Louisville, Henderson & St. Louis Ry. Co. v. Gregory's Admr.

143 Ky. 300
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kentucky
DecidedJuly 1, 1911
StatusPublished

This text of 143 Ky. 300 (Louisville, Henderson & St. Louis Ry. Co. v. Gregory's Admr.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kentucky primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Louisville, Henderson & St. Louis Ry. Co. v. Gregory's Admr., 143 Ky. 300 (Ky. Ct. App. 1911).

Opinion

Dissenting opinion by

Judge Nunn.

Appellee instituted this action to recover damages for the loss of Emmett Gregory’s life, alleging that it was caused by appellant’s negligence in failing to equip its train as required by section 778 of the Kentucky Statutes, and in allowing the steps and platform of the passenger coach in which Gregory was a passenger, to become covered with ice and slippery, and in permitting him- to alight from the coach while it was on the trestle; that by reason of these alleged negligent acts, Gregory fell from the trestle to the ground, a distance of about thirty feet,- and received injuries' which produced his [301]*301death, soon thereafter. On a trial of the case, the lower court eliminated the questions of icy steps and platform and the improper equipment of the train, and submitted only the question as to what care those in charge of the tram should have taken of Gregory, under the circumstances, while the train was standing on the trestle and at the time he fell therefrom. As stated in the opinion, the train was stopped on the trestle by a break in the air hose. The witnesses for appellant do not agree or make any definite explanation as to what the trouble was with the hose or as to what caused it to break. One, witness leaves the impression that the pipe broke, and another that a section of the hose became detached and lost. They seem to be at a loss to account for it. There can be no doubt but that the stopping of the train on the trestle was the cause of Gregory losing his life, but this matter was not submitted to the jury. In submitting the only question presented, the lower court told' the jury that if they believed from the evidence that Gregory was a passenger on the train and in a helpless state of intoxication, or intoxicated to such an extent as not to be able to take proper care of himself, and was invited or permitted by appellant’s agents to walk or slip or fall from the train, whereby he lost his life, they would find for appellee, unless they further believed from the evidence that Gregory so contributed to his own death that but for his negligence he would not have lost his life. Upon appellant’s request, the lower court gave the jury instructions 7, 8 and 9, which are as follows:

“7. The court further instructs the jury that if they believe from the evidence that when the defendant’s train stopped on the trestle, on the occasion mentioned in the .petition, the deceased, Gregory, was sufficiently sober to know what he was doing, or that the defendant’s agent and servants in charge of said train had no notice or knowledge of his not being in that condition, and such agents and servants of the defendant then and there notified said Gregory and told him that the train was on the trestle and that he must not get off at that point and notwithstanding such notice or warning the said Gregory went to or remained upon the platform and in this manner slipped or fell from said platform and lost his life, then the law is for the defendant and the jury must find for the defendant.
[302]*302'• “8. The court further instructs the jury that the defendant’s agents and servants in charge of the train mentioned in the petition, owed no duty to the deceased Gregory on the occasion when he lost his life, not common to other passengers on the train, unless his condition was such as to render him incapable of taking care of himself and not then unless the defendant’s agents and servants in charge of said train had notice or knowledge at the time of such condition, and if they believe from the evidence that at the time of the accident the employes of the defendant gave notice to the decedent and other passengers that the train had stopped on the trestle and was not at the station, and that said Gregory heard and understood the warning, and was able to heed it, then, and in that event said Gregory had no right to go out on the platform of the car, or to remain on said platform, if he did so, and fell or slipped or walked from said platform and was killed, the law is for the defendant and .the jury should find for the defendant.
“9. The court further instructs the jury that if they believe from the evidence that the deceased, Gregory, when be boarded the defendant’s train at Louisville, and while riding thereon as a passenger was able, or apparently able, to take care of hiña self, and that defendant’s employes in charge of said train had no notice or knowledge that he was not able to take care of himself while on said train, then and in that event such employes were not bound in law to anticipate that said Gregory would require extra care or attention, if he did require it, and if such employes gave said Gregorv and the other pássengers notice and warning that said train was on thq.trestle and,not at the station and that such warning yas sufficient-to prevent an ordinarilv prudent person from going on the platform, or remaining thereon or. attempting- to alight therefrom .and that notwithstanding such warning said Gregory remained on said platform, or slipped or fell or attempted to alight therefrom then the. law is for the defendant and the - jury should find for the defendant.”

’ The jury found from the evidence that the servants o'f' appellant were negligent and Gregory was in such an intoxicated condition that he could not and did not properly appreciate his dangerous situation and those [303]*303’ in charge of the train knew that fact, or else they would •have been compelled to find for appellant.. Yet, this court decided that there was no evidence'upon which to base such a verdict. ■ Let us examine the testimony and see whether or not there was. Appellee’s witnesses upon this question were W. E. Davis, M. L. Howard and Miss Rebecca Willis. None of them were related to Gregory or interested in the result of the litigation. M. L. Howard was the conductor on the train Gregory fell-from. Appellant’s witnesses were Geo. Miller, Sam Berry and Harry Thompson, all of whom are employes of appellant and were, together with Howard, in effect, charged with failing to do their duty .to protect Gregory from harm. It is true that' the witnesses for appellant above named testified that they did not discover that Gregory was drunk or that he needed any more • attention than passengers usually do, yet the jury, there being other facts and circumstances testified to, was not bound to give their testimony in that regard full credit. M. L. Howard, the conductor, testified that he had known Gregory for four or five years; that Gregory boarded his train in Louisville, and further testified as follows:

“Q. What was his condition when he got on there as to sobriety or intoxication?”
“A. Well, he wasn’t a man that I would consider drunk.” , -
“Well, was he intoxicated?”
“A. Knowing, him as I did, if I hadn’t known him pos'sibly I wouldn’t have considered him drinking at all, but I knew him, and in that way I knew he was drinking, or thought he was. ” * * * t
“Q. Where did you see*Gregory first that evening?”
“A. On the train, do you mean?”
“Q., That evening, on the train or off the train, where did you see him?”
“A. Do you mean after leaving Louisville?”
“Q. No, before?”
“A. In the depot.”
“Q. -What state of intoxication was he in then?’’.

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Bluebook (online)
143 Ky. 300, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/louisville-henderson-st-louis-ry-co-v-gregorys-admr-kyctapp-1911.