St. Louis, Ark. & Tex. R'y Co. v. Sharp
St. Louis, Ark. & Tex. R'y Co. v. Sharp
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
§ 328. Contributory negligence; doctrine of, applied; case stated. Appellee recovered judgment against appellant for $150 for personal injuries. In testifying upon the trial in his own behalf, appellee stated his cause of action as follows: “I was going out of Texarkana, walking southward along defendant’s track. . . About half a mile out of town I saw a train coming towards me. I saw it about three hundred yards away, and stepped to the side of the track, on the right of way. When within twenty-five feet of my position the engine began to
The engineer testified, in substance, that in running an engine it was necessary at certain times to use the injector, the use of which would cause a stream of hot water and steam to be thrown from the engine to one side of the track a distance of about fifteen feet; that on the occasion in question it became necessary to use the injector, and he used it in the discharge of his duty as engineer, without any intention to injure appellee, not seeing or knowing that appellee was in a position to receive injury thereby. Held, appellee being wrongfully upon appellant’s right of way, and seeing the approaching train, and that the engine was ejecting water, it was his duty to get out of the reach of the danger, if it was reasonably within his power to do so. He was a man in possession of physical and mental powers, and the law required him to use reasonable care to avoid injury. In such a case the rules of contributory negligence are applicable. Appellee cannot claim the benefit of the liberal doctrine applicable in the cases of children and other helpless persons who go upon the track of a railroad. [R’y Co. v. Evansich, 61 Tex. 3; R’y Co. v. Moore, 59 Tex. 64; 2 App. C. C. § 477.] Even if he had not been a trespasser upon appellant’s right of way, he
Reversed and remanded.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.