Central of Georgia Railway Co. v. Blackmon

53 So. 805, 169 Ala. 304, 1910 Ala. LEXIS 194
Supreme Court of Alabama·Decided November 17, 1910·Published·Cited by 28 cases

Opinion

ANDERSON, J.

The intestate being a trespasser on the defendant’s track at the time he was run over or against, and at a point where the defendant owed him no duty to keep a lookout, the defendant’s servants owed him only the duty of preventing the injury, if they could do so, after discovering his peril on the track, and after becoming aware that he could not or would not extricate himself therefrom. — Southern R. Co. v. Gullatt, 150 Ala. 318, 43 South. 577; Southern R. Co. v. Bush, 122 Ala, 470, 26 South. 168. Therefore, the complaint would not be good after showing that the intestate was a trespasser unless it charged willful or wanton misconduct or negligence subsequent to a discovery of peril. — Birmingham. R. Co. v. Jones, 153 Ala. 168, 45 South. 177. We do not understand the authorities to hold that the only duty owing a trespasser is not to wilfully or wantonly injure him, but they also permit a recovery for subsequent negligence as well — that is, for a. negligent failure to use preventative means to avert [309] injury after a discovery of peril, and after a knowledge that the trespasser cannot extricate himself in time to avoid being injured — notwithstanding the act or omission of the servants in charge of the train did not amount to wilful misconduct or wanton negligence. It is true we have authorities, as noticed in section 414, p. 636, vol. 4, Mayfield’s Digest, which in effect hold that a complaint which shows that the plaintiff was a trespasser when injured is bad on demurrer if it fails to aver wanton or wilful misconduct. But these -cases were decided before the doctrine of subsequent negligence had gained much footing in this state, and the negligence there charged was original or initiative negligence as distinguished from subsequent negligence or negligence after a discovery of peril. We think the true rule as testing the sufficiency of a complaint, is that when simple negligence only is charged — that is, initial negligence — it should bring the plaintiff within the protection of the rule and show that he was not a trespasser. —Holland v. L. & N. R. R. Co., 164 Ala. 73, 51 South. 366; Gadsden R. R. Co. v. Julian, 133 Ala. 373, 32 South. 135. Oin the other hand, although the injured party was a trespasser when injured, and this fact is set out in the complaint, it would not be subject to demurrer if it charged that the injury was wilfully or wantonly inflicted, or that it was due to negligence subsequent to a discovery of peril, and which last fact is charged in the only count in the present complaint that went to the jury — count 1. Count 1 does not charge wanton or wilful misconduct, but- charges a mere negligent failure to prevent the injury after a discovery of peril. It does charge that defendant’s servants knew of intestate’s peril, and knew that he could not extricate himself or avoid being injured, but it does not charge that they then wilfully run over or against- him, or that they wan[310] tonly neglected to discharge the duties required in order to avoid running over or against him. The complaint did not charge wanton or wilful misconduct.— L. & N. R. R. Co. v. Brown, 121 Ala. 226, 25 South. 609, and cases there cited. But although it showed upon its face that the intestate was a trespasser, it charged negligence subsequent to a discovery of peril, and was not subject to the defendant’s demurrers, and the trial court did not err in overruling same. The rule as laid down by this court, as in other jurisdictions, including England, is that while the plaintiff’s intestate’s negligence in being on the track would defeat a recovery for initial or antecedent negligence, yet he could recover if defendant’s servants, in charge of the train, became aware of the intestate’s peril in time to avoid running over him by the proper use of preventative means at their command, and negligently failed to resort to such means, to conserve his safety, provided the intestate himself was free from negligence after becoming conscious of his danger. — Ala. G. S. R. R. Co. v. McWhorter, 156 Ala. 269, 47 South. 84; Louisville & N. R. Co. v. Young, 153 Ala. 232, 45 South. 238, 16 L. R. A. (N. S.) 301; Central of Ga. R. R. Co. v. Foshee, 125 Ala. 199, 27 South. 1006; L. & N. R. R. Co. v. Brown, 121 Ala. 227, 25 South. 609, and cases there cited. As was also held and properly so,’ in the case of Louisville & N. R. Co. v. Young, supra, and in the case of St. Louis R. Co. v. Schumacher, 152 U. S. 77, 14 Sup. Ct. 479, 38 L. Ed. 361, the plaintiff 'cannot recover if his negligence is not only subsequent to, but concurrent with, the subsequent negligence of the defendant. If the special pleas 2, 3, and 4 only set up contributory negligence on the part of plaintiff’s intestate, anterior to the subsequent negligence of the defendant’s servants as averred in the complaint, such as negligently going [311] or being on the track, they would not be good, and would be subject to the grounds of the demurrer interposed thereto; but said pleas not only set up the intestate’s negligence in going upon and being on the track, but invokes his negligently remaining on the track until he was struck, with a knowledge or consciousness of his clanger. If he remained on the track after becoming aware of his danger, this would be negligence concurrent with or subsequent to the negligence charged to the -defendant’s servants, and would be a complete -defense to the complaint, and the trial court erred in sustaining the demurrers to defendant’s pleas 2, 3, and 4, as they were certainly not subject to the grounds assigned in the demurrer.

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Central of Georgia Railway Co. v. Blackmon, 53 So. 805, 169 Ala. 304, 1910 Ala. LEXIS 194 (Ala. 1910).

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