Lohmeyer v. St. Louis Cordage Co.

Domiciled in St. Louis, defendant corporation makes and sells rope and twine. In its factory there is in use a machine for twisting hemp and forming rope, known as a “forming machine.” Plaintiff, a young woman of twenty years, labored at the machine as an operator. It was an intricate contrivance set in an iron frame and consisting of gearing, cogwheels, pulleys, belting, etc., and was manipulated by a lever, regulating the power.

On the 13th day of February, 1902, her left hand was caught in the gearing and cogwheels and two¡ of *687her fingers were so crushed as to result in amputation. In a…