Breen v. Field

This is an action of tort against the defendants, as selectmen of the town of Greenfield, for personal injuries occasioned to the plaintiff by the negligence of the defendants in failing to provide suitable means of support for the sides of a trench in which they had employed the plaintiff to lay pipe for the purpose of building a public sewer in one of the streets. of Greenfield. The plaintiff contends that he was in the exercise of due care, and that in consequence of the want of support the sides of the trench fell in upon him while at work.

There was testimony that the sides of the trench…