Kelly v. Laclede Real Estate & Investment Co.

155 S.W.2d 90, 348 Mo. 407, 138 A.L.R. 1065, 1941 Mo. LEXIS 804
CourtSupreme Court of Missouri
DecidedJune 12, 1941
StatusPublished
Cited by34 cases

This text of 155 S.W.2d 90 (Kelly v. Laclede Real Estate & Investment Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Missouri primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kelly v. Laclede Real Estate & Investment Co., 155 S.W.2d 90, 348 Mo. 407, 138 A.L.R. 1065, 1941 Mo. LEXIS 804 (Mo. 1941).

Opinions

[1] This is an action for damages for personal injuries alleged to have been caused by the negligence of defendants. At the close of plaintiff's evidence, the court gave an instruction directing a verdict for defendant Caradine Hat Company, and plaintiff took an involuntary nonsuit as to said defendant with leave to move to set the same aside. The jury returned a verdict for plaintiff against defendant Laclede Real Estate and Investment Company for $15,000. On its motion for a new trial, a remittitur of $5000 was ordered. The remittitur was made and judgment was entered in favor of plaintiff and against defendant Laclede Real Estate and Investment Company for $10,000 and the cause dismissed as to defendant Caradine Hat Company. Plaintiff in due time moved to set aside the nonsuit and for a new trial as to defendant Caradine Hat Company (hereinafter referred to as Hat Company). The motions were overruled and plaintiff appealed from the judgment of dismissal as to said defendant. Defendant Laclede Real Estate and Investment Company (hereinafter referred to as Investment Company) appealed from the judgment rendered against it. The two appeals have been consolidated, since there is only one [92] case and there can be only one final judgment disposing of the cause as to all parties.

We shall refer to the parties as plaintiff and defendants. Plaintiff's evidence tended to show that at about 2:30 P.M., June 27, 1939, he was seated upon a wooden box at the northwest corner of a seven story building located at the southeast corner of Fourth and Market streets in the City of St. Louis. The box was against the building on the sidewalk on the Fourth street side, and about even with the building wall and sidewalk on Market street. Plaintiff was watching workmen in Fourth street, who were operating electric hammers and electric air drills, drilling in the concrete, taking up stone, loading trucks and building a street car track in Fourth street. He was injured by a piece of terra cotta which fell from the building wall above the sidewalk, and struck him on the head, right shoulder and hand. The piece was irregular in form, 18 or 20 inches by 10 inches and 6 or 7 inches high, running to a point. It showed a fresh crack 3 1/2 inches in length, but the rest was covered with dust and dirt. The pictures and other evidence tended to show that the piece which fell was part of a block of terra cotta next to the corner in the second story sill course, trim, or cornice. These blocks were set in the wall and also extended out some distance from the face of the wall.

Plaintiff's petition alleged that the defendants and each of them owned, operated, leased, rented and maintained the exterior and interior of the building and charged, generally, that the piece of *Page 411 terra cotta fell as a direct and proximate result of the negligence and carelessness of defendants. The answers of both defendants were general denials.

Plaintiff offered in evidence an original lease. dated July 26, 1934, for a ten-year term from August 1, 1934, to July 31, 1944, duly executed by defendant Investment Company, as lessor, and defendant Hat Company, as lessee, and covering a lot 200 by 150 feet at the southeast corner of the intersection of Fourth and Market streets, "together with the seven story and basement building located on the north 125 feet, more or less, of the lot." This lease is the only evidence in the record to support plaintiff's allegation that the defendants and each of them owned, operated, leased, and rented the building. The terms of the lease are important.

The aggregate rental, which lessee agreed to pay lessor, for the premises was $194,750, payable in installments, with a payment of of $1,798.33 acknowledged. The building was leased for the sole purpose or business of manufacture and sale of hats and kindred merchandise, and any other business not more hazardous or damaging to the building, or which did not interfere with auction sales held on the seventh floor. The vacant lot was leased for parking automobiles and for filling station purposes. The lease was not assignable without the written consent of the lessor, except on certain conditions, with permission granted as to particular subrentals on particular conditions.

The lessee agreed to accept the building in its then condition. Permission was granted for certain specific changes in the building, but lessee was not to cut into any column or weaken the structure. Lessee was required to furnish lessor the plans and specifications for such changes. Lessee agreed to paint the exterior wood and metal work in 1934. Lessor agreed that it would, at its own expense, keep the roof, gutters and down-spouts in good repair during the term, and would paint the exterior wood and metal work in 1938 and 1942. In case lessor failed in its obligation, provision was made so lessee could do this work at lessor's expense. All other alterations and repairs which lessee deemed necessary to make during the term were to be made at the expense of the lessee. All plate glass was at the risk of lessee and was to be replaced if broken. Permission was granted for certain specified signs, but the lessor reserved the right to prescribe the form, size, character and location of any and all other signs to be placed upon any portion of the building. Painting on the building itself was prohibited. Lessee agreed to use care and reasonable diligence to protect the property during the term.

The lessee agreed to keep the premises in good order and repair and free from any nuisance or filth upon or adjacent thereto. The lessor reserved the right to enter upon said premises for the purpose of examining the condition thereof and making any repairs it saw fit to make. *Page 412

At the termination of the lease the lessee was "to surrender the premises in as good condition as received, ordinary wear and tear excepted." It was agreed that the "lessor should not be liable to the said [93] lessee or any other person, including employees, for any damage to person or property caused by acts of God, water, rain, snow, frost, fire, storm and accidents or by breakage, stoppage or leakage of water, gas, heating and sewer pipes or plumbing upon, about or adjacent to said premises."

In case the building was partially destroyed or rendered unfit for occupancy, lessor agreed to repair same with all reasonable speed. In case of total destruction, or damage to the extent that the building could not be repaired or rebuilt in 120 days, either party could elect to terminate the lease. The lease contained provisions for forfeiture on certain conditions and provisions in case of sale by the lessor. The provisions are very detailed.

At the close of plaintiff's evidence and after defendant Hat Company's peremptory instruction was read to the jury, plaintiff took an involuntary nonsuit as to said defendant. Defendant Investment Company then offered its evidence. In view of the conclusions we have reached, it will not be necessary to review this evidence.

[2] Plaintiff, as appellant, contends that the evidence was sufficient to make a case against the Hat Company and the court erred in directing a verdict for said defendant. Plaintiff relies upon the case of Walsh v. Southwestern Bell Telephone Company et al., 331 Mo. 118, 52 S.W.2d 839. Both defendants cite the same case. In the Walsh case, plaintiff sued for personal injuries caused by the fall of a plate glass window upon her from a building as she was passing the building on the sidewalk.

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Bluebook (online)
155 S.W.2d 90, 348 Mo. 407, 138 A.L.R. 1065, 1941 Mo. LEXIS 804, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kelly-v-laclede-real-estate-investment-co-mo-1941.