Little Miami Railroad v. Stevens

20 Ohio St. 415
CourtOhio Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 15, 1851
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 20 Ohio St. 415 (Little Miami Railroad v. Stevens) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Little Miami Railroad v. Stevens, 20 Ohio St. 415 (Ohio 1851).

Opinions

Caldwell, J.

Stevens was the engineer on one of the trains of cars of the Little Miami Railroad Company. The upward and downward trains of cars had, previous to August 13, 1846, passed each other at Plainville, about nine miles from Cincinnati. A change of the place of passing had been determined on, namely, that the cars should pass at Columbia, instead of Plainville, the two places being about three miles apart. This change was to take place on August 13,1846, the day on which the collision occurred. It is the universal custom of the company, when a change of this kind takes place, to give the engineers a printed card, setting forth the times of starting, places where the cars are to pass, time of running, etc., containing the change that has been made. Oa the day on which the collision took place, the plaintiff, Stevens, was the engineer on the upward train from Cincinnati to Springfield, and George Smith was the conductor. On the route, the conductor, according to the rules of the company, is the commanding officer, so far as determining when the cars shall start and stop, etc. The upward train came in collision with the downward train, about seven miles from Cincinnati, ^between Columbia and Plainville, and Stevens was very much injured by scalding; his recovery was doubtful for some time; he was confined for months, and has been injured for life. The engineer and conductor of the downward train had received their cards, stating the change, and they were running in accordance with it, expecting to pass the upward train at Columbia. There is no evidence that Stevens had received a card stating the change; indeed, it is clearly inferable, from the evidence, that he had not. Paul Hues-ton, who was the baggage-master on the train, states, that, at the time of the collision, he had heard nothing about the change; he-also states, that, at the time the collision took place, A. H. Lewis, who was an officer of tho company (in what capacity does not appear), took out of his pocket two cards, and handed them to him, and told him to give one of them to Stevens, the engineer, and the other to Smith, the conductor. N. Morrill, the chief clerk, testifies, that, on the morning of the day on which the collision took place, Thomas L. Cole, an assistant in the engineering de[366]*366partment, handed to Smith, the conductor, a time-card, and that Smith showed it to him, witness, after he had received it; he says he knows of no card being delivered to Stevens. Isaac West states, that, when the cars reached Columbia, Stevens stopped; that Smith, the conductor, went forward through the cars and asked him why he stopped; that Stevens inquired of him whether the change did not take place that day, and the cars pass there; that Smith replied that the change did not take place on that day, but named a subsequent day on which it was to take place ; Smith then told Stevens to go on, and the cars immediately proceeded.

Other witnesses speak of the stoppage of the cars at Columbia, and also of seeing Smith in the attitude of conversation with Stevens, but they did not hear what, if anything, was said. One witness states that he saw Smith give the motion of the hand to Stevens to proceed.

The cause was submitted to the jury, who found a verdict for the plaintiff. The defendant moved for a new trial, and *also an arrest of judgment, which motions were overruled, and judgment entered on the verdict. The defendant took a bill of exceptions, in which the evidence is set forth, as well as a number of charges, which were asked to be given by the court to the jury by the defendant, which were refused by the court.

The main question arises on the refusal of the court to charge on a single point, and on the charge affirmatively given on the same point; and although this question is presented indifferent forms by the charges asked, yet, we think it is fully presented by the second charge asked and refused, which reads as follows: “That where two or more persons are employed by one individual or company, and in doing the work they are employed to do, one of them, by his negligence and inattention to his duties, causes an injury to the other, no action can be sustained against the employer, whether he be an individual or a company.”

The proposition here stated, and contended for on the part of the company, is, that whilst it is admitted that the company would be liable to the fullest extent for an injury done to a person having no connection with the company, by the negligence of one of their agents, yet that Smith and Stevens, both being in the employ of the company, the company would not be liable for an injury done [367]*367to Stevens, through the negligence of Smith and the other agents of the company.

It is a general rule that a person in the management of his business, whether he does it himself, or acts through agents, must so conduct that business as not to interfere with the rights of, or produce injury to others. This devolves on the party care and prudence in the management of his business, and renders him. civilly responsible for any injury that may result to others from the want of such care and prudence, whether the injury may be done under his own immediate supervision, or under the control of agents. This doctrine is founded in reason. What can be more reasonable than that he who puts any power in motion for his own benefit, which, from its nature, may be destructive to the property and life of ^others, if not carefully managed, should be accountable for such injury as may be caused by the careless management of such power ? An injury has been done; it has fallen on a party who is guilty of no wrong, no carelessness ; it has been done by a force put in motion by a party who has caused the injury by his careless management. On whom shall the loss fall ? On the innocent person who had no control or management of the thing that produced it ? Or shall it not rather fall on the person who put the power in motion, for whose benefit it moves, who is in duty bound to provide for its proper management, who selects his agents, controls their movements, and who gives them their authority to act?

Indeed, the rule is not only a reasonable one, that the employer should makegood the injuries thus done by the carelessness of his agents; but it is necessary as a preventive of mischief, and a protection to community, that it should be strictly adhered to. The rule is founded on the principles of justice between man and man, and abstractly considered, is of universal application. There must be some good reason for taking any case without its application.

It is said, however, that when a party contracts to perform services, he takes into account the dangers and perils incident to the employment, and receives wages accordingly. Take this for granted; and we think it falls far short of sustaining the main proposition. If the party does contract in reference to the perils incident to the business, he will only be presumed to contract in reference to such as necessarily attend it when conducted with [368]*368ordinary care and prudence. So far as an implied contract, in reference to the business, will be presumed, it will be on the hypothesis that the business is to be properly managed. He can not be presumed to have contracted in reference to injuries inflicted on him by negligence—by wrongful acts. An express stipulation would at least be necessary to make it a part of the contract. The employer has paid him no money for the right to break his legs, or, as in this case, to empty on him the contents of a boiler of scalding water.

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Bluebook (online)
20 Ohio St. 415, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/little-miami-railroad-v-stevens-ohio-1851.