Miller v. Northern Pacific Railroad
Miller v. Northern Pacific Railroad
Opinion of the Court
Action to recover for two horses killed through the alleged negligence of defendant. The negligence complained of is that defendant permitted a cattle-guard to become and remain out of repair, by reason whereof the horses got upon defendant’s railway, •and were killed by its cars. Plaintiff had a verdict. Defendant moved for a new trial, upon the grounds (1) that the verdict was not justified by the evidence; (2) errors in law occurring at the trial. From an order denying this motion defendant appeals.
An examination of the record satisfies us that there was evidence reasonably tending to prove that these horses got upon the railway by reason of a defective cattle-guard, and were there killed (one was so injured that it was necessary to kill it) by a passing train; that the defects in the cattle-guard were that the timbers had become so rotten and decayed that the “cross-bars” had become loose and out of place, and that the “pit” had become partially filled up with sand. The nature of these defects was such as to indicate that they had existed for some considerable length of time, and therefore to warrant the jury in finding that the defendant was chargeable with notice of their existence. The evidence, therefore, reasonably tended to support the verdict, and, the trial court having refused to grant a new trial, we cannot interfere.
Order affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Asa W. Miller v. Northern Pacific Railroad Company
- Status
- Published