Erwin v. Texas Employers' Ins. Ass'n

63 S.W.2d 1076
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedOctober 12, 1933
DocketNo. 2889.
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 63 S.W.2d 1076 (Erwin v. Texas Employers' Ins. Ass'n) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Erwin v. Texas Employers' Ins. Ass'n, 63 S.W.2d 1076 (Tex. Ct. App. 1933).

Opinion

WALTHALL, Justice.

This suit was brought by Maude A. Erwin, widow of Clarence E. Erwin, against Texas Employers’ Insurance Association, to recover compensation under the Workmen’s Compensation Law of this state (Rev. St. 1925, art. 8306 et seq., as amended), growing out of the death of the said Clarence E. Erwin.

Clarence E. Erwin died as a result of a gunshot injury inflicted on him by a negro, Milton Lott, about 4:30 o’clock on the morning of August 23, 1932. At the time Clarence E. Erwin was shot he was in the employ of the Midwest Dairies, Inc., which company carried a workmen’s compensation insurance policy with appellee, Texas Employers’ Insurance Association.

The one and only issue presented on this appeal is whether or not, under -the evidence presented on the trial, the injury received by Clarence E. Erwin is compensable under the Workmen’s Compensation Law of this state.

The case was tried to a jury, and at the conclusion of the evidence the court instructed a verdict for the appellee. The action of the court in instructing the verdict was duly excepted to by appellant and notice of appeal given.

Appellant’s motion for a new trial was overruled, to which appellant duly excepted and prosecutes this appeal.

Opinion.

Appellant presents several propositions, but all to the effect that the evidence was such as to require the case be submitted to the jury.

The following facts were stated in writing and agreed to on the trial:

On August 23, 1932, Clarence E. Erwin was an employee of Midwest Dairies, Inc.: that on that date the Midwest Dairies, Inc., was doing business in El Paso, Tex. with more than three employees, and at that time was carrying a policy of workmen’s compensation insurance previously issued by the Texas Employers’ Insurance Association in standard form, and in all respects complying with tha requirements of the Workmen’s Compensation Act of Texas; that on said date said policy was in full force; that all notices of the injury to Clarence E. Erwin were duly given and the result of said injury, and that within the time required by law appellant duly made claim for compensation against appellee through the Industrial Accident Board for more than $500; that on January 2, 1933, the Industrial Accident Board made and entered into its final ruling, decision, and award, on said claim, and that appellant, being unwilling to abide by said ruling and award, duly gave notice to said board of her unwillingness to abide by said award, and that appellant would appeal therefrom, and that thereafter, and in due time, appellant filed this suit to set aside said award and to recover compensation.

The following evidence in question and answer form is before us. The evidence is whol *1077 ly uncontradicted, and for brevity we will, in substance, state tbe material facts in narrative form. *

Dr. Will P. Rogers qualified as a physician; was called to attend Olarence E. Erwin about 4:30 a. m. on August 23,1932; found him suffering from a gunshot wound, from which he died about 1 o’clock on August 25, 1932. Witness asked Erwin how it happened, and he said, “This negro came up and hollered at him, ‘where are we, boy,’ or words to that effect,” and “he (Erwin) had resented him speaking to him in that manner.” Said “he told the negro he resented his tone of voice and manner.” Erwin was then desperately sick, said he was dying and was. Erwin died from the injury.

Rogan Woodrow Regan, a witness for appellant testified on direct examination: Was 16 years old ; appellant is his aunt; was on a visit to his aunt in August,' 1932; remembers the circumstances in which his uncle, Clarence E. Erwin, was shot, in August, 1932; was with his uncle at the time; it occurred about 4:30 in the morning at the corner of Silver and Piedras streets in El* Paso, Tex.; on that morning his uncle was delivering milk for the Midwest Dairies; in delivering the milk he used a wagon and one horse; witness was going on the milk route with his uncle on that morning; the route took in Manhattan Heights; his uncle loaded his wagon with bottles of milk at the plant on Piedras street and went on his route; the last house at which milk was delivered that morning was on the north side of Silver street near the corner of Silver and Piedras streets; after that delivery witness and his uncle went on to the corner of said two streets and stopped at the corner; they left the horse and wagon at the curbstone at the corner; they got out of the wagon, sat down on the curb, and drank some milk. While sitting there, two negroes drove up in a car and stopped; one of the negroes asked witness’ uncle, “Where are we at, boy?” witness’ uncle did not answer; they asked him again; witness’ uncle went up to the car door and asked them what they wanted ; the negro in the back seat said “he just wanted to know where we are.” He (the uncle) said: “Where do you want to be?” The negro in the front seat said: “Four thousand block.” Witness proceeding, said: “My uncle went back to the wagon and got an empty milk bottle and came between the horse and the car, and the negro in the back seat told tbe driver, said, ‘start the motor and let’s go.’ ” The driver started the motor. “When he (Uncle) saw they were going to leave he just stopped, and this negro and driver, he got a gun from somewhere and he turned around and put his hand across the back of the seat and says: ‘You think you are so God damn smart,’ and he shot him.” Witness said his uncle was not angry or excited. He said, “They got me,” and “Get the license number.” Witness thought the negroes were under the influence of liquor.

On cross-examination witness said; Could see that the men in the automobile were ne-groes and not white men. Had finished drinking the milk when the negroes came. We were sitting on the curb facing Piedras street; the street is about sixty feet wide, and the street car tracks are in the middle of the street; the negroes’ car straddled the right-hand street ear track. When the negroes drove up, one of them in rather an insolent mannef said, “Where is we at, boy”; to the first inquiry we made no reply, then the one on the front seat, Milton Lott, repeated the question. When the question was repeated, uncle got up from where he was sitting and walked over to this automobile and opened the front door; witness went with his uncle to the ear. Witness’ uncle said: “Well, where do you want to be at?” The negro in the back seat said: “I just wanted to know where I was at.” Witness said some further conversation took place between his uncle and the negro on the front seat witness did not hear. Uncle went to the milk wagon, picked up an empty milk bottle, holding it by the neck, and was standing still when the negro shot him. When witness’ uncle went back to get the milk bottle, witness remained where he was; was about five feet from his uncle when he was shot. Witness’ unc-le was born in Mississippi and moved to Arkansas.

T. J. Robinson testified: Was office manager for the Midwest Dairies, Inc.; knew Clarence E. Erwin. He was, and for some time previous to his death had been, one of the “milk drivers” for the Midwest Dairies, Inc.; his territory was along Piedras street, Manhattan Heights; he delivered milk to the retail trade and handled his route in the city of El Paso. Witness testified at length as to the compensation paid Erwin by the Midwest Dairies, Inc., which we need not state.

L. T.

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63 S.W.2d 1076, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/erwin-v-texas-employers-ins-assn-texapp-1933.