Jones v. Charleston & Western Carolina Ry. Co.
Jones v. Charleston & Western Carolina Ry. Co.
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the Court was delivered by
Statement of facts. — This is an action by the plaintiff against the defendant for damages, alleged to have been sustained through the negligent, wilful and careless operation of its train of cars, resulting in the death of his intestate. The jury rendered a verdict in favor of the plaintiff for $1,400. The defendant appeals upon the following exceptions:
“I. Because the presiding Judge erred in allowing the introduction of testimony of James R. Jones, P. K. McCully, W. T. McGill, J. R. Farmer, J. M. Patterson, M. Kennedy, E. D. Kay, W. R. Brissey, John A. Hays and Sam. O. Jackson, tending to show that they had seen persons walking up and down the tracks of the defendant company, when, as it is respectfully submitted, the testimony was incompetent and should not have been introduced, for the following reasons: (a) Such testimony was not admissible and had no rele *413 vancy to the case then on trial, unless it had previously been shown that such use of the defendant’s track was with the knowledge and consent of the railroad company, (b) Because such evidence would not even then be competent unless it was first shown that any officer or agent of defendant consenting to such use of defendant’s tracks had authority to give such consent.
“II. Because the presiding- Judge erred in allowing to be introduced in evidence an ordinance of the city of Anderson regulating the speed of trains within the city limits. The error of such ruling being: (a) Because the accident did not occur at a street or railway crossing, but occurred upon a trestle one hundred to one hundred and fifty yards away, and, therefore, its introduction had no relevancy to the case on trial and was prejudicial to the defendant, (b) Because the ordinance in cjuestion is a penal ordinance, providing for the punishment of agents of railway companies who fail to observe its requirements, and not directed against the railroad company, and that it had no relation whatever to the issues in this case, and its introduction was, therefore, improper and prejudicial to the defendant, (c) 1. Because there was no evidence of the rate of speed at which defendant’s train crossed the street (Reed street) about 100 yards from the place where the accident occurred, and its introduction was, therefore, improper and prejudicial to the defendant. 2. Because the rate of speed prescribed in said ordinance is an unreasonable one, which the defendant had a right to disregard.
. “III. Because the presiding Judge erred in charging the jury as follows: ‘If you believe from the evidence that the deceased was at the time of the accident walking along the track of the defendant company at a place where the said track had long been used by the public as a walkway with the knowledge and acquiescence of the railway company, then the deceased was not upon the track as a trespasser, but as a licensee;’ and again in these words: ‘The jury must be satisfied to make out a license that that place had for a *414 long time been used as a walkway with the knowledge and acquiescence of the railway company, and if she was on that track under such circumstances, then she would be a licensee and not a trespasser.’ The error being that the presiding Judge instructed the jury in effect that mere knowledge and acquescence or failure to object to such use of the defendant’s tracks, was sufficient to make persons using such tracks licensees, when we submit under the law that they would be and are trespassers, unless they have the positive consent of some officer of the railway company authorized to give the same to so use such tracks.
“IV. Because the presiding Judge erred in charging the jury, as requested by plaintiff’s counsel in their third request to charge, as follows: ‘If the jury believe from the evidence that the deceased was at the time of the accident walking along the track of the defendant company at a place where the said track had long been used by the public as a walkway, with the knowledge and acquiescence of the railway company, then the deceased was not upon the track as a trespasser but as a licensee.’ The error being in instructing the jury in effect that mere knowledge and acquiescence by the railway company in such use of its tracks would constitute persons so using the defendant’s tracks licensees, when we submit that such person would be and are trespassers thereon.
“V. Because the presiding Judge erred in charging the jury, as requested by plaintiff’s counsel in their eighth request to charge, as follows: ‘That if the jury should find from the evidence that the defendant ran its train at a greater speed than the ordinance of the city of Anderson permitted, or that it failed to ring its bell as required by said ordinance, and if the injury complained of resulted from such violation, then they may consider such acts as circumstances from which they may infer negligence on the part of the defendant.’ The error being that the ordinance in question had no relation to and could not properly affect the question of defendant’s negligence in this case, as the admitted testimony *415 was that the injury did not occur at any street crossing in the city of Anderson.
“VI. Because his Honor erred in refusing the motion for a new trial, made upon the following ground: ‘Because the uncontradicted evidence shows that the deceased, Mrs. Susan V. Jones, was a trespasser when injured, and, therefore, the defendant company only owed her the duty not to do her wanton or wilful injury, and there being no evidence of any such wantonness or wilfulness, the verdict should have been for the defendant.’ Such refusal on this ground being under the facts and circumstances of this case error of law.
“VII. Because his Honor erred in refusing the motion for a new trial made upon the following grounds: ‘Because the uncontradicted evidence shows that the deceased, Mrs. Jones, was guilty of negligence, which was one of the proximate causes of her injury; and if the defendant was also negligent, still the deceased was guilty of contributory negligence, and, therefore, the verdict should have been for the defendant,’ said refusal on this ground being under the facts and circumstances of this case error of law.
“VIII. Because his Honor erred in refusing the motion for a new trial made upon the following ground: ‘Because the great weight of the evidence shows that the defendant was not guilty of any negligence which proximately caused the injury of the deceased, and, therefore, the verdict should have been for the defendant,’ such refusal on this ground being under the facts and circumstances of this case error of law.”
Opinion. — The exceptions will be considered in their regular order.
Sixth anl seventh exceptions. — Without undertaking to detail the evidence, we are satisfied that both those grounds were properly overruled.
It is the judgment of this Court, that the judgment of the Circuit Court be affirmed.
Addendum
Petition for rehearing was duly filed by appellant, and same was dismissed by following order, filed March 25, 1903:
The second ground for a rehearing is as follows: “It is respectfully submitted that even if we are wrong in what we have above said — the former case and this case are not identical, as the facts were to some extent different on the two *421 trials — and this fact was overlooked by the Court. On the former trial there was no evidence tending to show notices had been posted, forbidding the use of the track as a walkwav'. On the new trial there was such testimony.” It makes no difference whether the testimony was the same or not. The material question is whether the same principle of law is involved.
Reference
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- Syllabus
- X. Negligence — Railroads.—Evidence as to use of railroad track by pedestrians, responsive to allegations and competent to show the circumstances calling for care on part of defendant. 2. Evidence. — Ordinance properly admitted as responsive to the allegations of the complaint. 3. Railroads — Licensee—Negligence.—A person walking on a railroad track at a place where persons have been accustomed to walk for a length of time short of the time required to make it a public way, but where there is reason to presume the company had notice of such use, though no permission so to use it be shown, is a licensee, and the company owes him no more duty than a bald trespasser. 4. Res Judicata. — A principle of law once announced by this Court in a case is the law of that case, although the doctrine be modified in other cases decided subsequently, but before the final determination of such case. 5. Ibid. — Negligence—Speed—Ordinance.—Failure of a railroad company to observe the requirements of an ordinance as to speed of trains across streets, may be considered by the jury in deciding if the company was negligent in running its trains at a point not on the street. 6. Exception based on fact in law case cannot be considered. 7. Res Judicata. — Principles of law adjudged in one appeal are res judicata on new trial ordered. 8. Rehearing refused.