Stainback v. City of Meridian

Mississippi Supreme Court
Stainback v. City of Meridian, 79 Miss. 447 (Miss. 1901)
Appeal, Terral, Took, Whitfield

Stainback v. City of Meridian

Opinion of the Court

Whitfield, C. J.,

delivered the opinion of the court on the second appeal.

Without detailed analysis of the instructions, we feel constrained to say that, on the evidence in this case, the verdict should have been for the defendant. The basis of appellee’s claim was that the planks had been put there as and for a passageway for pedestrians. There is no proof to support this allegation. It is clearly shown that barricades were put across the street to warn the public of the danger of crossing, and that these planks were put across for the convenience of the city employees in hauling rocks across the ditch. It would seem that the school children — one of whom says it was very dangerous to cross — went in between the barricades and the ditch, and thus across on, the planks. If one chose, in spite of *452the barricades and the warning they spoke, to take the risk of crossing, the city cannot be held for the consequences of such rashness. The reasoning that, though the city did not originally lay the planks down as a crossing for pedestrians, yet if persons wrongfully crossed on them, and the city knew of this wrongful crossing, and its constant repetition, and did not object, it is bound, is not sound. Eepetition of an unlawful act, resulting in damage, cannot confer a right of action because of such damage. Besides, that is not the case made by the declaration. Unless on proper amendments, and very different proof, a good case can be made out, the suit must fail.

Reversed and remanded.

Terral, J., took no part in this case on either appeal.

Reference

Full Case Name
Ida Stainback v. City of Meridian
Cited By
1 case
Status
Published
Syllabus
first appeal. 1. Municipal Corporation. Negligence. Defective bridge. It is actionable negligence for a city to remove a bridge over a ditch in a densely populated district and provide and maintain for the passage of pedestrians over the same insecure planks, which careened when plaintiff, an infant, went upon them, causing her to fall and suffer injury, she being wholly without fault or knowledge of the insecurity of the plank passageway so provided for the use of herself and others by the city. SECOND APPEAL. 3. Same. Contributory negligence. Where planks were placed over a ditch in a street, for the convenience of the city’s laborers in transporting rocks across the ditch, and barricades were erected to warn the public of the danger of crossing, a schoolgirl who disregarded the barricades, went around them, and suffered injury by the giving way of one of the planks while she was crossing on them, has no cause of action against the city. 3. Unlawful Acts. Repetition. Damage. The repetition of an unlawful act, resulting in damage, does not confer upon the offender a right of action because of such damage.