Hollingsead v. Camden & Suburban Railway Co.
Hollingsead v. Camden & Suburban Railway Co.
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the court was' delivered by
This certiorari is brought to review a judgment of the Common Pleas in favor of the plaintiffs, entered
There was a motion to nonsuit, based solely on the ground of contributory negligence in the agents of the plaintiffs. A motion was also made to direct a verdict for the defendant, but without specifying any grounds for the motion, and so, at most, it raised no question beyond that raised by the motion to nonsuit. An examination of the evidence convinces us that both motions were properly denied, there being plainly disputable questions for the jury’s consideration, both with respect to the negligence of defendant’s motorman and with respect to the conduct of the occupants of the wagon.
The remaining reasons assigned for reversal relate to the charge of the trial judge to the jury. No objection was made below to the instructions as given, the sole criticism there suggested being to the refusal of the judge 'to accede to the defendant’s requests to charge. All the requested instructions were given, with a single exception. In the refusal of this one we find substantial error. For an understanding of the point, it should be premised that testimony was introduced by the defendant (the witnesses being ihe motorman and a passenger who was in the car at the time) tending to show that as the car approached the wagon it was running at very moderate speed, and that the motorman gave signal of his approach by ringing the gong; that the wagon, which up to this point had been proceeding close to the rail of the trolley track, was thereupon driven from the rail towards the
The effect of this refusal was to place upon defendant’s motorman the burden of foreseeing that the driver was about to turn across the track, when there was nothing to give the motorman notice of the driver’s intention. If it were admissible to construe the request as negativing the proposition that the driver ought to foresee the probability that a wagon proceeding along the side of the street may turn in order to cross the tracks, the refusal might be sustained. But the request conceded the motorman’s duty to foresee a reasonable probability of the wagon being turned, for it admitted that the motorman must have his car under control. The defendant, at the same time, prayed that the jury should be instructed, in effect, that the motorman is not obliged to provide against an actual turning of the wagon until it does turn. This, we think, was a proper instruction, reasonably requested by the defendant under the circumstances, and in view of the'evidence presented by the defendant and the other instructions given to the jury, the denial of this request was, we think, erroneous. This denial accentuated the effect of the rest of the charge in rendering the defendant company an insurer against collisions, whereas its duty is limited to the exercise of reasonable care to avoid them. Solatinow v. Jersey City, &c., Railway Co., 41 Vroom 154.
Let the judgment be reversed and a venire de novo awarded.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- ELWOOD HOLLINGSEAD AND WILLIAM DUNN ROGERS, PARTNERS, &c. v. CAMDEN AND SUBURBAN RAILWAY COMPANY, PROSECUTOR
- Status
- Published