Malinowski v. Detroit United Railway

117 N.W. 565, 154 Mich. 104, 1908 Mich. LEXIS 679
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedSeptember 10, 1908
DocketDocket No. 31
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 117 N.W. 565 (Malinowski v. Detroit United Railway) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Malinowski v. Detroit United Railway, 117 N.W. 565, 154 Mich. 104, 1908 Mich. LEXIS 679 (Mich. 1908).

Opinion

Blair, J.

Plaintiff sued defendant to recover for injuries alleged to have been received June 3, 1905, through the negligence of defendant in suddenly starting a Brush street car while plaintiff was boarding the same on Woodward avenue between Fort street and Monroe avenue, in the city of Detroit. In consequence of the accident a wheel of the car ran over and crushed plaintiff’s right foot, necessitating the amputation of four toes. Plaintiff recovered a verdict of $1,200. Defendant entered a motion for a new trial, for the reason, among others, that the verdict was against the weight of the evidence. The motion was denied, reasons therefor filed, exceptions properly saved, and defendant brings the record to this court for review upon writ of error.

As stated by counsel for defendant in their brief, the principal point presented to this court is that the trial judge erred in not granting a new trial upon the ground that the verdict was contrary to the weight of the evidence.

Plaintiff testified:

“At that time I was working for the gas company at the meter house on River and Twenty-third streets; was earning $2.25 a day working nights. When I started home the morning of June 3d, I took a Fort street car, and got a transfer on Brush. Got off the Fort street car at Fort and Woodward, close to the city hall — in front of the city hall. I waited for a Brush street car right close to the city hall door. The Brush, street car stopped there where I was standing, right opposite the city hall on Woodward avenue. * * * While the car was standing still I tried to get on. I got my right foot on the step. I had hold of the railing with my right hand, and in the other hand I had my lunch basket. While I had my right foot on the step of the car, and my right hand hold of the brace, the car started off. When the car started off I fell off. It cut off four toes, my foot caught.”

George M. Kolb, sworn for plaintiff, testified as follows:

“I am a patrolman of the metropolitan police force, and have been for 13 years. I am now, and on June 3, 1905, was, connected with the central station. My beat [106]*106on that morning was on Monroe and Cadillac Square. Saw Malinowski on that morning. When I first saw him he had his back to me. I just saw him falling from a Brush street car going north — an open car. When I looked at that car it was about between the center of the city hall and the south end of it — between Fort and Monroe, but nearer Fort. The car was going north while he was falling from it. I was standing right there in front of the German-American Bank, out toward the curbstone. After he fell I walked over there; saw he had his foot smashed — his right foot. Somebody telephoned for the ambulance, and I stayed until it came.”

John Kaminski testified for plaintiff:

“I am employed at the American Car & Foundry Company. I know plaintiff. On June 3, 1905, when he was injured, I was on Woodward avenue by the monument there. I was just walking up that way selling papers. The first I saw the plaintiff that morning, I saw him get on the Brush street car there. Before he got on the Brush street car, he was standing there on the corner waiting for a car. The car was going north. It stopped right there on Woodward avenue, between Fort and Michigan. I was standing right at the soldiers’ monument at that time. When the car came to a stop, plaintiff was getting on the car. It was an open car. While plaintiff was getting on the car, he fell on his back. He put his foot on the step that runs alongside of the car, and grabbed over there with his hand. After he grabbed the rod with his hand, and put his foot upon the board, the car started to go, and he fell on his back off the car under the wheel on the pavement. His foot went under the wheel.”

Defendant called as witnesses the motorman and conductor of the car, its stockkeeper, Cook, and two passengers by the name of Wilcox and Russell, who gave, evidence tending to show that plaintiff’s accident happened at the corner of Brush street and Gratiot avenue, several blocks distant from the place fixed by plaintiff and his witnesses. Mr. Russell testified:

“ I recollect an accident which happened in June, 1905, when I was on a street car, Brush street car. It happened on the Gratiot avenue line near the corner of Brush. I was sitting near the center of the car, I should imagine. [107]*107The man was sitting ahead of me. I must have noticed him, but didn’t pay any attention to him more than any other passenger. The accident first drew my attention to him. I saw him step from the car. I thought he stepped from the car; it did not appear to me that he fell off. It seemed to me that he got off of his own volition. He certainly fell down. He was on the ground or street or pavement afterwards, after he got off the car. * * *
“Q. Do you think you would know the man, if you saw him again ?
“A. No, sir; I do not think I would.”

Mr. Wilcox testified:

‘c I was sitting in the car, an open car, about 8:10 or 8:15 a. m. To the best of my recollection, I was sitting in the forward part of the car, probably the third seat, ánd there was a man got on the car there, and the car stopped at Brush street, and as the car turned on Gratiot he was sitting on the end seat, and he simply rolled out of the car, so far as I could see, and fell on the pavement, and was picked up and sat back on the car. * * * He took off his shoe, as I remember it. I did not see his foot bleeding, or anything of that nature. I got off the car at Jefferson avenue. The man was still on the car then. I do not think I would recognize him if I saw him. As to his nationality, I would say that he was either a German or Polish descent. He said something, but I could not make out what he said. It was not English, anyway. * * * I do not know the dates this occurred, except it was somewhere about June, 1905. I have never seen any other street car accident. When the man took off his shoe, he was about turning onto Monroe avenue. * * * I remember now, he took his shoe off, and then commenced to take off his sock. That was just a little after the car turned into Monroe avenue. Possibly before he got down to the city hall.”

The conductor, Adamson, testified:

“I first saw the man when he got on the car at Gratiot and Brush, when we stopped there to let our passengers off. The car at that time was going south on Brush street. It stops right on Brush, before you get to Gratiot, to take on and let off passengers there, north of Gratiot on Brush. At the time plaintiff got on the car I was on the rear end; saw him get on platform. Well, when we [108]*108stopped to let our passengers off, they all got off, and I think that there were two got on, this man and some other man. He got on the front seat, and started to go in to sit down, and I gave the bell to go ahead, and when we started to go around the curve, he got up again and started to get out again, to the outside, going around the curve. I hollered at him to stop, but he got hold of the handle, and as he went around the Gratiot curve, he fell immediately.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
117 N.W. 565, 154 Mich. 104, 1908 Mich. LEXIS 679, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/malinowski-v-detroit-united-railway-mich-1908.