Paulsen v. McDuffie

An action to recover damages for personal injuries.

Plaintiff was a seaman employed by defendant in operating the ship “Kekoskee”, which was moored at a wharf in San Francisco. At the time of his injury he was acting as boatswain and assisting in heaving in or bringing on board from the dock one of the ship’s mooring lines. This line was a manila rope from six to eight inches in circumference. The work was being done by means of a steam winch, which consisted of a revolving drum, which was referred to by the different witnesses as the “gypsy head”, ‘‘nigger head”, or “spool”. While engaged in…