Arthur v. Alexandria Lumber Co.
Arthur v. Alexandria Lumber Co.
Opinion of the Court
The petition alleges:
That plaintiff’s husband was a tram repairer at the sawmill of the defendant company, and that his death was caused by the negligence of the defendant company, as follows: That “he went into a frame building on the premises of the defendant, at its plant, or he was forced to take refuge therein from a rain. * * * That defendant had located near said frame building, an electric light pole, over which it had strung wires that attracted and transmitted electric currents, and had placed there, or on said pole, an electric switch that also attracted the electric currents.
“That while deceased was in said frame building, where he had a right to be, an electric current, generated by a power plant, or from a flash of lightning on or attracted to them by the aforesaid wires and switch leaked from said defective wires, switch or pole and darted into or was transmitted into the building, and struck petitioner’s husband and killed him.
“That neither the electric wires, electric switch, nor pole was properly insulated, and they all leaked, and were unfit and not adequate for the dangerous purpose and use to which they were put, and particularly because of their location on the premises where petitioner and other persons were called and constantly passing.”
That the defendant well knew of these conditions and of their danger to all persons called there or passing by.
Very true the petition says that the deceased was in the employ of defendant, but this is not equivalent to- saying that his employment necessitated his presence in this building. Indeed, the allegation that he simply went in there, or took refuge there from a rain, would tend to exclude the idea of his having gone there by reason of his employment.
Judgment affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- ARTHUR v. ALEXANDRIA LUMBER CO., Limited
- Cited By
- 7 cases
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- Published
- Syllabus
- (Syllabus by Editorial Staff.) 1. Master and Servant A widow’s petition, for damages for death of her husband in service, which did not allege that the death was by accident arising out of and in the course of the employment, showed no cause of action under the Employers’ Liability Act (Act No. 20 of 1914). 2. Master and Servant &wkey;>256(l) — Death on Servant — Pleading. In a widow’s suit for her husabnd’s death in service when killed by an electric current, natural or generated, when he went into a frame building on the premises of defendant or was forced to take refuge therein from a rain, the petition, which did not explain why defendant was responsible for the husband’s being in the building at the time, though stating that the husband was in defendant’s employ, and that he had a right to be in the building, did not state a cause of action. 3. Pleading Pleadings are construed strictly against the pleader. 4. Pleading In widow’s suit for husband’s death in service, the allegation of the petition that the husband had the right to be in the building where he was killed was a mere conclusion of law, which cannot be made to serve for the allegation of a fact necessary to be alleged.