INDEX

99. “There was much discussion by counsel of the doctrine of res ipsa loquitur and its relevancy to the facts of this case. The thing speaks for itself, is a principle applied by the law where under the circumstances shown the accident presumably would not have occurred in the use of a machine if due care had been exercised, or, in the case of an elevator, when in its normal operation after due inspection. The doctrine does not dispense with the requirement that the party who alleges negligence must prove the fact, but relates only to the mode of proving it. The fact of the accident furnishes merely some evidence to go to the jury, which requires the defendant ‘to go forward with his proof.’ The rule of res ipsa loquitur does not relieve the plaintiff of the burden of showing negligence, nor does it raise any presumption in his favor. Whether the defendant introduces evidence or not, the plaintiff in this case will not be entitled to a verdict unless he satisfies the jury by the preponderance of the evidence that his injuries were caused by a defect in the elevator attributable to the defendant’s negligence. The law attaches no special weight, as proof, to the fact of an accident, but simply holds it to be sufficient for the consideration of the jury even in the absence of any additional evidence. Womble v. Grocery Co., 135 N. C. 474; 2 Labatt on Master & Servant, § 834; 4 Wigmore on Evidence, § 2509. In all other respects, the parties stand before the jury just as if there was no such rule. The judge should carefully instruct the jury as to the application of the principle, so that they will not give to the fact of the accident any greater artificial weight than the law imparts to it. Wigmore, in the section just cited, says the following considerations ought to limit the doctrine of res ipsa loquitur: 1. The apparatus must be such that in the ordinary instance no injurious operation is to be expected unless from a careless construction, inspection, or user; 2. Both inspection and user must have been, at the time of the injury, in the control of the party charged; 3. The injurious occurrence must have happened irrespective of any voluntary action at the time by the party injured. He says further that the doctrine is to some extent founded upon the fact that the chief evidence of the true cause of the injury, whether culpable or innocent, is practically accessible to the party charged and perhaps inaccessible to the party injured. What are the general limits of the doctrine and what is the true reason for its adoption, we will not now undertake to decide. It is established in the law as a rule for our guidance and must be enforced whenever applicable, and to the extent that it is applicable, to the facts of the particular case.” Walker, J., in Stewart v. Van Deventer Carpet Co., 138 N. C. 60, 65.

The burden of proof is not shifted; merely the burden of going forward. Sweeney v. Erving, 228 U. S. 233; Ferrier v. Chicago R. Co., 185 Ill. App. 326; Bigwood v. Boston R. Co., 209 Mass. 345; Alabama R. Co. v. Groome, 97 Miss. 201; Kay v. Metropolitan R. Co., 163 N. Y. 447.

100. The arguments of counsel, concurring opinion of Vaughan-Williams, L. J., and dissenting opinion of Buckley, L. J., and part of the opinion of Moulton, L. J., dealing with another point, are omitted.

101. Bonham v. Winchester Arms Co., 179 Ill. App. 469; Prestolite Co. v. Skeel, 182 Ind. 593; Rice v. Chicago R. Co., 153 Mo. App. 35; Dalzell v. New York R. Co., 136 App. Div. 329 Accord.

The nature and circumstances of the accident itself must not only support an inference of defendant’s negligence but must exclude all others. Lucid v. Powder Co., 199 Fed. 377.

102. Statement abridged.

103. “The maxim res ipsa loquitur is simply a rule of evidence.

The general rule is that negligence is never presumed from the mere fact of injury, yet the manner of the occurrence of the injury complained of, or the attendant circumstances, may sometimes well warrant an inference of negligence. It is sometimes said that it warrants a presumption of negligence, but the presumption referred to is not one of law, but of fact. It is, however, more correct and less confusing to refer to it as an inference, rather than a presumption, and not an inference which the law draws from the fact, but an inference which the jury are authorized to draw, and not an inference which the jury are compelled to draw.” Cobb, J., in Palmer Brick Co. v. Chenall, 119 Ga. 837, 842. See Sweeney v. Erving, 228 U. S. 233, 240; Harlow v. Standard Imp. Co., 145 Cal. 477; National Biscuit Co. v. Wilson, 169 Ind. 442; O’Neil v. Toomey, 218 Mass. 242; Lincoln v. Detroit R. Co., 179 Mich. 189; Boucher v. Boston R. Co., 76 N. H. 91; Ross v. Cotton Mills, 140 N. C. 115. But compare Thompson v. St. Louis R. Co., 243 Mo. 336, 353.

104. Statement abridged.

105. 59 N. J. Law, 474.

106. Actiesselskabet Ingrid v. Central R. Co., 216 Fed. 72; Huneke v. West Brighton Amusement Co., 80 App. Div. 268; De Glopper v. Nashville R. Co., 123 Tenn. 633 Accord.

107. Statement abridged. Part of opinion omitted.

108. Carpenter v. Walker, 170 Ala. 659; Miller v. Fletcher, 142 Ga. 668; Zabron v. Cunard Co., 151 Ia. 345; Randolph v. Snyder, 139 Ky. 159; Springfield Egg Co. v. Springfield Ice Co., 259 Mo. 664; Hales v. Raines, 146 Mo. App. 232, 239; Robinson v. Threadgill, 13 Ired. Law, 39; Hobbs v. Smith, 27 Okl. 830 Accord.

