Powell v. Southern Ry. Co.

Supreme Court of South Carolina
Powell v. Southern Ry. Co., 96 S.E. 292 (S.C. 1918)
110 S.C. 70; 1918 S.C. LEXIS 18
Gage

Powell v. Southern Ry. Co.

Opinion of the Court

The opinion of the Court was delivered by

Mr. Justice Gage.

The Circuit Court refused the motion of the Virginia Bridge and Iron Company, one of the two defendants, to remove the case to the Eederal Court for the Western District of Virginia, the alleged domicile of both defendants, and the appeal involves the issue of removal; that is the admittedly single issue up, though there are five exceptions.

1 All the parties to the action, so the movements declare, are nonresidents of South Carolina; .the plaintiff, of North Carolina, and the two defendants, of Virginia. The tort was done in this State. If that be so, then the case is triable in this State, and was not subject to removal. Fed. Stats. Ann. Supp. 1914, p. 678.

2 Again, the complaint alleges a joint tort, and any motion for a removal must have been made by both defendants. Chicago, R. I. & P. R. Co. v. Marion, 178 U. S. 248, 20 Sup. Ct. 854, 44 L. Ed. 1055; Baber v. Railroad, 76 S. C. 4, 56 S. E. 540; 11 Am. Cas. 960.

3 But the appellants suggest the tort was not joint, and that the testimony will show such to be so. The complaint alleges a joint tort, and for the purposes of the motion that is assumed to be true.

4 There is nothing in the appellants’ suggestion that the railway company is liable as an employer under the act of Congress entitled the Employers’ Liability Act (Act April 22, 1908, c. 149, 35 Stat. 65 [U. S. Comp. St. 1916, sections 8657-8665]) while the bridge company is liable under the common law. The complaint alleges that the transaction was one, and that both defendants had concurrent part in the transaction. It matters not that the law *73 casts upon each defendant a different duty thereabout; that consideration does not separate them in the performance of the same act.

The order of the Circuit Court is affirmed.

Reference

Full Case Name
Powell v. Southern Ry. Co. Et Al.
Cited By
4 cases
Status
Published
Syllabus
1. Removal of Causes—Action Between Nonresidents.—Where all parties to an action for a tort committed in South Carolina are nonresidents of the State, the case is triable in the State, and not subject to removal. 2. Removal of Causes—Action for Joint Tort—Joinder in Motion.— Any motion for removal to a Federal Court of an action for a joint tort must have been made by both defendants. 3. Removal of Causes—Truth of Complaint.—For purposes of one defendant’s motion to remove the action to a Federal Court, the allegations of the complaint, setting out a joint tort committed by both defendants, will be assumed to be true. 4. Removal of Causes—Necessity for Joint Motion—Allegation of Joint Tort.'—To require both defendants to join in motion for removal to Federal Court, complaint, alleging transaction was one, and that both defendants had concurrent part in it, sets out joint tort, though defendant railway company is liable under Federal Employers’ Liability Act, while defendant bridge company'is liable under common law.