Hollingsworth v. Southern Ry.
Hollingsworth v. Southern Ry.
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the Court was delivered by
This was an action in the Court of Common Pleas for Greenwood County, in the State of South Carolina, to recover damages, under what is known as the Lord Campbell’s Act, of the defendant, appellant, for the alleged killing by its cars of one P. C. Hollingsworth — such damages being laid at $1,995. The killing occurred on the 8th February, 1897, and the action was brought on the 7th day of February; 1899. The answer of the defendant, the Southern Railway Company, was a plea in abatement, and was in these words: “1. That at the commencement of this action there was and there now is another action pending in the Circuit Court of the United States for the District of South Carolina between the same parties and for the same cause as that set forth in the complaint herein. 2. That on „ September 24th, 1897, the plaintiff instituted an action in the Court of Common Pleas for Greenwood County, in the State of South Carolina, against the defendant, upon the cause of action alleged in the complaint herein. That on October 13th, 1897, the defendant filed its petition.and bond required by law with the clerk of the Court of Common Pleas for said county of Greenwood, for removal of said cause to the Circuit Court of the United States for the District of South Carolina, and thereafter in due time filed a certified copy of the record of said State Court with the clerk of the United States Circuit Court. That thereafter, to wit: on the day of April, 1898, the said plaintiff made a motion in the said Circuit Court of the United States to remand said cause to the State Court, which motion was refused by order dated April 15th, 1898. 3. That thereafter, to wit: on the day of August, 1898, the plaintiff made a motion to discontinue said cáse then pending in the United States Circuit
The plaintiff demurred to defendant’s answer as not stating facts sufficient to constitute a defense, on four grounds: “1st. Because the plea fails to show that the Court in which the former action was pending was a Court of competent jurisdiction. 2d. Because the United States Court for the District of South Carolina is a foreign tribunal, and an action pending in a foreign tribunal is no ground of abatement of a suit in a domestic forum. 3d. The plea should show upon its face that the second action is vexatious, and should show upon its face facts which operate to abate the second action. 4th. Because the pendency of a suit in the United States Court is no cause for abatement of a subsequent suit for the same cause and between the same parties in the State Court.”
On the nth day of August, 1899, Judge Ernest Gary passed an order sustaining the demurrer to the plea in abatement, without giving any reason for such order. He also allowed the defendant twenty days to answer the complaint. From this order of Judge Gary the defendant appeals as follows: “1. It appears by defendant’s answer, admitted by plaintiff’s attorneys upon the motion that a cause was at that time pending in the United States Circuit Court for the District of South Carolina, between the same parties for the same relief and upon the same cause of action; and the presiding Judge erred in not holding that the former action could be successfully pleaded in abatement of the present ■ suit. 2. That the presiding Judge erred in holding that the Circuit Court of the United States for the District of South
It is the judgment of this Court, that the order of the Circuit Court appealed from be reversed, and the action be remanded to the Circuit Court for such further action as may be necessary.
Dissenting Opinion
dissenting. The case of Mathis v. Ry. Co., 53 S. C., 246, shows that the case was improperly removed to the Circuit Court of the United States. The State Court, therefore, retained its jurisdiction. If the answer had set up as a defense that another action was pending between the same parties for the same cause of action in the State Court, quite a different question would be presented. As I do not think the action was pending in the United States Circuit Court, I dissent from the opinion of Mr. Justice Pope.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- HOLLINGSWORTH v. SOUTHERN RY.
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- 1. Foreign Jurisdiction. — Is the United States Circuit Court for this State a foreign jurisdiction to our State Courts? 2. Removal op Causes — Plea in Abatement. — When a citizen of this State sues a Virginia corporation as such in the Courts of this State, and the defendant removes the action to United States Circuit Court on ground of diversity of citizenship, a plea in abatement of the action pending in the U. S. Court is good against a second action in the State Court on same cause of action. Mathis v. Southern Ry., S3 S. C., 246, distinguished from this. Mr. Justice Gary dissents.