109. The opinion of Lord Esher, M. R., is omitted.

110. The settled practice allows an action against a carrier either upon contract or upon tort, as best suits the purposes of the pleader. 3 Hutchinson, Carriers (3d ed.), § 1325.

111. Sect. 2222. “There must be fixed on the line of said roads, and at the distance of four hundred yards from the centre of each of such road crossings, and on each side thereof, a post, and the engineer shall be required, whenever he shall arrive at either of said posts, to blow the whistle of the locomotive until it arrives at the public road, and to simultaneously check and keep checking the speed thereof, so as to stop in time should any person or thing be crossing said track on said road.”

Sect. 2224. “If any engineer neglects to blow said whistle as required, and to check the speed as required, he is guilty of a misdemeanor....”—Georgia Code of 1895.

112. Only so much of the case is given as relates to a single point. Statement abridged. Part of opinion omitted.

113. But see Mayer v. Thompson, 104 Ala. 611; Carter v. Atlantic R. Co., 84 S. C. 456; Lough v. Davis, 30 Wash. 204.

114. Stiewel v. Borman, 63 Ark. 30; Owens v. Nichols, 139 Ga. 475; Baird v. Shipman, 132 Ill. 16; Tippecanoe Loan & Trust Co. v. Jester, 180 Ind. 357; Ward v. Pullman Co., 131 Ky. 142; Consolidated Gas Co. v. Connor, 114 Md. 140; Ellis v. McNaughton, 76 Mich. 237; Orcutt v. Century Bldg. Co., 201 Mo. 424; Hagerty v. Montana Ore Co., 38 Mont. 69; Horner v. Lawrence, 37 N. J. Law, 46; Schlosser v. Great Northern R. Co., 20 N. D. 406, 411; Greenberg v. Whitcomb, 90 Wis. 225 Accord.

115. Northern R. Co. v. State, 29 Md. 420; Dyche v. Vicksburg R. Co., 79 Miss. 361; Bresnahan v. Lonsdale Co., (R. I. 1900) 51 Atl. 624 Accord.

See also Willes, J., in Skelton v. London R. Co., L. R. 2 C. P. 631, 636; Bailey v. Walker, 29 Mo. 407; Thorne v. Deas, 4 Johns. 84, 96; Hyde v. Moffat, 16 Vt. 271.

116. Allen v. Hixson, 111 Ga. 460; Griswold v. Boston R. Co., 183 Mass. 434; Stager v. Laundry Co., 38 Or. 480, 489; Scholl v. Belcher, 63 Or. 310; Ollett v. Pennsylvania R. Co., 201 Pa. St. 361; King v. Interstate R. Co., 23 R. I. 583; Riley v. Gulf R. Co., (Tex. Civ. App.) 16 S. W. 595 Accord. See also Kenney v. Hannibal R. Co., 70 Mo. 252.

Whitesides v. Southern R. Co., 128 N. C. 229 (divided court) contra. See also Dyche v. Vicksburg R. Co., 79 Miss. 361.

117. Ohio R. Co. v. Early, 141 Ind. 73; Raasch v. Elite Laundry Co., 98 Minn. 357 (semble); Salter v. Nebraska Telephone Co., 79 Neb. 373 (semble) Accord. See also Shaw v. Milwaukee R. Co., 103 Minn. 8.

It has been held also that such a duty is incidental to the relation of carrier and passenger. Layne v. Chicago R. Co., 175 Mo. App. 35, 41. Compare Kambour v. Boston R. Co., 77 N. H. 33; Southern R. Co. v. Sewell, 18 Ga. App. 544.

It has always been regarded as incidental to the employment of seamen. The Iroquois, 194 U. S. 240; U.S. v. Knowles, 4 Sawy. 517; Scarff v. Metcalf, 107 N.Y. 211.

118. See also Weymire v. Wolfe, 52 Ia. 533; Trout v. Watkins, 148 Mo. App. 621. Compare Texas R. Co. v. Geraldon, 54 Tex. Civ. App. 71.

On the whole subject, see Ames, Law and Morals, 22 Harvard Law Rev. 99, 111–113; Bohlen, The Moral Duty to Aid Others as a Basis of Tort Liability, 56 University of Pennsylvania Law Rev. 217, 316; Bruce, Humanity and the Law, 73 Central Law Journ. 335.

119. A woman’s head-dress catches fire: water is at hand: a man, instead of assisting to quench the fire, looks on and laughs at it. A drunken man, falling with his face downwards into a puddle, is in danger of suffocation: lifting his head a little on one side would save him: another man sees this and lets him lie. A quantity of gunpowder lies scattered about a room: a man is going into it with a lighted candle: another, knowing this, lets him go in without warning. Who is there that in any of these cases would think punishment misapplied?—Author’s Note.

120. This proposed code was not enacted.

121. A Penal Code prepared by the Indian Law Commissioners, and published by command of the Governor-General of India in Council; Calcutta, 1837.

122. As to the authorship of these notes, see the preface to the English edition (1875) of Macaulay’s Works. As to the code itself, see Stephen, History of the Criminal Law of England, 298–323.

