Freeman, Receiver v. Gerretts

J. N. Gerretts, the plaintiff in the trial court, was in the employ of the defendant receiver in his operation of a railroad and was injured while in the performance of his duties. The injury was occasioned by his attempting to mount a brake-beam of an approaching box car which was being backed toward him to be coupled to a stationary car upon the track. The plaintiff was standing in the track as the ear slowly approached him; when it reached him he caught hold of the grab iron at the end of the car with his hand and placed his left foot upon the brake-beam, which, as he testified, shifted or…