Friend v. Chicago & Northwestern Railway Co.
Friend v. Chicago & Northwestern Railway Co.
Opinion of the Court
If this court shall be of opinion that plaintiff’s proofs were not sufficient to entitle him to recover, the judgment of the court below must be affirmed. With the determination of this question in view, we will consider the testimony. Plaintiff lived on a farm through which defendant’s road was operated. His house was a short distance from the right of way. Nearly in front of his house there was a gate in the right-of-way fence to a farm crossing leading to a highway on the other side of the track. This gate was made of boards and was of the kind in general use, known as a “ slide and swing gate.” The fence on either side of the gate posts was of barbed wire. On one side the lower wire was near the ground, with a space between that and the nest wire above of seventeen inches. On the other side the similar wires were about twelve inches apart. When the gate was closed and in its usual position there was a space of about fifteen inches between the lower board and the ground, at a point where it had been worn down by the passage of teams and stock through the opening. This was plainly shown by the photographs in evidence. The deceased child was seventeen months old. Its
Nor can we believe that under either the allegations or the proof is there any liability shown as to the negligent running of the defendant’s train. There is no claim that the accident happened at a place where the railroad employees had any reason to anticipate the presence of any person on or near the track. Neither is it suggested that the engineer was guilty of gross negligence or wanton conduct in the management of the train. On the contrary, it •affirmatively appears that the moment the child was discovered he used the emergency application of the air brake, but was unable to stop the train in time to prevent the accident. Under these circumstances, little more remains to be said. The rule is settled in this state that under such conditions the railroad company can only be held for gross negligence or wanton or wilful misconduct of its employees. Schug v. C., M. & St. P. R. Co. 102 Wis. 515. There was no evidence that they were guilty of even a want of ordinary care. So ■upon both branches of the case the plaintiff must fail.
Bytlie Uou'rt.- The judgment of the circuit court is affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Friend, Administrator v. Chicago & Northwestern Railway Company
- Status
- Published