123. Statement abridged. Arguments of counsel omitted.

124. Grand Trunk R. Co. v. Barnett, [1911] A. C. 361; Louisville R. Co. v. Womack, 173 Fed. 752; Chesapeake R. Co. v. Hawkins, 174 Fed. 597; Graysonia Lumber Co. v. Carroll, 102 Ark. 460; Chicago Terminal Co. v. Kotoski, 199 Ill. 383; Neice v. Chicago R. Co., 254 Ill. 595; Jordan v. Grand Rapids R. Co., 162 Ind. 464; Burgess v. Atchison R. Co., 83 Kan. 497; Lando v. Chicago R. Co., 81 Minn. 279; Ingram-Day Lumber Co. v. Harvey, 98 Miss. 11; Koegel v. Missouri R. Co., 181 Mo. 379; Hoberg v. Collins, 80 N. J. Law, 425; Gulf R. Co. v. Dees, 44 Okl. 118; Woodward v. Southern R. Co., 90 S. C. 262; Norfolk R. Co. v. Wood, 99 Va. 156; Huff v. Chesapeake R. Co., 48 W. Va. 45 Accord.

So in case of persons wrongfully upon engines, cars, or trains. Chicago R. Co. v. McDonough, 112 Ill. App. 315; Handley v. Missouri R. Co., 61 Kan. 237; Planz v. Boston R. Co., 157 Mass. 377; Bjornquist v. Boston R. Co., 185 Mass. 130; Feeback v. Missouri R. Co., 167 Mo. 206; Wickenburg v. Minneapolis R. Co., 94 Minn. 276 (boy of twelve); Johnson v. New York R. Co., 173 N. Y. 79; Morgan v. Oregon R. Co., 27 Utah, 92. But see Johnson v. Chicago R. Co., 123 Ia. 224; Pierce v. North Carolina R. Co., 124 N. C. 83. As to who is a trespasser in such a place, see Yancey v. Boston R. Co., 205 Mass. 162.

“A railway company may lawfully require a wilful trespasser upon one of its moving trains to immediately cease his unlawful conduct, by such means as not to indicate a willingness to deprive him of his self-control in leaving the train, the speed of the train not being so great that a personal injury to him should be expected to occur, giving due consideration to the duty of the trespasser to cease his lawlessness by all reasonable means in his power and reasonable expectation that he will use such means in attempting to do it. It is not sufficient to indicate an intentional injury that the party causing it had reasonable ground to expect that such a result was within reasonable probabilities, otherwise a violation of the duty to exercise ordinary care would, of itself, be sufficient to indicate such injury. The danger of inflicting a personal injury upon a person by the conduct of another must be such as to reasonably permit of a belief that such other either contemplated producing it, or, being conscious of the danger that it would occur, imposed such danger upon that person in utter disregard of the consequences, to warrant saying, reasonably, that the circumstances indicate willingness to perpetrate such injury.” Marshall, J., in Bolin v. Chicago R. Co., 108 Wis. 333, 351–352. See also Hoberg v. Collins, 80 N. J. Law, 425, 429. But compare Palmer v. Gordon, 173 Mass. 410; Romana v. Boston R. Co., 226 Mass. 533.

125. Statement abridged. Part of opinion omitted.

126. Rome Furnace Co. v. Patterson, 120 Ga. 521; Fields v. Louisville R. Co., 163 Ky. 673 Accord. See also Hector Min. Co. v. Robertson, 22 Col. 491; Hobbs v. Blanchard, 74 N. H. 116; Stuck v. Kanawha R. Co., 76 W. Va. 453; Peaslee, Duty to Seen Trespassers, 27 Harvard Law Rev. 403.

As to duty to observed child trespasser, see Little Rock R. Co. v. Barker, 39 Ark. 491, 500; Louisville R. Co. v. Lohges, 6 Ind. App. 288; Baltimore R. Co. v. Welch, 114 Md. 536. To observed helpless trespasser, see Tanner v. Louisville R. Co., 60 Ala. 621; Pannell v. Nashville R. Co., 97 Ala. 298; Martin v. Chicago R. Co., 194 Ill. 138; Krenzer v. Pittsburgh R. Co., 151 Ind. 587; Glenn v. Louisville R. Co., 28 Ky. Law Rep. 949. To trespasser observed in a dangerous position, see Haley v. Kansas City R. Co., 113 Ala. 640; Atkinson v. Kelley, 8 Ala. App. 571; St. Louis R. Co. v. Townsend, 69 Ark. 380, 383; Chicago R. Co. v. Kotoski, 199 Ill. 383; Richardson v. Missouri R. Co., 90 Kan. 292; Whitehead v. St. Louis R. Co., 99 Mo. 263; Mathews v. Chicago R. Co., 63 Mo. App. 569; Omaha R. Co. v. Cook, 42 Neb. 577.

127. Statement rewritten; part of case omitted; argument omitted.

128. The above portions of the instructions are set out in the argument of counsel, pp. 235–237.

129. Schmidt v. Michigan Coal Co., 159 Mich. 308; Myers v. Boston R. Co., 72 N. H. 175; Carney v. Concord St. R. Co., 72 N. H. 364; Brown v. Boston R. Co., 73 N. H. 568; Magar v. Hammond, 171 N. Y. 377; O’Leary v. Brooks Elevator Co., 7 N. D. 568 Accord. See also Houston R. Co. v. Garrett, (Tex. Civ. App.) 160 S. W. 111.

As to the effect of a statute prohibiting the particular trespass, see Marra v. New York R. Co., 139 App. Div. 707.

As to when a horse is trespassing, see Taft v. New York R. Co., 157 Mass. 297.

