Central Railroad v. Combs

70 Ga. 533
CourtSupreme Court of Georgia
DecidedSeptember 1, 1883
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 70 Ga. 533 (Central Railroad v. Combs) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Georgia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Central Railroad v. Combs, 70 Ga. 533 (Ga. 1883).

Opinion

Blandeord, Justice.

The defendants in error brought their separate actions in the superior court of Bibb county against the plaintiff in error, in which each alleged that he made a contract with the defendant (the plaintiff in error), that for and in consideration of the sum of thirty-five 55-100 dollars, it would transport the |)laintiff from the city of Macon, Georgia, to the city of Galveston, Texas; that he paid said amount to defendant, and that defendant issued and delivered to plaintiff a ticket, with certain coupons attached ; that plaintiff travelled and was transported on said ticket as far as the city of New Orleans; that part of the ticket so purchased was over the Morgan line from New Orleans to Galveston; that he left the city of Macon on the 20th of August, 1879, and followed the directions given him by defendant, reaching New Orleans on the 21st of August, 1879, and there the defendant failed and refused to carry him farther on his journey, and the Morgan line failed and refused to carry plaintiff from New Orleans to Galveston. And it was further averred that there was no steamer running on the Morgan line from New Orleans, and had not been for a long time before the issuing of said ticket and the making of the contract, and that fact defendant knew before it sold the ticket. These are all the allegations in the declaration material to be considered by this court.

The defendant in the court below and plaintiff in error in this court filed a plea of the general issue.

The plaintiff, Combs, was sworn as a witness in behalf of plaintiffs, and he testified that he wanted to go to Texas for the purpose of buying ponies or horses, in the summer [535]*535or winter of 1819, and that he and Richards went to the Central Railroad depot in Macon, and asked the ticket agent as to which was the best way to get to Galveston, and whether they could get tickets to go through on. “He told us he could sell us 'tickets by way of New Orleans to Galveston, and did sell one to witness and Richards for thirty-five dollars each.” Witness identified two tickets shown him, and said that “these are parts of the two tickets sold to us by the agent of the Central Railroad,” and were the parts they were not able to use. They started to Galveston on the tickets which they bought, and went as far as New Orleans ; and when they arrived there and presented the tickets, the agent of the Morgan line of steamers informed them the steamers were not running. “ When we found we could not go on to Galveston, we stayed in New Orleans two days and nights, and then returned to Macon. We paid two dollars a day for board each day we stayed in New Orleans, and we paid twenty-four dollars each for tickets back to Macon,” sixteen dollars each for expenses on the road there and back; their time was worth each ten dollars per day ; that they were gone six days. Upon cross-examination, stated that ticket agent did not say anything to him about not being able to go to New Orleans by Memphis, but heard some conversation between him and Mr. Richards about going by Memphis, but do not know what it was. Did not hear Mr. Hoge, the agent, say he could not sell us tickets by way of Memphis, on account of yellow lever being there, and the tickets had been taken off of sale; nor did I hear him say he did not know whether we could get through New Orleans or not, as he had not been officially notified to take the tickets off sale. Does not remember what month this occurred in, but thinks it was in the winter time. On looking at the date of the ticket, said it was in August, but afterwards said he thought it was in the winter time. His meals on the way to New Orleans cost fifty cents each ; remembers no other item of expense go[536]*536ing to make up the sixteen dollars, except prize candy and other such things bought on the cars; was a horse drover, and was certain he could make ten dollars a day.

The plaintiffs introduced in evidence two coupons of tickets from New Orleans to Galveston, copy of which is as follows :

“Central Railroad of Georgia. First Class. Galveston, Texas, via C. of G., C. & W., W. of A., L. & N., T. M. L. T. Co. Issued bythe Central Railroad of Georgia. Good for one first-class passage to Galveston, Texas, when officially stamped, and subject to the following contract: 1 st. In selling this ticket, this company acts as agent, and is not responsible beyond its own line,” etc.

Stamped on the back of each ticket and coupon :

“Central Railroad of Georgia. S. C. Hoge, agent. August 20, 1879.”

The defendant introduced S. C. Hoge, who was sworn, and he testified that he was the agent of the Central Railroad at Macon; sold two tickets in August, 1879, to two men, who said they wanted to go to San Antonio, Texas, by way of Galveston; did not know whether plaintiff' was one of the mien, but these are the tickets which he sold; recognizes the stamps and remembers the date on them; it was in August, 1879. They asked witness if he could sell them tickets by Memphis to Galveston; he informed them he could not, as there was yellow fever there; the place was quarantined, and we had been notified to take the tickets off sale. ,He then asked witness if there was any other route they could get tickets, so as to go through on same tickets. Witness replied that he could sell them tickets through New Orleans, blit he did not know whether they could get through or not, on account of the yellow fever being there. Witness knew that the yellow fever was there as well as at Memphis. Witness told them that he had not been notified to take the tickets off sale by that route, and, therefore, he had to sell them the tickets; but he did not tell them they could go through on the tickets; simply told them he was doubtful about it. Some [537]*537time after this, the same men who bought the tickets came and demanded a refunding of their money, as they said they could not get through New Orleans on them; they were referred to Major Shellman.

Major N. T. Shellman was introduced and sworn as a witness for defendant, and he testified that he was the general agent of the Central Railroad at Macon, in 1879; he remembered the plaintiff coming to him to take up the coupons of the two tickets, and to reimburse them for their expenses in going and returning from New Orleans, as they had not been enabled to go further on account of the Morgan line of steamers being quarantined or stopped by the prevalence of yellow fever at New Orleans. Witness refused to pay them, and referred the matter to Mr. Smith, who had charge of the passenger business of the road.

A letter was received from Mr. Smith, and it was read to Combs, who seemed to be acting for himself and Richards. Witness proposed to pay twenty-five 50-100 dollars for the unused portion of the tickets, not because the road was bound, but in order to settle the matter. Combs refused to settle, and the suit was brought.

This is all the testimony submitted by the parties in this case, and as the cases of Combs and Richards were the same in all respects, by consent of the parties, the two cases were tried together, and a verdict was rendered in each case for the sum of one hundred and thirty-nine 55-100 dollars.

The defendant moved for a new trial on several grounds.

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Related

Riley v. Wrightsville & Tennille Railroad
65 S.E. 890 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1909)
Payton v. Gulf Line Railway Co.
62 S.E. 469 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 1908)
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47 S.E. 904 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1904)
Cherry v. Kansas City, Fort Scott & Memphis Railway Co.
61 Mo. App. 303 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1895)

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Bluebook (online)
70 Ga. 533, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/central-railroad-v-combs-ga-1883.