Ellis v. Chicago & Northwestern Railway Co.

167 N.W. 1048, 167 Wis. 392, 1918 Wisc. LEXIS 132
CourtWisconsin Supreme Court
DecidedMay 21, 1918
StatusPublished
Cited by65 cases

This text of 167 N.W. 1048 (Ellis v. Chicago & Northwestern Railway Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Wisconsin Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ellis v. Chicago & Northwestern Railway Co., 167 N.W. 1048, 167 Wis. 392, 1918 Wisc. LEXIS 132 (Wis. 1918).

Opinion

KbewiN, J.

It is established by the verdict in this case that Frederick and Schneider were injured; that the conductor of the Traction Company failed to discharge his duty in ascertaining whether the train of the Railway Company was coming over the crossing, and that such failure was a proximate cause of the injuries sustained; that the Railway Company failed to keep a flagman stationed at the crossing in question at the time of the collision, contrary to an ordinance of the city of Neenah, and was guilty of want of ordinary care in failing to do so, but that such want of ordinary care was not a proximate cause of the injuries; that the Railway Company was operating its train at a speed in excess of twelve miles per hour in approaching the crossing and within twenty rods thereof, but that such excessive speed was not a proximate cause of the injury, and that the engi[399]*399neer did not fail to exercise ordinary care in the operation of his engine as he approached the point of collision; that the Railway Company or its officers, servants, or employees were not guilty of want of ordinary care in permitting box cars to remain south of Commercial street crossing on the" center track of the defendant Railway Company at the time of the collision; that the damages sustained hy Frederick were $7,425 and by Schneider $4,200; that the assignments of the claims of Frederick and Schneider were taken hy the.plaintiff, and that the plaintiff is the real party in interest.

The court below on motion changed the answers of the jury to the effect that the plaintiff was not the real party in interest and that the excessive rate ef speed was a proximate cause of the injury.

The vital points in controversy in this case are: (1) Was Ellis or the Traction Company the real party in interest? (2) Is the finding of excessive speed supported by the evidence? (3) Was the court right in changing the answer of the jury on the question of proximate cause ? (4) Was the Traction Company entitled to contribution?

1. Separate suits were brought by the injured parties, Frederick and Schneider, against both the Railway Company and Traction Company. The Schneider suit was tried, a .verdict rendered against the Traction Company, and the case afterwards discontinued, a nonsuit having been granted as to the Railway Company. It seems that upon the trial of the case no evidence was offered regarding the negligence of the Railway Company. Afterwards the plaintiff, Ellis, purchased the claims of Frederick and Schneider, took an assignment thereof, borrowed the money from the Traction Company and gave his note therefor, and paid said injured parties the amount agreed upon as consideration of the purchase.

The plaintiff wás a stockholder in the Tractim Company and of course was interested in it. Undoubtedly the belief on the part of the plaintiff that the purpose of the injured [400]*400parties was to collect both claims out of the Traction Company and save the Railway Company harmless had an influence upon him in purchasing the claims. It is true, as conceded by counsel for the Railway Company in his brief, that the evidence respecting the assignment to the plaintiff is undisputed. This evidence shows that Ellis purchased the claims in his own right and at his own risk and without any agreement or understanding that he should be indemnified in any way by the Traction Company or any one else. The evidence shows that the matter of indemnity came up and was discussed between plaintiff and the attorney for the Traction Company, and it was distinctly stated that if plaintiff purchased the claims he must do so at his own risk. The transaction was in writing and on its face showed a bona fide sale of the claims to the plaintiff and payment by him. True, plaintiff borrowed the money from the Traction Company and gave his note therefor. The evidence being undisputed and showing a valid transaction, the only question left was one of intention as to whether the transaction was bona fide, and clearly that was a question for the jury which was resolved in favor of the. plaintiff. Hoff v. Hackett, 148 Wis. 32, 34, 134 N. W. 132; Northwestern I. Co. v. Industrial Comm. 154 Wis. 97, 104, 142 N. W. 271. Where conflicting inferences may be drawn from the facts proved the question is one for the jury. Northwestern I. Co. v. Industrial Comm., supra.

The learned trial judge below seems to have labored under the impression that because Ellis was interested in the Traction Company and because he conferred with other officers of the company who had full knowledge of the facts that the assignments were required for the purpose of avoiding any question of contribution, therefore Ellis took the assignments for tlje Traction Company and that the transfer to him was a mere cover. We think the learned trial judge was in, error in his conclusion in this regard. The mere fact that [401]*401plaintiff was interested in the Traction Company and took tke assignments because of suck interest and witk a view of aiding tke Traction Company did not render tke assignments to kim void or ineffectual, if in fact ke purckased tke claims and took tke assignments for kimself and at kis own risk, even altkougk ke migkt kave believed tkat suck purckase would eventually operate for tke benefit of tke Traction Com--pany.

Counsel for tke 'Railway Company refers to tke assignment as being a mere cover and fictitious. Tkat is a ratker sweeping statement in a case like tke present, wkere tke evidence of a valid assignment is skown by undisputed evidence and tke claim tkat it was fictitious based almost, if not wkolly, upon tke fact of tke relations existing between plaintiff and tke Traction Company, and wken tkere is positive evidence, undisputed, tkat tke assignment was taken by plaintiff for kimself in kis own rigkt and at kis own risk. Counsel says in looking at suck transactions we must look beneath tke surface. It will not do, however, in looking beneath tke surface to brush aside positive, credible evidence and draw inferences contrary to tke findings of tke jury on suck evidence.

There is no doubt but tkat plaintiff had a rigkt to purchase tke claims in question even though ke intended to benefit tke Traction Company by so doing. Tke evidence is ample to establish tkat he bought tke claims in kis own rigkt and at kis own risk, and tke court below was in error in changing tke answers of tke jury to tke seventeenth and eighteenth questions of tke verdict. Kroger v. Cumberland F. P. Co. 145 Wis. 433, 441, 130 N. W. 513; Habeck v. C. & N. W. R. Co. 146 Wis. 645, 652, 132 N. W. 618; Kersten v. Weichman, 135 Wis. 1, 4, 114 N. W. 499; Karlen v. Hadinger, 147 Wis. 78, 79, 132 N. W. 591.

2. Tke jury found tkat tke defendant Railway Company was running at an excessive rate of speed, viz. in excess of [402]*402twelve miles per hour, at the time of the collision. The court below sustained this finding of the jury. There is evidence on the part of the Railway Company that the speed limit was not exceeded, while on the part of the plaintiff there is evidence tending to show that it was.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
167 N.W. 1048, 167 Wis. 392, 1918 Wisc. LEXIS 132, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ellis-v-chicago-northwestern-railway-co-wis-1918.