130. The statement and part of the opinion are omitted.

131. That in general there is no duty to look out for trespassers on the track or right of way, see also Cleveland R. Co. v. Tartt, 99 Fed. 369; Louisville R. Co. v. Jones, 191 Ala. 484; Goudreau v. Connecticut Co., 84 Conn. 406; Atlantic R. Co. v. McDonald, 135 Ga. 635; Curd v. Cincinnati R. Co., 163 Ky. 104; Baltimore R. Co. v. State, 114 Md. 536; Petur v. Erie R. Co., 151 App. Div. 578; Carter v. Erie R. Co., 33 Ohio Cir. Ct. Rep. 377; Laeve v. Missouri R. Co., (Tex. Civ. App.) 136 S. W. 1129.

Jeffries v. Seaboard R. Co., 129 N. C. 236 contra. See also Ark. Kirby’s Dig. § 6607; Tenn. Shannon’s Code, § 1574(4).

As to duty of trainmen in a place where there is a known likelihood of trespassers, see Southern R. Co. v. Donovan, 84 Ala. 141; Bullard v. Southern R. Co., 116 Ga. 644; Cincinnati R. Co. v. Blankenship, 157 Ky. 699; Risbridger v. Michigan R. Co., 188 Mich. 672; Fearons v. Kansas City R. Co., 180 Mo. 208; Eppstein v. Missouri R. Co., 197 Mo. 720; Krummack v. Missouri R. Co., 98 Neb. 773; St. Louis R. Co. v. Hodge, (Okl.) 157 Pac. 60; Whelan v. Baltimore R. Co., 70 W. Va. 442; Whalen v. Chicago R. Co., 75 Wis. 654. Contra: Baltimore R. Co. v. Welch, 114 Md. 536; Boden v. Boston R. Co., 205 Mass. 504; Haltiwanger v. Columbia R. Co., 64 S. C. 7. Compare Lowery v. Walker, [1911] A. C. 10.

The trainmen may assume that an adult trespasser, not in obvious peril, will look out for himself. Indianapolis R. Co. v. McClaren, 62 Ind. 566; Campbell v. Kansas City R. Co., 55 Kan. 536; St. Louis R. Co. v. Herrin, 6 Tex. Civ. App. 718. As to a child, see Pennsylvania R. Co. v. Morgan, 82 Pa. St. 134.

132. “The duty must be one owed by the defendants to the plaintiffs in respect to the very matter or act charged as negligence.”—Parsons, C. J., in Pittsfield C. M. Co. v. Pittsfield Shoe Co., 71 N. H. 522, 531.

133. Statement abridged.

134. Hardcastle v. South Yorkshire R. Co., 4 H. & N. 67; Ponting v. Noakes, [1894] 2 Q. B. 281; Scoggin v. Atlantic Cement Co., 179 Ala. 213; Gordon v. Roberts, 162 Cal. 506; Whitney v. New York R. Co., 87 Conn. 623; Garner v. Town, 7 Ga. App. 630; McDermott v. Burke, 256 Ill. 401; Northwestern El. Co. v. O’Malley, 107 Ill. App. 599; Knapp v. Doll, 180 Ind. 526; St. Joseph I. Co. v. Bertch, 33 Ind. App. 491; Upp v. Darner, 150 Ia. 403; Bransom v. Labrot, 81 Ky. 638; Mallock v. Derby, 190 Mass. 208; Flanagan v. Sanders, 138 Mich. 253; Dahl v. Valley Dredging Co., 125 Minn. 90; Schmidt v. Distilling Co., 90 Mo. 284; Henry v. Disbrow M. Co., 144 Mo. App. 350; Butler v. Chicago R. Co., 155 Mo. App. 287; Burrill v. Alexander, 75 N. H. 554; Kleinberg v. Schween, 134 App. Div. 493; Riggle v. Lens, 71 Or. 125; Clapp v. La Grill, 103 Tenn. 164; Stamford Oil Co. v. Barnes, 103 Tex. 409; Denison Light Co. v. Patton, 105 Tex. 621; Lunsford v. Colonial Coal Co., 115 Va. 346; Anderson v. Northern R. Co., 19 Wash. 340; West v. Shaw, 61 Wash. 227.

As to setting traps for trespassers, see Bird v. Holbrook, 4 Bing. 628; Hooker v. Miller, 37 Ia. 613. Compare Marble v. Ross, 124 Mass. 44; Loomis v. Terry, 17 Wend. 497; Sherfey v. Bartley, 4 Sneed, 58.

135. Latham v. Johnson, [1913] 1 K. B. 398; Cleveland R. Co. v. Ballentine, 84 Fed. 935; Riedel v. West Jersey Co., 177 Fed. 374; Pastorello v. Stone, 89 Conn. 286; Norman v. Bartholomew, 104 Ill. App. 667; Nelson v. Burnham Co., 114 Me. 213; Peninsular Trust Co. v. City, 131 Mich. 571; Houck v. Chicago R. Co., 116 Mo. App. 559; Hughes v. Boston R. Co., 71 N. H. 279; Leithold v. Philadelphia R. Co., 47 Pa. Super. Ct. 137; Dobbins v. Missouri R. Co., 91 Tex. 60; Bottum v. Hawks, 84 Vt. 370; Curtis v. Stone Quarries, 37 Wash. 355; Uthermohler v. Mining Co., 50 W. Va. 457; Ritz v. City, 45 W. Va. 262 Accord. Compare Walsh v. Pittsburg R. Co., 221 Pa. St. 463; Lyttle v. Harlem Coal Co., 167 Ky. 345.

