Molzoff v. Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Co.
Molzoff v. Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Co.
Opinion of the Court
Briefly stated, the negligence complained of is that the plaintiff was a “yard man” in the employ of the defendant, and that it was the duty of defendant to furnish a safe place for plaintiff to work and warn him of dangers
The particular negligence complained of is that the engine. bell was not sounded so as to give plaintiff notice of the approach of the engine; that the engine was moved after it had come to a complete stop without any lookout to see whether any person was in a place of danger; and that plaintiff was misinformed as to the movements of the engine by a member of the switching crew, which information was relied upon by him.
The questions involved are mainly questions of fact, namely, whether there was sufficient evidence to carry the case to the jury on the defendant’s alleged negligence.
It is conceded that the case comes under the federal act. The evidence tends to show that the defendant maintains its depot and depot grounds on the east side of the city of Green Ray, Wisconsin, and also a small Switching yard there; on the west side of Green Bay it maintains large shops and extensive switching yards; there is a railroad bridge across the Fox river connecting these two yards; the bridge consists of a trestle at the west side of the river about 290 feet in length; there is no pathway on this ‘trestle, but upon each side, about two feet below the level of the ties, is a stringer upon which a person may stand in safety while a train is passing; the bridge proper is built upon wooden piers and said piers are so constructed that it is practicable for a person crossing the bridge to stand thereon in safety while a train is passing. The main line of the company runs over this bridge, and about 300 feet west of the westerly approach is what is known as the Green Bay and Kewaunee Y, which is a switch con
It further appears from tbe evidence that a large number of employees engaged in tbe shops and in tbe employ of tbe defendant were accustomed to cross tbe bridge in going to and from their work at different hours of tbe day, and-that plaintiff was accustomed to ride back to tbe east side upon switch engines when returning from tbe west side while in tbe discharge of bis duties as employee of tbe defendant. That sometimes plaintiff walked across tbe bridge in going to and from tbe shops on tbe west side.
There is no direct evidence that tbe engineer or fireman knew that plaintiff rode on tbe footboard or that be got off at tbe bridge on tbe day in question, but in view of all the circumstances of the case we think tbe jury would have been entitled to find that tbe fireman and engineer knew, or ought to have known, that be was riding on tbe footboard on bis way over tbe river to bis work on tbe east side.
Tbe evidence is conflicting as to whether or not tbe bell was rung before starting onto tbe bridge after plaintiff got off tbe footboard, but upon this point tbe evidence is also sufficient to warrant tbe jury in finding that tbe bell did not ring, or tbat^if it did ring it was only a low, muffled stroke and not sufficient to give warning. Counsel for respondent contends, first, that tbe bell was rung, and second, that it was not negligence on tbe part of tbe defendant to fail to ring the bell where tbe engine stopped only a few seconds. Tbe evi-
There is also evidence in the case that under the rules of the defendant the person in charge of an engine upon moving it is bound to give a signal either by blowing the whistle or ringing the bell.
There is also evidence that the plaintiff was more than sixty feet away from the engine at the time it started, and that at this point he could be seen by the engineer and fireman, or either of them, had they looked.
We shall not attempt to discuss the evidence in detail on the question of negligence. We think it was sufficient to entitle the jury to find that the plaintiff rode upon the footboard with the knowledge of the fireman and engineer, and that either of them looking could have seen him on the bridge before the engine started; that under the circumstances of the case ordinary care required that the bell should have been rung or the whistle blown before starting the engine, and that neither was done; that the brakeman who remained upon the footboard with plaintiff until the engine stopped made the statement that the engine would go no further, and that plaintiff relied upon this statement.
It is contended by counsel for respondent that in any event the alleged negligence was not the proximate cause of the injury. Under the federal act it is sufficient if the injury to an employee results in whole or in part from the negligence of any of the officers, agents, or employees of the common carrier. Act of April 22, 1908 (35 U. S. Stats, at Large, 65, ch. 149, sec. 1). It is insisted by counsel for respondent that plaintiff knew the engine was going to “back up” because he so stated to the brakeman, and that this was sufficient warning. It is by no means clear that plaintiff knew that the engine was going to back up or that he understood the engine was going east onto the trestle.. His acts in going on the bridge in front of it would indicate that he did not, .and he so testified. The engine was going east, dragging ■cars after it, until it reached the trestle. The plaintiff may well have understood that by “backing up” it was intended that the engine would go west in the opposite direction from that it had been going up to the time it stopped at the trestle. It was for the jury to say whether such statement, if made, was sufficient warning.
Counsel also relies upon St. Louis & S. F. R. Co. v. Conarty, 238 U. S. 243, 35 Sup. Ct. 785. This case is not favorable to plaintiff. It did not arise under the federal act .above referred to, but under the Safety Appliance Act of April 14, 1910 (36 U. S. Stats, at Large, 298, ch. 160, 1 Fed. Stats. Ann. (1912 Supp.) sec. 2, p. 336). The Safety Appliance Act was passed to protect a certain class, and the
A careful review of all the evidence convinces the court that there was ample evidence to carry the case to the jury and therefore the court below was in error in directing a verdict for the defendant.
By the Court. — The judgment is reversed, and the cause remanded for a new trial.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.