s th e h o rrib le contem plation o f t o t a l b lin d n ess and i t s in c id e n t h e lp le ssn e ss and h u m iliatio n and th e c e rta in knowledge th a t he i s day by day becoming more and more h e lp le s s and in c a p a b le o f re a s o n in g c l e a r l y , a l l t o t h i s g r e a t damage in t h e sum o f two hundred and f i f t y thousand (v 2 5 0 ,000.00} d o l l a r s . 1 4 . T hat th e d e fe n d a n t h . ;. Howe was n e g l i g e n t , r e c k l e s s , w ilf u l and wanton in th a t: (1) With f u l l knowledge o f th e d an g e rs in c id e n t to th e handling of gasoline and te tra e th y l gasoline, he fa ile d in h is duty to warn p l a i n t i f f , ' a m inor, o f th ese dangers; -f? (2} H ith f u l l knowledge a s a fo re s a id o f th e d an g ers in c id e n t to th e handling o gasoline and te tra e th y l g aso lin e, he fa ile d to advise the p la in tif f , a m inor, of proper-and p lo t e stiv a measures th e re a b o u t; (3 ) He f a i l e d to p ro v id e p l a i n t i f f a re a s o n a b ly s a f e to work 6n t h a t : (a ) He p e r m itte d and r e q u ir e d him to d is p e n s e t e t r a e t h y l g aso lin e from a host?.not equipped w ith a c u t-o ff a t tli e n o zz le . 0011335 - 6-* (b) He p e rm itte d and re q u ire d p l a i n t i f f , a m inor, to disp en se te tra e th y l lead g a so lin e from a 'd e fe c tiv e ap p lian ce equipped tflth one c u t-o ff only, and th a t a t the base o f the g la ss re s e rv o ir. (4} Be caused and re q u ire d p l a i n t i f f to work in s o ile d and d i r t y c lo th in g s a t u r a t e d w ith ra p o iso n o u s c c a p o ln d . 1 5 . T h a t th e d e f e n d a n t. S ta n d a rd O il Company was n e g l i w ilf u l, ro o k ies* and wqnton in th a t: (1) With f u l l knowledge o f th e dangers in c id e n t to th e handling o f gasoline and te tra e th y l gasoline, i t fa ile d in i t s duty to warn p la in tif f # a m inor, o f th ese d an g ers. p {2} 3 i t h f u l l know ledge a s a f o r e s a i d o f th e d a n g e rs in c i d e n t to the handling o f g asoline and te tra e th y l gasoline, i t f a i l s ! to ad v ise the p la in tif f , a m inor, of proper p ro tectiv e m easures th ere a b o u t. v (...) I t f a i l e d to p ro v id e p l a i n t i f f a re a s o n a b ly s a f e p la c e to work in t h a t : (a ) I t p e rm itte d and re q u ire:, him t o d isp e n se t e t r a e t h y l le a d g a so lin e from * hose n o t equipped w ith a c u t-o ff a t th e n o zz le . (b) I t perm itted and re q u ired p la in tif f , a m inor, to d isp en se te tr a e th y l lead g a so lin e from a d e fe c tiv e ap p lian c e equipped w ith one c u t-o ff only* and th a t a t th e base o f th e g la s s re s e rv o ir. (4) I t caused and re q u ire d p l a i n t i f f to work i n s o ile d and d i r t y c lo th in g s a tu ra te d w ith a poisonous competed. (5) I t fa ile d to provide p la in tif f w ith reasonably sa fe and proper a p p lia n c e ; aftd c a u sed t h e p l a i n t i f f to work a b o u t a d e f e c t i v e .. . i"' - ' an<l unsafe appliance. ' - 1 0 . Ifcatf "the d e f e n d a n ts 2 . w. Howe and S ta n d ard O il Company ware in the p a rtic u la rs h erein b efo re alleg e d jo in tly and co ncurrently n e g lig e n t, re c k le s s , w ilfu l and wanton and by reaso n o f th e ir .jo in t and co n cu rren t n eg lig en c e, re c k le ssn e ss, w ilfu ln e ss and wantounoss caused th e b lin d n e ss, in c a p a c ity and in ju rie s to th e r l a i n t i f f h e re in b e f o r e s e t o u t , a l l t o th e g r e a t damage o f th e p l a i n t i f f in t h e sum o f two hundred ahd f i f t y th o u san d { . 50, 000. 00) d o l l a r s . { . 0011336 sr i :V -7 SHSRSFOHS, p l a i n t i f f p r a y s judgm ent a g a i n s t th e d e f e n d a n ts 3* o-xe and s ta n d a rd O il Company in th e sum o f two hundred and f i f t y thousand ($250,000.00) d o lla rs , to g eth er with the co sts of this actio n . H.S.SD3KS 71SOU USD HILLER attorneys fo r P la in tiff (V e rifie d by H. H. Hubbard, J r . ( lI!i .i tS