Jefferson & N. W. Ry. Co. v. Blair
Jefferson & N. W. Ry. Co. v. Blair
Opinion of the Court
In November, 1917, B. J. Blair, an employg of the' Jefferson Oilmill Company was run over and killed by one of the appellant’s cars during some switching operations on the spur track used for the benefit of the oilmill. This suit was instituted by Blair’s widow and children to' recover, damages resulting from his death. The appeal is from a judgment in their favor aggregating $12,500.
The undisputed testimony shows substantially the following facts: The Jefferson oil-mill was located on the tracks of the appellant railway company, and at the time this accident occurred was engaged in the business common to such enterprises, A spur track ran out from the appellant’s main line, which was used only for supplying the oilmill with the usual transportation facilities. On the day that Blair was killed a freight car containing cotton seed had been unloaded on the spur track adjacent to the oilmill. In the process of throwing the seed from the car into the conveyer used by the oilmill some of the seed fell upon the ground on and near the railway track. After being unloaded, the car, with others, was pulled out toward the main line for the purpose of being weighed. The superintendent of the oilmill did the ■weighing, and directed that some of the empty cars should be returned to the side track for the purpose of being loaded -with, some of the oilmill products. After the removal of the cars, and before any of them were again switched onto the side track, Blair was directed by the su-, perintendent to shovel the seed lying upon the ground into the conveyer. Later the superintendent joined him, and the two were so engaged when a car was pushed down on the side track. After it was stopped and the brakes set by the brakeman, who “rode the car” for that purpose, the superintendent and Blair resumed their work. Blair was working within 5 or 6 feet of this car, and behind it from the trainmen who were doing the switching. The superintendent was several feet farther down the track. A second car was soon after “shunted” or “kicked” in on the side track by the train crew. It struck the standing car behind which Blair was working with such force as to move it about 10 or 12 feet, causing it to run over and kill Blair. The evidence shows that similar switching operations occurred at that place practically every day during the season when the oilmill was being operated, and the usual manner of doing the switching was not materially different from that adopted by the train créw on this occasion. The evidence further showed that Blair was first employed in the service of the oilmill that morning, and this accident occurred in the afternoon of that day. There was no evidence offered to show that he was familiar with the usual methods of switching cars onto the side track.
The appellees base their cause of action upon the negligence of the train crew in “kicking” or “shunting” the second car' on the side track without giving Blair some notice or warning of its approach. They claim that Blair was engaged in the usual manner of doing his work, and had no notice that the second car was approaching, or that it was being “kicked” in with such force as to endanger his life. The brakeman, Locket, who set tire brake on the first car and had an opportunity to know that Blair was at work in that vicinity, testified that he gave Blair notice that they were intending to do some switching. He testified as. follows:
“I saw a man standing there when I first went in. It was this man that got killed. He was standing on the platform, with a fork in his hand, and looked like he had just got the car empty and was kind of cleaning up. He was standing on the platform of the seed house, with a fork in his hand. I saw he was a strange man, and I had never seen him before, and I went over and told him to watch out, that we were going to be switching a while.”
This testimony was corroborated by another witness offered by the appellant; but the superintendent testified that he heard no warning of any kind given.
The court devoted several paragraphs of his main charge to an abstract discussion of the law applicable to the facts of this case, after which he gave the following concrete instructions:
*548 “Now, bearing an mind the foregoing instructions, if you believe from a preponderance of the evidence in this case that the defendant, its servants and employés, switched a box car onto the side track adjacent to the Jefferson oil-mill in Jefferson, Tex., where B. J. Blair was at work, and kicked or drove the said car with force and violence against another car, and thereby drove it onto and over the said B. J. Blair, and killed him; and if you believe from a preponderance of the evidence that in so doing (if it did so) the defendant or its em-ployés were guilty of negligence, as negligence is defined to you in this charge; and if you further so believe that such negligence, if any, of the defendant or its employes was the proximate cause of the death of the said B. J. Blair —then you will find for the plaintiffs, and assess their damages as hereinafter instructed, unless you believe from the evidence that the said B. J. Blair, at the time he was injured, was guilty of contributory negligence, as that term is defined in this charge, that proximately contributed to cause his death.”
Among other defenses the appellant pleaded contributory negligence. That defense was in part based upon the assumption that Blair had been warned of the switching operations, and should have been on the lookout. Upon the issue of contributory negligence the court gave the following as a part of his main charge:
“If you believe from the evidence in this case that when the defendant’s servants and em-ployés began switching cars onto said side track they or any of them warned said B. J. Blair and gave him notice that they intended, to switch or kick cars onto said side track, and warned him to look out for the same; and if you believe from the evidence that said B. J. Blair failed to use ordinary car^ to look out for such cars, and failed to heed such notice or warning, if any; and if you further believe that such failure of tho said B. J. Blair, if any, was negligence, and that such negligence, if any, proximately caused or contributed to cause his death — then you will find for the defendant.”
We pass over several other assignments presenting different objections to the charge given, and the refusal of the court to give requested special charges. All of these assignments have been carefully considered, and are overruled without discussion, because to notice each in detail would require a useless extension of this opinion. Some of the questions raised were disposed of on the former appeal. Blair v. Railway Co., 214 S. W. 939.
In view of this ruling, there is no occasion to notice that assignment which presents the question of misconduct on the part of the jury.
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Reference
- Full Case Name
- JEFFERSON & N. W. RY. CO. v. BLAIR Et Al.
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