Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railroad v. Cottrell
Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railroad v. Cottrell
Opinion of the Court
Count 5 of the complaint was under subdivision 4 of the employer’s liability act (section 3910 of the Code of 1907), and the gravamen of which was not the negligence of the person tipping the mixer, hut that it "was done in obedience to instructions negligently given by a person who was delegated by the master to give said instructions. We are not disposed to take issue with counsel for appellant in the contention
We also think that the giving of the signal was an instruction, as contemplated by subdivision 4, and was not a mere mechanical act. or omission, as covered by subdivision 2. The fact that the signal was but a mechanical act of the blower, by pressing the button, did not prevent its being an instruction,' as contemplatéd by subdivision 4. It was but a modern and convenient method of conveying the instruction to “tipple” from
It was also for the jury to determine whether or not ■ Crosby, Sr., gave the signal, as Laycock said he received the signal, and there was proof that said elder Crosby was in the pulpit at the time, which is the place where the blower is stationed, and from which the signal is given. It is true there was a conflict in the evidence. as to who was in the pulpit at the time; hut it was a question for the jury to determine whether or not the elder Crosby gave the signal, and which said question was squarely submitted to the jury by defendant’s given charge 7.
There was no error in refusing charge 4, requested by the defendant. If not otherwise bad, it in effect charges the jury that Superintendent Crosby was not a person delegated with the authority to give the signal. Whether he had the authority or not, by virtue of being superintendent, matters not, as' there was proof that he was in the pulpit acting as blower; and if such was the case, he had the authority independent of being superintendent, and the charge invaded the province of the jury, and was also misleading.
•' There was no error in refusing charge 5, requested by the defendant. It was abstract, as there was no evidence whatever tending to show 'that Crosby gave the signal in any capacity, except while in the pulpit and acting as blower.
' The defendant admitted that the signal was given from the pulpit by a Mr. Crosby, and who was acting tinder delegated authority to give the signal. Therefore, if the signal was given by Crosby, Sr., it was While he was filling the position of the man to whom the authority was delegated, and it matters not whether he
The plaintiff testified that he did not know, when the suit was brought, who gave the signal to tip the mixer, and the defendant was not entitled to the general charge, upon the theory that the averment that the person was unknown was not proven. Nor was there error in overruling the demurrer to the fifth count.— Reiter v. Hamlin, 144 Ala. 212, 40 South. 280.
There was no error in giving charge 1 at the request of the plaintiff. — Williamson v. McQueen, 144 Ala. 279, 40 South. 306; A. G. S. R. R. v. Frazier, 93 Ala. 45, 9 South. 303, 30 Am. St. Rep. 28.
The judgment of the circuit court is affirmed.
Affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railroad Co. v. Cottrell
- Status
- Published