St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railway Co. v. Allen
St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railway Co. v. Allen
Opinion of the Court
(after stating the facts). It is contended that the court erred in not directing a verdict for appellant on the first cause of action, the shipment on which the overcharge of freight was. claimed, and damages, never Laving lost its interstate 'character, and that the court erred in its instructions to the jury relative to the proper rate to he charged for the transportation of the car from Benton to Malvern after the refusal of the purchasers there to receive it.
There "was no question made that the shipper did not have the right to divert the car of hay to Benton, Arkansas, notwithstanding it was consigned to Malvern, nor that Benton was not the place of delivery for the shipment.
The jury were also warranted in finding that the dealers at Benton who had purchased the hay from Allen and were to be notified of the arrival of the shipment, refused to .accept the consignment because of the overcharge of freight demanded by the railroad on account of incorrect weight.
The railway company wrongfully caused the delay at Benton, according to the finding of the jury, and could not retain the amount charged for demurrage for such delay ¡and the plaintiff had the right to reship the car of hay, which could not be ¡sold at Benton because of its negligence, to a market where it could be disposed of with as little loss as possible, and the company was liable for the overcharge of freight collected and the damages, which in this case amounted only to the demurrage charge and the freight charges paid from Benton to Malvern, regardless ¡of which rate was ¡applied.
There is no prejudicial error in the record, and the judgment is affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railway Company v. Allen
- Status
- Published