Prue v. the Goodrich Oil Company

This is an action of trespass on the case for negligence to recover for damage to the plaintiff’s furniture caused by fire. The declaration alleges that the fire was caused by the defendant’s negligence in throwing fuel ■oil upon the ground. The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff for $674.80 and the case is before us on numerous ■exceptions of the defendant, including an exception to the refusal of the trial justice to direct a verdict for the defendant.

At the time of the fire the plaintiff resided in a lower tenement in the rear of 154 Broad street in the city of Pawtucket. This…