Chicago, M. & St. P. Ry. Co. v. Hauber
Opinion of the Court
(after stating the facts as above). Though defendant’s foreman, who directed the lumber to be piled on the platform, testified that he first examined the platform carefully and “found the timbers all sound and solid on the outside,” and though the carpenter who removed the wreck declared that the timbers, while “rotten at the heart, like a shell,” “appeared to be all right on the outside,” the jury had the right to accept the testimony of plaintiff’s witnesses that “the beams were rotten,” “I passed the platform many times, it was pretty well gone up, the posts were pretty well gone up, the stringers were all rotten,” and therefrom to conclude that the platform was liable to collapse at any moment and that a proper inspection could not have failed to discover the dangerous condition.'
By its motion for a directed verdict, and also by its requested instruction, defendant insisted that plaintiff was a trespasser, or at most a bare licensee, and therefore that defendant owed him no duty except to refrain from injuring him wantonly. The platform, 10 feet wide and 40 feet long, was wholly on the private property of defendant. Its use for receiving or shipping freight had been discontinued for more than two years prior to the accident. This fact was known to plaintiff and his grandfather. Along the side away from the main tracks was a spur track, adjoining which was a public street, Austin avenue. Plaintiff’s grandfather had engaged from defendant a car in which to ship his household goods. Defendant placed a box car on the spur track beside the platform and notified the grandfather that it was ready for his use. 'There is no evidence that defendant notified him, or that he otherwise knew, of the dangerous condition of the platform. Pie employed several men to help in moving his goods and loading them into the car. The doors on each side of the car were open. “The furniture was being loaded from the Austin avenue side of the car. Some they put out on the other side there to get a chance to get in the car.” Plaintiff was directed by his grandfather
The judgment is affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- CHICAGO, M. & ST. P. RY. CO. v. HAUBER
- Status
- Published