French v. Boston Coal Co.

These two actions are by the same plaintiff against two different defendants for the same injury. There was a verdict for the plaintiff in each case, and the cases are here on exceptions by each defendant. The two cases were tried and argued together, and we, therefore, consider them together.

The injury was caused by the plaintiff’s falling into a coal hole connected with a building on the corner of Milk Street and Pearl Street in Boston belonging to the defendant Converse. The accident occurred at about six o’clock in the evening of October 6, 1898, as the plaintiff and a friend were walking…