Many, many thanks to
Kattrup for finding the link to this case which went all the way to the New York Supreme Court.
In the 112 page PDF at bottom, we learn George Damon walked over an open coal hole and fell through. Clumsiness or karma ?
He would kick the bucket in 1906 from Bright's Disease ( Notice the hoopla over Damon's urine in the case file ).
He sued for 10 grand : got 4,500 instead.