Newman v. Seaboard Air Line Railway Co.
Newman v. Seaboard Air Line Railway Co.
Opinion of the Court
It appears from tbe evidence tbat plaintiff’s tobacco, shipped with defendant as common carrier, was practically ruined in tbe course of shipment by negligence of defendant company. Not only is tbis tbe permissible inference from tbe respective conditions of tbe tobacco when received by tbe company at tbe point of shipment and its delivery at tbe place of destination, but there is direct evidence tbat same, put in a defective car originally, was transferred by tbe company in tbe course of shipment and placed in a car having a bole in tbe door, by reason of which it was rained upon and thereby so injured as to Tender it practically valueless. These positions have been established by tbe verdict and damages assessed and judgment rendered for tbe injury, less tbe additional freight for a tobacco shipment, conceded to be $25.00. And on tbe record we find no valid reason for disturbing tbe results of tbe trial.
There is nothing to contradict tbe plaintiff’s statement tbat tbe agent' who made out tbe bill of lading was informed tbat tbe tobacco was to be included in tbe shipment, and on tbe facts of tbis record, if be chose to describe tbe entire shipment as household goods, such an act should not be allowed to injuriously affect tbe plaintiff except to render him liable for tbe additional freight due for tbe actual character of tbe shipment, and tbis, under bis Honor’s charge, has been accounted for to defendant.
Even if tbe term household goods could not be extended to include tbe tobacco, it is fully recognized tbat a bill of lading is not an essential to a valid shipment and tbe liability of a common carrier may attach on a shipment by parol. Bryan v. R. R., 174 N. C., p. 177; Davis v. R. R., 172 N. C., p. 209; Smith v. R. R., 163 N. C., p. 143; Porter v. R. R., 132 N. C., p. 71; Berry v. R. R., 122 N. C., p. 1002.
It is insisted further for defendant tbat its motion for nonsuit should have been allowed because tbe shipment is in violation of tbe classifications introduced in evidence and requiring tbat leaf tobacco be shipped
There is nothing in the disposition of the case that in any way cpn-flicts with our decision in Morris v. Express Co., 183 N. C., p. 144, cited for appellant. That was a case to some extent involving the rights, of a shipper and carrier in reference to the contents of a closed package, and representations concerning it permitting the inference of fraud. But no such question is presented here where it is not denied that the company and its agent were fully informed of what the shipper intended to place in the ear.
Ve find no error, and.judgment for plaintiff is affirmed.
No error.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- D. L. NEWMAN v. SEABOARD AIR LINE RAILWAY COMPANY
- Cited By
- 1 case
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- Published