Geffert v. Kayser

192 N.W. 26, 179 Wis. 571, 1923 Wisc. LEXIS 43
CourtWisconsin Supreme Court
DecidedFebruary 6, 1923
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 192 N.W. 26 (Geffert v. Kayser) 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
Geffert v. Kayser, 192 N.W. 26, 179 Wis. 571, 1923 Wisc. LEXIS 43 (Wis. 1923).

Opinions

Rosenberry, J.

We will first consider the liability of the defendant Adolph H. Kayser. It appears without dispute that the automobile, which was at the time of the accident being driven by Paul Kayser, was owned by Adolph H. Kayser. It further clearly appears that Paul Kayser had procured his father’s permission to take the car for the purpose of taking a young lady to a dance, and that he was on his way from his father’s home to the residence where he was to call for her at the time the accident occurred. It is claimed that going to the dance was part of the education of Paul Kayser, who at the time was a student; that [573]*573be was therefore engaged in the business of his father; and other similar contentions are urged. Every 'contention made here by the plaintiffs as. to the liability of the defendant Adolph H. Kayser was fully considered in Crossett v. Goelzer, 177 Wis. 455, 188 N. W. 627, and was there ruled adversely to plaintiffs. The judgment of nonsuit as to Adolph H. Kayser is correct, and we shall not further consider the matter of his liability.

This leaves for consideration two questions: first, Was there an entire want of evidence of negligence tending to show that the defendant Paul Kayser was negligent? second, Was there evidence which conclusively established that the plaintiff’s negligence contributed to produce the injury complained of?

In this connection it is elementary that upon a motion for a nonsuit plaintiffs’ evidence must be given the most favorable construction which it will bear in their favor, and if there is credible evidence from which a reasonable inference can be drawn in support of the plaintiffs’ case, the question must be left to a jury. Mahar v. Montello G. Co. 146 Wis. 46, 130 N. W. 949.

Not only must the facts be undisputed, but if conflicting inferences can be drawn therefrom, it is within the province of the jury to draw the inferences, if the question is not one of law.

For brevity and convenience the word “defendant” in this opinion will hereafter be used as referring to Paul Kayser.

The evidence will be more clearly understood by reference to the accompanying diagram, which is a reproduction on a smaller scale of Exhibit No. 1. Gorham street runs northeast and southwest. Blair street runs northwest and southeast. The accident occurred between the curb lines of Gotham street, where the sidewalk on the northeasterly side of Blair street crosses Gorham street. Both streets are sixty-six feet wide. Both Blair and East Gorham [574]*574streets are thirty-two feet wide between the curbs; on each side of each street between the curb and lot line

there is a terrace and sidewalk, taking up seventeen feet. East Gorham street is a smooth, hard-surface street, upon which there is much automobile traffic. The crosswalk [575]*575is of brick and about four feet wide, covered with a tar surfacing, having the same general appearance as the roadway. On each end of the crosswalk is an iron plate or apron about five feet four inches long and two feet wide, which bridges the gutter.

On the 23d day of July, 1920, plaintiffs resided on the northeasterly side of Blair street, at No. 319, about forty-six feet distant in a southeasterly direction from the southeasterly side of Gorham street. The defendant resided at the intersection of East Gorham street and North Livingston street, two blocks distant, in a northeasterly direction. On the evening of July 23, 1920, there was being held on Lake Mendota a water carnival, known as a Venetian Night. Between 8:30 and 9 o’clock the plaintiff Clara Geffert, accompanied by Mrs. Alma Heim, who was wheeling a baby in a go-cart, Mr. Louis Kurth, his wife, Lottie Kurth, and their child about ten years of age, left the Geffert home, traveling on the northeasterly side of Blair street to go northwesterly along the northeast side of Blair street to Lake Mendota. This would require them to cross Gorham street on the northeasterly side of Blair street. The party walked in the following order: Mr. Kurth led with his child by the hand, following him came Mrs. Geffert, then came the go-cart with the baby, and behind the go-cart followed Mrs. Heim and Mrs. Kurth. Up to this point there is no conflict.

Mrs. Geffert testified that she looked east and west to see if the crossing was perfectly clear before starting, meaning that she looked up and down East Gorham street to the right and to the left.

“We started across, it was perfectly clear. I took a good •observation of the crossing, and I am given to the habit of observing crossings. .And as I went across, I observed the crossing of the street to see if anything was coming. I first saw the car about half way up the block, up by Mr. Meltzer’s house, would be as near as I can state. When I [576]*576saw the car near Mr. Meltzer’s house, I was just this side of half of the street towards my home. I was about a foot this side towards my home. I was about a foot east of the center. In front of Mr. Meltzer’s house I saw a car. It was coming at good speed, coming right down the incline. I next saw the car when it was right next to me, right under this arm. It just seemed as if it was right under the right arm. The bumper struck me on my left hip. The Car struck me about.a foot before the center. The car carried me some distance. It threw me because I rolled. At the time I was struck hy the car, Mr, Kurth and his daughter were on the corner. They were across.”

She further testified that at the time she saw the car in-front of Mr. Meltzer.’s home the car had two lights upon it, lighted. She further testified:

“1 didn’t see it from the time it was in front of the Meltzer house until the collision occurred. All I saw was the light and this part striking me. I turned my back just before the car hit me. I was just about a foot this side-southeasterly) of the center.”

Louis Kurth testified:

“When I got across the street, I happened to look around and I saw a big automobile just running into Mrs. Geffert. In my estimation, the automobile was on the east side of the center of the street, the left side going toward town. After Mrs. Geffert was struck by the car, she rolled down the hill. She was thrown and then she was turned over and over. I should say she was thrown perhaps five feet. The car was facing on Blair, street, on the south corner facing toward Johnson street. I would say that the front wheels of the car were over the crossing toward Johnson street [meaning-pointing southerly dotyn Blair street]. The bumper came in contact with her person. When I got to East Gorham street, I looked up and down to see if there was any car coming. I was right on the crossing, on the iron plate, when I looked. I saw no car. I looked both ways. I had my child by the hand all the way over. My attention was called to the automobile when I got across on the other side of the - street. I noticed a car coming along pretty fast. [577]*577He did not sound his horn. When I saw this automobile' strike this woman, she was. on the left side about two feet from the center of the pavement. That would be on the southeast side. At that time Mrs. Heim and my wife and the little baby were still on the crossing. They were just about a step off the iron plate on the southeast side of the street.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
192 N.W. 26, 179 Wis. 571, 1923 Wisc. LEXIS 43, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/geffert-v-kayser-wis-1923.