136. This opinion, too long to be inserted here, will be found in 2 Cent. Law Journal, 170.

137. Railroad Co. v. Stout, 17 Wall. 657; Union R. Co. v. McDonald, 152 U. S. 262 (slackpit); St. Louis R. Co. v. Underwood, (C. C. A.) 194 Fed. 363 (pile of lumber); Southern R. Co. v. Bunt, 131 Ala. 591; Thompson v. Alexander Cotton Mills Co., 190 Ala. 184 (drain containing hot water); Barrett v. Southern P. R. Co., 91 Cal. 296 (but see Peters v. Bowman, 115 Cal. 345—pond; George v. Los Angeles R. Co., 126 Cal. 357—cars standing unattended); Ferguson v. Columbus R. Co., 75 Ga. 637, 77 Ga. 102 (but see Savannah R. Co. v. Beavers, 113 Ga. 398—excavation); City v. McMahon, 154 Ill. 141; Donk Bros. v. Leavitt, 109 Ill. App. 385; Belt R. Co. v. Charters, 123 Ill. App. 322 (but see American Advertising Co. v. Flannigan, 100 Ill. App. 452); Chicago R. Co. v. Fox, 38 Ind. App. 268; Lewis v. Cleveland R. Co., 42 Ind. App. 337; Edgington v. Burlington R. Co., 116 Ia. 410 (but see Anderson v. Ft. Dodge R. Co., 150 Ia. 465); Price v. Atchison Water Co., 58 Kan. 551 (reservoir); Kansas City R. Co. v. Matson, 68 Kan. 815 (wood pile); Osborn v. Atchison R. Co., 86 Kan. 440 (abandoned round house—but see Somerfield v. Land and Power Co., 93 Kan. 762—unguarded canal); Bransom v. Labrot, 81 Ky. 638 (pile of timber); Palermo v. Orleans Ice Co., 130 La. 833 (gutter containing hot water); Koons v. St. Louis R. Co., 65 Mo. 592; Schmidt v. Kansas City Distilling Co., 90 Mo. 284 (hole made by escaping steam); Berry v. St. Louis R. Co., 214 Mo. 593 (but see Overholt v. Vieths, 93 Mo. 422—abandoned quarry; Barney v. Hannibal R. Co., 126 Mo. 372—unfenced freight yard; Kelly v. Benas, 217 Mo. 1—pile of lumber); Chicago R. Co. v. Krayenbuhl, 65 Neb. 889; Evansich v. Gulf R. Co., 57 Tex. 126 (but see Missouri R. Co. v. Edwards, 90 Tex. 65; Johnson v. Atlas Supply Co., (Tex. Civ. App.) 183 S. W. 31, 33); Smalley v. Rio Grande R. Co., 34 Utah, 423 (but see Palmer v. Oregon S. L. Co., 34 Utah, 466); Haynes v. City, 69 Wash. 419 (but see Barnhart v. Chicago R. Co., 89 Wash. 304); Kelley v. Southern R. Co., 152 Wis. 328 (but see Emond v. Kimberly-Clark Co., 159 Wis. 83—pond) Accord.

Compare McCabe v. American Woolen Co., (C. C. A.) 132 Fed. 1006 (unguarded canal); Valley Planing Mill v. McDaniel, 119 Ark. 139; Brinkley v. Cooper, 70 Ark. 331; Prickett v. Pardridge, 189 Ill. App. 307; Stendal v. Boyd, 73 Minn. 53; Dahl v. Valley Dredging Co., 125 Minn. 90; Cooper v. Overton, 102 Tenn. 211.

See also Smith, Landowner’s Liability to Children, 11 Harv. Law Rev. 349, 434; 7 Thompson, Negligence, § 1031; Burdick, Torts (3d. ed.), §§ 558–569.

As to the age to which the doctrine is applicable, see Belt R. Co. v. Charters, 123 Ill. App. 322; State Bank v. Mandel, 176 Ill. App. 278; Wilmes v. Chicago R. Co. 175 Ia. 101; Shaw v. Chicago R. Co., (Mo.) 184 S. W. 1151.

138. Wilmot v. McPadden, 79 Conn. 367 (building in course of construction); Daniels v. New York R. Co., 154 Mass. 349; Ryan v. Towar, 128 Mich. 463 (water wheel); Peninsular Trust Co. v. City, 131 Mich. 571 (reservoir); Hughes v. Boston R. Co., 71 N. H. 279 (torpedo on right of way); Delaware R. Co. v. Reich, 61 N. J. Law, 635; Walsh v. Fitchburg R. Co., 145 N. Y. 301; Railroad Co. v. Harvey, 77 Ohio St. 235; Paolino v. McKendall, 24 R. I. 432 (unguarded fire); Uthermohlen v. Bogg’s Run Co., 50 W. Va. 457 Accord.

