Houck v. Webster
Houck v. Webster
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
There is no doubt, under the evidence, concerning the material facts in this dispute. Edmund Webster, the appellant, was the owner of a large lot of ground, containing a full city square, from which the clay suitable for the manufacture of bricks had been excavated. He had for many years been a member of a firm which conducted a brick manufactory in the neighborhood, but had several years before the occurrence out of which this litigation arose, retired from the firm and ceased to have any connection with the manufactory. Andrew Black was the superintendent of the brick manufactory carried on, at some distance from the lot in question, by those who succeeded to the business after the retirement of Webster. The excavation of the clay from the lot had left the ground below the established grades of the surrounding streets, three of which were unopened. In the year 1911 Black obtained from Webster the privilege of filling in the lot, the only testimony as to the arrangement between them was that of Black who said: “I
There was nothing unusual or unlawful in the action of the appellant in giving Black the privilege of filling up the lot to grade, nor in the action of Black in permitting earth and refuse to be dumped into1 the depression. They were doing what is and has constantly been done in the not too densely populated portions of cities. All dumping grounds contain materials which may cause injury to boys who dig them out and handle them, but it has never yet been held that one who thus does what is usual and customary is guilty of negligence. In dumping the refuse on the lot no injury was done to the minor plaintiff. Under the uncontradicted testimony it clearly appeared that the direct, proximate cause of the injuries sustained was the action of Cabriski in setting fire to the pitch, after it had been dumped, and then failing to keep the boy away from the fire. There was not a scintilla of evidence which would have warranted a finding that Cabriski was the employee of this appellant or
Tbe judgment is reversed and tbe record is remitted to tbe court below with direction to enter judgment in favor of tbe defendant non obstante veredicto.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.