Morehead v. Yazoo & Mississippi Valley Railroad
Morehead v. Yazoo & Mississippi Valley Railroad
Opinion of the Court
delivered tbe opinion of the court.
None of the principles of law relied upon by appellant are applicable to the case made by this record. Conceding all for which he contends, a verdict in his favor could not rightfully he sustained.
The existence of a custom of certain trains to use tibié main line on all occasions, even if fully proven, would not excuse any one, whether trespasser, licensee, or employe, from the exercise of ordinary care and prudence on his part. See Hackney v. Railroad (Miss.) 33 So. Rep., 723; Railroad v. Crockett, 78 Miss., 412 (29 So. Rep., 162); Railroad v. Arnola, 78 Miss., 787 (29 So. Rep., 768; 84 Am. St. Rep., 645).
It cannot be said that appellant was injured by reason of any failure on the part of the master to provide a safe place for the performance of his duties, for the reason that appellant was not at the place where his duty called him. Nor his own convenience, and to save himself the trouble of a few more steps, he chose to walk upon the edge of the track, rather than in the place of safety provided by the company between the main line and the spur track, where, according to the evidence, there was ample room for him- to stand in perfect safety while discharging his duties at the express car. One who, from motives of convenience and from personal choice, chooses the roadbed of a railroad to walk on, when not called there by any imperative duty, assumes all the risks which his own imprudence and lack of caution entail, and, if injured thereby, cannot recover. Murdock v. Railroad, 77 Miss., 487 (29 So. Rep., 25); Railroad Co. v. Jones (Miss.), 35 So. Rep., 193.
Under the facts of this case, the engineer was charged with no duty other than the exercise of ordinary care, even after he
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.