139. The arguments of counsel and the concurring opinions of Lords Atkinson, Collins, and Loreburn are omitted.

140. See Latham v. Johnson, [1913] 1 K. B. 398. In that case Hamilton, L. J., said (pp. 415–416): “Two other terms must be alluded to—a ‘trap’ and ‘attraction’ or ‘allurement.’ A trap is a figure of speech, not a formula. It involves the idea of concealment and surprise, of an appearance of safety under circumstances cloaking a reality of danger. Owners and occupiers alike expose licensees and visitors to traps on their premises at their peril, but a trap is a relative term. In the case of an infant, there are moral as well as physical traps. There may accordingly be a duty towards infants not merely not to dig pitfalls for them, but not to lead them into temptation. ‘Allurements,’ too, is a vague word. It may refer only to the circumstances under which the injured child has entered the close. Here it is hard to see how infantile temptations can give rights, however much they may excuse peccadilloes. A child will be a trespasser still, if he goes on private ground without leave or right, however natural it may have been for him to do so. On the other hand, the allurement may arise after he has entered with leave or as of right. Then the presence in a frequented place of some object of attraction, tempting him to meddle where he ought to abstain, may well constitute a trap, and in the case of a child too young to be capable of contributory negligence it may impose full liability on the owner or occupier, if he ought, as a reasonable man, to have anticipated the presence of the child and the attractiveness and peril of the object.”

“Finally, what objects which attract infants to their hurt are traps even to them? Not all objects with which children hurt themselves simpliciter. A child can get into mischief and hurt itself with anything if it is young enough. In some cases the answer may rest with the jury, but it must be matter of law to say whether a given object can be a trap in the double sense of being fascinating and fatal. No strict answer has been, or perhaps ever will be, given to the question, but I am convinced that a heap of paving stone in broad daylight in a private close cannot so combine the properties of temptation and retribution as to be properly called a trap.”

141. Statement abridged. Arguments omitted, and parts of opinions.

142. See also Cole v. Willcutt, 214 Mass. 453; Habina v. Twin City Electric Co., 150 Mich. 41; Chesley v. Rocheford, 4 Neb. Unoff. 768, 777.

For examples of “traps,” see Lowery v. Walker, [1911] A. C. 10; Rollestone v. Cassirer, 3 Ga. App. 161; Foren v. Rodick, 90 Me. 276; Hill v. President and Trustees, 61 Or. 190; Grant v. Hass, 31 Tex. Civ. App. 688; Brinilson v. Chicago R. Co., 144 Wis. 614.

143. Affirmed in the Exchequer Chamber, L. R. 2 C. P. 311. Hounsell v. Smyth, 7 C. B. N. S. 731; Batchelor v. Fortescue, 11 Q. B. D. 474; Watson v. Manitou R. Co., 41 Col. 138; Bentley v. Loverock, 102 Ill. App. 166; Joseph v. Henrici Co., 137 Ill. 171; Indiana R. Co. v. Barnhart, 115 Ind. 399; South Bend Iron Works v. Larger, 11 Ind. App. 367; Dixon v. Swift, 98 Me. 207; Reardon v. Thompson, 149 Mass. 267; Blackstone v. Chelmsford Foundry Co., 170 Mass. 321; Vanderbeck v. Hendry, 34 N. J. Law, 467; Fitzpatrick v. Cumberland Glass Co., 61 N. J. Law, 378; Taylor v. Turnpike Co., 65 N. J. Law, 102; Victory v. Baker, 67 N. Y. 366; Larmore v. Crown Point Iron Co., 101 N. Y. 391; Sterger v. Van Sicklen, 132 N. Y. 499; Englehardt v. Central R. Co., 139 App. Div. 786; McCann v. Thilemann, 36 Misc. 145; Monroe v. Atlantic R. Co., 151 N. C. 374; Costello v. Farmers’ Bank, 34 N. D. 131; Kelley v. City, 41 Ohio St. 263; Schiffer v. Sauer, 238 Pa. St. 550; Lunsford’s Administrator v. Colonial Coal Co., 115 Va. 346 Accord.

But see Brinilson v. Chicago R. Co., 144 Wis. 614.

As to liability to children licensees, see Jansen v. Siddal, 41 Ill. App. 279; Cleveland R. Co. v. Means, (Ind. App.) 104 N. E. 785; Benson v. Baltimore Traction Co., 77 Md. 535; McCoy v. Walsh, 186 Mass. 369; Romana v. Boston R. Co., 218 Mass. 76; Bottum v. Hawks, 84 Vt. 370.

But see Knapp v. Doll, 180 Ind. 526 (citing cases); Wilmes v. Chicago R. Co., 175 Ia. 101; Lyttle v. Town Coal Co., 167 Ky. 345.

As to liability where there is a known, permissive, general use by the public, see Pomponio v. New York R. Co., 66 Conn. 528; Western R. Co. v. Meigs, 74 Ga. 857; Green v. Chicago R. Co., 110 Mich. 648; Barry v. New York R. Co., 92 N. Y. 289; Taylor v. Delaware Canal Co., 113 Pa. St. 162; Delaney v. Milwaukee R. Co., 33 Wis. 67. Compare Tucker v. Draper, 62 Neb. 66.

