Vawter v. Missouri Pacific Railway Co.
Vawter v. Missouri Pacific Railway Co.
Opinion of the Court
Plaintiff is the widow of W. R. Yawter; and was appointed administratrix of his estate by the probate court of Schuyler county, Missouri. She brings this suit in her representative capacity against the defendant to recover damages for the death of her husband. He was in the employ of the defendant. While making a trip over the road, his train left the main track and ran on a side track, at Parsons in the state of Kansas, came in collision with a stock train, and he was killed. His death, it is alleged, was ■ caused by the negligence of defendant’s servants, in leaving the switch at that place in an improper position. Defendant contends that he and those engaged with him on his train were guilty of negligence in running the train at a rate of speed prohibited by-the defendant’s rules, because of which he was killed.
1. Civil actions for the death of a person caused by the wrongful act, neglect, or omission of another, did not exist at common law. .A right of action in such cases is given by the statute law of many of the states. These statutes have no extra-territorial effect, so that, as is conceded in this case, the plaintiff, if she can recover at all, must do so by force of the statutes of the state of Kansas, and not because of any statute of this state.
The question arises whether she can maintain this action in this state. The following authorities support her claim of right so to do. Leonard, Adm'r, v. The Columbia Steam Navigation Company, 84 N. Y. 48; Dennick v. Railroad Company, 103 U. S. 11. The first of these two cases is, in a large degree, placed upon the ground that the statute of the state of Connecticut, where the cause of action accrued, was in ail material respects the same as that of New York. The other was also brought in the state of New York, though the action was founded on the statute of New Jersey. In both of these states, it would seem, the personal representative was the proper and only party to sue, in such cases. There is no material difference between the statute of the state of Kansas and that of the state of Illinois in the respect under consideration. The St. Louis court of appeals in Stoeckman Adm'r, v. Terre Haute & Ind. R. R. Co15 Mo. App. 503, came to the conclusion that an administrator appointed in this state might prosecute such a suit under the statute of Illinois. In Taylor's Adm'r,
By the statute of Kansas, the right of action accrues to the personal representative, the executor or administrator. The damages inure to the exclusive benefit of the widow and children, or next of kin, and do not constitute assets of the estate, but rather a trust fund for the designated persons. Here the amount is fixed, is, in part, of the nature of a penalty, and can only be recovered by designated relatives. The rule of law which exempts the master from liability for damages occasioned to one servant by the negligent act of a fellow servant, is in force in this state, but by the statute of that state, so far as relates to employes of railroad com-' panies, has been abrogated by the statute pleaded in this case. An administrator appointed in this state receives his power and authority to sue from the laws of this state, and from this state alone, to which he is amenable throughout the entire course of the administration. There
We understand a general law of the state of Kansas permits foreign administrators to sue and be sued in the •courts of that state, and that he may there prosecute a suit under this damage act, if the law of the state from' which he gets his appointment gives him like powers. R. R. Co. v. Cutter, 16 Kas. 568. But if the law of the state, where the appointment is made, prohibits him from prosecuting an action for damages occasioned by the wrongful act of another, and resulting in death, then he cannot maintain the suit in the courts of that state. This appears to be the result of a recent decision, a short note of which is given in the Kansas Law Journal of February 14, 1885. Most courts and text writers of acknowledged authority, hold that these actions, given by statute for causing death by neglect, default, or a wrongful act, can only be enforced by the courts of' the jurisdiction where the wrong is suffered and the right of action is given. Other courts treat such actions as transitory, and enforce the statute law of the state
Judgment of the trial court is reversed..
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Vawter, Administratrix v. The Missouri Pacific Railway Company
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- 4 cases
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- Published