Hilley v. Western Union Telegraph Co.
Hilley v. Western Union Telegraph Co.
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court.
Mr. Hilley was a commercial traveler, with his home at Sugar Valley, Ga., where his family was, and, as part of it, a sick child. On August 11, 1903, being at Meridian, Miss., he wired his wife at Sugar Valley: “Wire me, McOomb City, Miss., how sick are.” Mrs. Hilley promptly received this message, and on that day, August 11th, wired him, directing the message to McOomb City, “Sick are no better;” and this message was duly transmitted to McComb City, but not delivered, because Mr. Hilley was not there. In fact, after wiring this dispatch to his wife, he had an order to go to Vicksburg, and so could not go to McComb City. Because of this change in his itinerary, he, on that same August 11th, wired appellee’s manager at McComb City: “Forward all telegrams for me to Vicksburg, Miss.” This message is tbe cause of the trouble. It was the custom of the company, un
Affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Walter A. Hilley v. Western Union Telegraph Company
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- 1. Telegraph Company. Messages. Delay in transmission. Damages. Forwarding order. Tlie negligent failure by a telegraph company to transmit a message ordering another message, to be forwarded to plaintiff, whereby he failed to be notified of the condition of his sick child, does not entitle plaintiff to recover the cost of a railroad journey to see the child, since he could have learned the condition of the child by another message. 2. Same. Penalty. Code 1892, jj 4326. • Code 1892, § 4326, imposing a penalty on telegraph companies for transmitting a message incorrectly or for unreasonable delay in the delivery of a message after its transmission, does not apply to a case of failure or delay in transmitting.