Liability in case of gratuitous carriage: [The judge at the trial in charging the jury] “suggested that the measure of duty towards a bare licensee is different, where the licensor accepts the duty of carrying him, from what it is where he merely permits him to pass through his premises; and I think the cases support this view.... I think it was competent for the jury to find, as they must be taken to have found, a failure of that ordinary care which is due from a person who undertakes the carriage of another gratuitously. The principle in all cases of this class is that the care exercised must be reasonable; and the standard of reasonableness naturally must vary according to the circumstances of the case, the trust reposed, and the skill and appliances at the disposal of the person to whom another confides a duty. There is an obvious difference between the measure of confidence reposed and responsibility accepted in the case of a person who merely receives permission to traverse the premises of another, and in the case where a person or his property is received into the custody of another for transportation: see in the case of goods, Southcote’s Case, (1601) 4 Rep. 83 b. cited in Coggs v. Bernard, 1 Smith, L. C., 11th ed., p. 173, and the notes thereto. In the case of persons received for carriage, Parke, B., says in Lygo v. Newbold, (1854) 9 Ex. 302, at p. 305: ‘A person who undertakes to provide for the conveyance of another, although he does so gratuitously, is bound to exercise due and reasonable care.’ In Austin v. Great Western Ry. Co., [1867] 2 Q. B. 442, at p. 445, Blackburn, J., says: ‘I think that what was said in the case of Marshall v. York, Newcastle and Berwick Ry. Co., (1851) 11 C. B. 655, was quite correct. It was there laid down that the right which a passenger by railway has to be carried safely does not depend on his having made a contract, but that the fact of his being a passenger casts a duty on the company to carry him safely.’”

Collins, M. R., in Harris v. Perry, [1903] 2 K. B. 219, 225, 226. And see, also, Sington on Negligence, 61, 62. But compare Beard v. Klusmeier, 158 Ky. 153.

In the case of a gratuitous loan of a chattel, the lender owes no duty to the borrower except to give warning of any defects actually known to the lender. Gagnon v. Dana, 69 N. H. 264; Coughlin v. Gillison, [1899] 1 Q. B. 145. “A contract of gratuitous service, however, such as one of carriage, involves a duty of reasonable care, and must therefore be distinguished from a contract of gratuitous bailment or a gift, which does not.” Salmond on Torts, 361.

144. Foster v. Portland Min. Co., (C. C. A.) 114 Fed. 613; Central R. Co. v. Robertson, 95 Ga. 430; Chicago R. Co. v. Reinhardt, 235 Ill. 576, 139 Ill. App. 53; Indianapolis Water Co. v. Harold, 170 Ind. 170; Lawson v. Shreveport Waterworks Co., 111 La. 73; Schaaf v. St. Louis Basket Co., 151 Mo. App. 35; Furey v. New York R. Co., 67 N. J. Law, 270; Fogarty v. Bogart, 59 App. Div. 114; Toledo Real Estate Co. v. Putney, 20 Ohio Cir. Ct. Rep. 486; Bush v. Johnston, 23 Pa. St. 209 Accord. Compare Moffatt v. Kenny, 174 Mass. 311.

145. The case is reprinted from the Law Times Reports, except the opinions of Crompton, J., and Blackburn, J., which are taken from the Weekly Reporter.

146. The reference should be 25 L. J. (N. S.) or 34 L. J.

147. Felton v. Aubrey, 74 Fed. 350; De Haven v. Hennessey, (C. C. A.) 137 Fed. 472; Standard Car Co. v. McGuire, 161 Fed. 527; Pomponio v. New York R. Co., 66 Conn. 528; Rink v. Lowry, 38 Ind. App. 132; Schmidt v. Michigan Coal Co., 159 Mich. 308; Clarkin v. Biwabik-Bessemer Co., 65 Minn. 483; Hyatt v. Murray, 101 Minn. 507; Schaaf v. St. Louis Basket Co., 151 Mo. App. 35; Knowles v. Exeter Mfg. Co., 77 N. H. 268; Houston R. Co. v. Bulger, 35 Tex. Civ. App. 478; Houston R. Co. v. O’Leary, (Tex. Civ. App.) 136 S. W. 601 (explosion of car containing fire-works); St. Louis R. Co. v. Balthrop, (Tex. Civ. App.) 167 S. W. 246; Hoadley v. International Paper Co., 72 Vt. 79 Accord.

Illinois R. Co. v. Godfrey, 71 Ill. 500; Cunningham v. Toledo R. Co., 260 Ill. 589; Dixon v. Swift, 98 Me. 207; O’Brien v. Union R. Co., 209 Mass. 449 Contra. See also Fox v. Warner Asphalt Co., 204 N. Y. 240; Roche v. American Ice Co., 140 App. Div. 341; Rosenthal v. United Beef Co., 52 Misc. 166. Compare Knight v. Lanier, 69 App. Div. 454.

148. Statement abridged.

149. Corby v. Hill, 4 C. B. N. S. 556; Rooney v. Woolworth, 78 Conn. 167; Graves v. Thomas, 95 Ind. 361; Penso v. McCormick, 125 Ind. 116; Morrison v. Carpenter, 179 Mich. 207; Wheeler v. St. Joseph Stock Yards Co., 66 Mo. App. 260 Accord. Compare Ellsworth v. Metheney, (C. C. A.) 104 Fed. 119; Cahill v. Stone, 153 Cal. 571; Martin v. Louisville Bridge Co., 41 Ind. App. 493; Quigley v. Clough, 173 Mass. 429; Phillips v. Library Co., 55 N. J. Law, 307; Beck v. Carter, 68 N. Y. 283; Hanson v. Spokane Valley Land Co., 58 Wash. 6.

