Morrow v. State

8 Ill. Ct. Cl. 135, 1934 Ill. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 60
CourtCourt of Claims of Illinois
DecidedJune 21, 1934
DocketNo. 2075
StatusPublished

This text of 8 Ill. Ct. Cl. 135 (Morrow v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Claims of Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Morrow v. State, 8 Ill. Ct. Cl. 135, 1934 Ill. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 60 (Ill. Super. Ct. 1934).

Opinion

Mb,. Chief Justice Hollebich

delivered the opinion of the court:

Elizabeth A. Morrow as executrix of the estate of Joseph A. Morrow, deceased, has filed herein her complaint against the State for the recovery of compensation for the death of her husband, Joseph A. Morrow under the terms and provisions of the Workmen’s Compensation Act.

Said Joseph A. Morrow, for about forty-five years immediately preceding his death was an employee of the University of Illinois, and for over fifteen years prior to his death was Superintendent of Buildings at the University, pursuant to appointment by the Board of Trustees upon the recommendation of the President and Supervising Architect. Mr. Morrow maintained an office on the campus at 110 Power Plant from which office he exercised direct supervision over the physical plant of the University, including operations of the buildings and control of the janitors and employees of the power plant. It was part of his duties to see that the buildings should be properly taken care of, maintained and operated.

In the performance 'of his duties he was subject only to the Board of Trustees, the President of the University, and the Supervising Architect thereof.

Among other duties, Mr. Morrow had charge of the purchase of coal for the University heating and power plant, which consumed approximately forty-five thousand (45,000) tons per annum. With the approval of the Board of Trustees and the Supervising Architect, Mr. Morrow had been accustomed for a number of years to purchase coal from the mines in southern Illinois. The method employed by the Trustees involved the making of trips to the coal mines by Mr. Morrow for the purpose of ascertaining if coal was available and the approximate tonnage thereof. After obtaining such information, Morrow would return to the University and the purchase would then be completed by telephone. This had proven to be the most economical way to purchase coal for the use of the University.

On August 22, 1932, while enroute to southern Illinois to purchase coal for the University he sustained accidental injuries as the result of a collision between the automobile in which he was riding and another automobile, which injuries resulted in his death within an hour after the accident.

It was stipulated between the claimant and the respondent, among other things, as follows:

“The care of the physical plant of said University which was under the personal supervision and control of the said Joseph A. Morrow as such Superintendent of Buildings, required the services of about 250 employees, all under said Morrow. There are about 125 buildings in said physical plant, of which about 75 are located on a campus area of about 500 acres; the other (principally agricultural buildings) being located some distance from the campus proper.
“That the power and heating plant, the electrical plant, the water plant, garages, storage buildings, telephone system, auto and truck equipment, and police force and fire department, were all under the personal and direct supervision of said Morrow as such Superintendent of Buildings.
"One of the duties of said Joseph A. Morrow in the operation of the heating plant of said University was the purchase of coal for the plant. The said Morrow was engaged in this specific duty, going to the coal mines in southern Illinois to buy coal for said heating plant at the time of the accident in which he was killed, about 11:00 o’clock A. M., Monday, August 22, 1932.
“Said accident was the result of an automobile collision which occurred at the intersection of Illinois State Routes 25 and 121 at Tuscola, in Douglas County, Illinois, and the said Joseph A. Morrow died within an hour after the accident, without regaining consciousness. The said Morrow was not guilty of any contributory negligence, but was in the exercise of due care and caution for his own safety at the time of the accident.
“At said time and place, said Morrow was riding in a Chevrolet sedan owned by the University of Illinois, and driven by S. E. Griffith, another employee of said University, for the special purpose of taking said Morrow to southern Illinois to purchase coal for the University, as above stated. Said Morrow was riding in the front seat of said auto with said Griffith, and they were not talking as they approached the said intersection.
“The plaintiff paid out the items of $10.00 to Dr. John O. Cletcher for medical services, and $10.20 to Enos H. Renner for ambulance services, as set forth in the plaintiff’s Bill of Particulars, marked ‘Claimant’s Exhibit B,’ and attached to her Declaration of Claim filed in this cause.”

Although in the service of the University, Mr. Morrow was paid by the Auditor of Public Accounts of the State and under repeated decisions of the Supreme Court of this State, was an employee of the State. People vs. Board of Trustees, 283 Ill. 494-501; Thomas vs. University of Illinois, 71 Ill. 310.

The State therefore was an employer and Morrow was an employee within the meaning of those words as used in the Compensation Act. Under the evidence there is no question hut what Morrow was in the performance of his duties at the time of the accident in question.

The Attorney General contends that the accident in question did not arise out of and in the course of the employment of Mr. Morrow. The evidence shows conclusively that his duties necessarily took him away from the University for the purpose of purchasing coal, and that he was in the performance of his duties at the time of the accident. Being engaged in the performance of his duties at the time of the accident, there can be no question but what the accident arose out of and in the course of his employment. Mueller Construction Co. vs. Ind. Bd., 283 Ill. 148; Invin Niesler & Com., 346 Ill. 89; Swift and Co. vs. Ind. Com., 350 Ill. 413; Kennedy Van Saun Mfg. Co. vs. Ind. Com., decided by the Supreme Court at the February term, 1934, thereof, but not yet reported.

The real question in the case is as to whether under the circumstances, the State was engaged in a business or enterprise which is extra-hazardous within the meaning of Section three (3) of the Act.

In a general opinion heretofore rendered to the University of Illinois, this court held to the view that the University is engaged in an “enterprise” within the meaning of the Compensation Act, and also held to the view that although the University was chartered primarily to furnish instruction to students in various branches of learning, yet it consists of a number of different departments or schools which are practically complete in themselves; and therefore it is in the same position as an individual or corporation which is engaged in several different businesses or enterprises, some of which may be extra-hazardous and some not; that each department or school must therefore be considered a separate business or enterprise, and the liability of the University in each case depends upon whether that particular school or department comes within any of the provisions of Section three (3) of the Act, or is a business or enterprise which is extra-hazardous in fact.

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Related

Irwin-Neisler & Co. v. Industrial Commission
178 N.E. 357 (Illinois Supreme Court, 1931)
Swift & Co. v. Industrial Commission
183 N.E. 476 (Illinois Supreme Court, 1932)
Thomas v. Board of Trustees
71 Ill. 310 (Illinois Supreme Court, 1874)
Mueller Construction Co. v. Industrial Board
283 Ill. 148 (Illinois Supreme Court, 1918)
People ex rel. Redman v. Board of Trustees
119 N.E. 595 (Illinois Supreme Court, 1918)
Keller v. Industrial Commission
126 N.E. 162 (Illinois Supreme Court, 1920)
Peabody Coal Co. v. Industrial Commission
132 N.E. 438 (Illinois Supreme Court, 1921)

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Bluebook (online)
8 Ill. Ct. Cl. 135, 1934 Ill. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 60, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/morrow-v-state-ilclaimsct-1934.