Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway Co. v. Moore
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway Co. v. Moore
Opinion of the Court
This action was brought by Moore to enjoin the railway company from constructing an embankment across a ravine over which the defendant's railroad was originally constructed on piling, leaving an opening underneath the track through which the plaintiff was enabled to pass from one part of his farm to the other. The claim of the plaintiff was that at the time he granted the right of way over his land to the railway company, under which the defendant claims, it -was agreed as a part of the consideration for the deed that the plaintiff should have this under-grade crossing as a perpetual easement. The relief demanded by the petition was that the defendant be restrained from closing up the opening used by the plaintiff. There was no prayer for a reformation of the deed. At the trial the plaintiff offered testimony tending to show an agreement between himself and the agent of the company who procured the right of way that he should be given such a crossing as he claimed, and that the railway company had recognized his right to it by so constructing its railroad and its fences as to afford an ample passage from one side of his farm to the other underneath the track. On the other side, the railway company offered in evidence the deposition of M. A. Low with reference to the authority of the agent to make such an agreement as was claimed by the plaintiff, and a receipted voucher for $800 paid by the railway company for the strip of ground for the right of way. A copy of the deed for the right of way, the execution of which was not denied, was attached to the answer. It showed
The opinion of the learned presiding judge of that court assumes as a fact the existence of the parol contract with reference to the crossing, and the argument proceeds on this basis. It is stated in the opinion of the court that the testimony of the plaintiff’s witnesses with reference to the existence of the agreement is clear, emphatic, and uncontradicted. We deem it unnecessary to enter into a discussion of the legal questions considered by the court of appeals, because in our view the record fails to present them. At the trial the court had before it on one side the deed and written voucher prepared and executed for the purpose of showing the rights of the parties under their agreement, and the deposition of Mr. Low. On the other side was the oral testimony of the plaintiff and his witnesses. The issue presented was as to the right of the plaintiff to enjoin the defendant from making full and unrestricted use of the strip of land conveyed to it for making a right of way, and thereby to close up the crossing. No reformation of the deed was asked, and the validity of it was not on trial. The issue was as to the rights of the parties under it.
Assuming that the deed was not conclusive on the rights of the parties and might be contradicted by oral testimony, it still was not only evidence, but the highest character of evidence, as to what the agreement
The judgment of the court of appeals is reversed, and the judgment of the district court is affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- The Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway Company v. John Moore
- Status
- Published