150. Statement and arguments omitted.

151. Farrant v. Barnes, 11 C. B. N. S. 553; 31 L. J. (C. P.) 137.

152. And see Bolch v. Smith, 7 H. & N. 736; 31 L. J. (Ex.) 201.

153. Bennett v. Louisville R. Co., 102 U. S. 577; Alabama Steel Co. v. Clements, 146 Ala. 259; Hobart Tie Co. v. Keck, 89 Ark. 122; Whitney v. New York R. Co., 87 Conn. 623; Christopher v. Russell, 63 Fla. 191; Southern Express Co. v. Williamson, 66 Fla. 286; Horton v. Harvey, 119 Ga. 219; Latham v. Roach, 72 Ill. 179; Spry Lumber Co. v. Duggan, 182 Ill. 218; Calvert v. Springfield Electric Co., 231 Ill. 290; Laurie v. McCullough, 174 Ind. 477; Young v. People’s Gas Co., 128 Ia. 290; Anderson v. Hair, 103 Ky. 196; Carleton v. Franconia Iron Co., 99 Mass. 216; McDermott v. Sallaway, 198 Mass. 517; Marston v. Reynolds, 211 Mass. 590; Jacobsen v. Simons, 217 Mass. 194; Samuelson v. Cleveland Iron Co., 49 Mich. 164; Donaldson v. Wilson, 60 Mich. 86; Pelton v. Schmidt, 104 Mich. 345; Nash v. Minneapolis Mill Co., 24 Minn. 501; Emery v. Minneapolis Exposition, 56 Minn. 460; Kean v. Schoening, 103 Mo. App. 77; Shaw v. Goldman, 116 Mo. App. 332; Montague v. Hanson, 38 Mont. 376; Land v. Fitzgerald, 68 N. J. Law, 28; Smith v. Jackson, 70 N. J. Law, 183; Ackert v. Lansing, 59 N. Y. 646; Weller v. Consolidated Gas Co., 198 N. Y. 98; Wilson v. Olano, 28 App. Div. 448; Withers v. Brooklyn Exchange, 106 App. Div. 255; Higgins v. Ruppert, 124 App. Div. 530; Massey v. Seller, 45 Or. 267; Newingham v. Blair, 232 Pa. St. 511; Freer v. Cameron, 4 Rich. Law, 228; League v. Stradley, 68 S. C. 515; Richmond R. Co. v. Moore, 94 Va. 493; Smith v. Parkersburg Ass’n, 48 W. Va. 232; Landry v. Great Northern R. Co., 152 Wis. 379 Accord.

As to child accompanying invitee: see Butler v. Chicago R. Co., 155 Mo. App. 287.

Liability to children invitees: see Miller v. Peck Dry Goods Co., 104 Mo. App. 609; Houck v. Chicago R. Co., 116 Mo. App. 559.

Liability where plaintiff departs from or goes beyond the permission or invitation: New York Oil Co. v. Pusey, 211 Fed. 622; Louisville R. Co. v. Sides, 129 Ala. 399; First Nat. Bank v. Chandler, 144 Ala. 286; Coberth v. Great Atlantic Co., 36 App. D. C. 569; Etheredge v. Central R. Co., 122 Ga. 853; Bennett v. Butterfield, 112 Mich. 96; Hutchinson v. Cleveland Iron Co., 141 Mich. 346; Trask v. Shotwell, 41 Minn. 66; Ryerson v. Bathgate, 67 N. J. Law, 337; Gilfillan v. German Hospital, 115 App. Div. 48; Castoriano v. Miller, 15 Misc. 254; Weaver v. Carnegie Steel Co., 223 Pa. St. 238; Hagan v. Delaware Steel Co., 240 Pa. St. 222; Pierce v. Whitcomb, 48 Vt. 127; Peake v. Buell, 90 Wis. 508; Lehmann v. Amsterdam Coffee Co., 146 Wis. 213.

But compare Pauckner v. Wakem, 231 Ill. 276.

Use for purpose not intended by owner or occupier: Thiele v. McManus, 3 Ind. App. 132; Smith v. Trimble, 111 Ky. 861; Ferguson v. Ferguson, (Ky.) 114 S. W. 297; Speicher v. New York Tel. Co., 60 N. J. Law, 242, 59 N. J. Law, 23; Clark v. Fehlhaber, 106 Va. 803. See also Urban v. Focht, 231 Pa. St. 623.

Invitee of licensee: see Brehmer v. Lyman, 71 Vt. 98.

In Cox v. Coulson, [1916] 2 K. B. 177, a spectator in a theatre was injured by the discharge of a pistol during a performance. Bankes, L. J., said: “It seems to me obvious that the duty of the invitor in a case like the present is not only confined to the state of the premises, using that expression as extending to the structure merely. The duty must to some extent extend to the performance given in the structure, because the performance may be of such a kind as to render the structure an unsafe place to be in whilst the performance is going on, or it may be of such a kind as to render the structure unsafe unless some obvious precaution is taken. As an illustration under the latter head I would instance a case where a tight-rope dancer performs on a rope stretched over the heads of the audience. In such a case the provision of a net under the rope to protect the audience in case the performer fell seems so obvious a precaution to take that in the absence of it the premises could not be said to be reasonably safe. In the present case the performance was one which included a discharge of pistols loaded with blank ammunition as one of the incidents. If the pistols had been properly loaded, it is difficult to see that the incident exposed any member of the audience in any ordinarily constructed theatre to any danger. On the other hand, if any one of the pistols was not properly loaded, what would otherwise be a safe performance became an exceedingly dangerous one, and any part of the auditorium might be rendered an extremely unsafe place to be in. Whether the circumstances were such that any negligence or want of proper care can be attributed to the appellant in relation to the loading of the pistol or in relation to the ammunition supplied for that purpose has not been investigated, and I do not think that justice can be done between the parties until this is done.”