Northern Pac. R. v. Pauson

70 F. 585, 30 L.R.A. 730, 1895 U.S. App. LEXIS 2530
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
DecidedOctober 31, 1895
DocketNo. 224
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 70 F. 585 (Northern Pac. R. v. Pauson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Northern Pac. R. v. Pauson, 70 F. 585, 30 L.R.A. 730, 1895 U.S. App. LEXIS 2530 (9th Cir. 1895).

Opinion

IIAWLEY, District Judge

(after staling- tbe facts). The disposition to be made of this ease depends upon the question whether {he charge of the court to the jury stales a correct legal principle applicable to the facts and circumstances of this case. The authorities bearing upon this question are by no means uniform, some ■of the courts holding that it is the duly of the passenger, before going upon the train, to examine his ticket, and to ascertain therefrom whether or not any mistake has been made by the ticket agent; that the face of the ticket is conclusive evidence to the conductor of (lie train as to the contract between the1 passenger and the railroad company; that the conductor can look only to the ticket, and has no right to be governed by any statement or explanation of the passenger; that if the ticket is not upon its face such a ticket as entitles the passenger to ride, the conductor has the right, and it is his duty, to eject, him from the train; and that Ins only remedy for the mistake, negligence, or carelessness of the ticket agent is by an action for breach of the contract to recover the extra amount [588]*588Re was compelled to pay for Ris fare, and Re cannot recover for tlie tort of tRe conductor in expelling Rim, — otRers Rolding tRat tRe passenger Ras tRe right to rely upon tRe acts and statements of tRe ticket agents or conductors, and tRat, if expelled from tRe train wRen Re Ras acted in good faitR and is witliout fault, tRe carrier would Re liable in damages for sucR expulsion, wRetRer tRe action is brought for a breach of tRe contract or solely for tRe tort of tlie conductor. WitR this conflict in tRe decisions, state and national, we must examine tRe reasons given by tRe courts for tRe adoption of tlie rule upon wliicR their decisions are founded, and endeavor to ascertain tRe controlling principles of tRe law applicable to this case which are best established by the soundest reason and justice' of the cases. In the view we take of the question of pleadings it is wholly immaterial whether the action is to be treated as founded upon a tort, pure and simple, as claimed by the plaintiff in error, or as an action upon a contract to recover damages resulting from a tortious breach of the contract. Under the system of practice prevailing in many of the states there ought not to be any special controversy as to the character of this action, as the formal distinctions which prevailed at common law are abolished. TRe action was instituted in California, and, being an action at law, is controlled by the provisions of the Code and decisions of tíre state court. In Gorman v. Southern Pac. Co., 97 Cal. 6, 31 Pac. 1112, tlie court expressly held that, “when a passenger is wrongfully expelled from a train, it is a breach of duty on tlie part of the carrier, and an action in tort will lie to recover damages.” McGinnis v. Railway Co., 21 Mo. App. 407; Railroad Co. v. Roberts, 91 Ga. 513, 519, 18 S. E. 315; Hall v. Railroad Co., 15 Fed. 59. In all such actions the plaintiff is not to be confined in Ris recovery to the price of his extra tickets or fare or mere loss of time, but the jury may award damages for the humiliation or injury received by Ris wrongful expulsion from the train. Zion v. Southern Pac. Co., 67 Fed. 503, and authorities there cited. WitR reference to the principles enunciated in the charge of the court it is deemed proper to refer generally to many cases which discuss the relative rights and duties of a railroad company and of its passengers. It has been held that it is a reasonable regulation upon the part of the company to require passengers getting upon its railroad train without a ticket to pay at litional fare, but in this connection the courts declare that a reasonable opportunity must be given to the passenger to enable him to purchase the ticket, and that, if the passenger fails to purchase a ticket solely on account of the premature closing of the ticket office, or of the failure of the railroad company to have an office for the sale of tickets, he cannot be required to pay additional fare, and, if expelled for the nonpayment of the additional fare, after paying or offering to pay the regular fare, he is entitled to recover damages for the expulsion. Poole v. Railroad Co., 16 Or. 261, 19 Pac. 107; State v. Hungerford, 39 Minn. 7, 38 N. W. 628; Everett v. Railway Co., 69 Iowa, 15, 28 N. W. 410. The reason given is that, to allow a railroad company to enforce its rule for [589]*589additional fare, under such circumstances, would be punishing the passenger for the railroad company’s neglect of duty. Unless the railroad company furnishes the necessary conveniences or facilities for procuring tickets, the passenger cannot be considered to be in any manner at fault. Ray, Neg. Imp. Dut. 181-183, and authorities there cited.

With reference to the right of a passenger to be carried on the wrong coupon, where the coupons are detached by the conductor on the going trip, and the returning coupon, instead of the going coupon, is retained by the conductor, and the going coupon, instead of the returning coupon, given to the passenger, which the passenger retains without discovering tin; mistake until he presents it to the'conductor on the return trip, and then makes his explanation as to how the mistake occurred, the courts have held that under such circumstances the passenger1 has the lawful right to be carried on his return trip on presenting the going coupon, with the explanation; and, if expelled for- not paying his fare, he is entitled to recover damages for the expulsion. Pennsylvania Co. v. Bray, 125 Ind. 229, 25 N. E. 439; Railway Co. v. Fix, 88 Ind. 381; Railroad Co. v. Bambrey (Pa. Sup.) 16 Atl. 67; Wightman v. Railway Co. (Wis.) 40 N. W. 689; Railroad Co. v. Rice, 64 Md. 63, 21 Atl. 97; Rouser v. Railway Co., 97 Mich. 565, 56 N. W. 937. These cases, as well as the others previously referred to, all proceed upon the broad' ground that the passenger was wholly wilhout fault; that he had done all that could reasonably" be required of him to do; and that the railroad company, by the mistake, carelessness, or negligence of its agents or conductors, was itself at fault. This is the underlying principle of all the well-considered cast's upon this subject. This principle is fair to both parties. It is sound, reasonable, and'just. In further support of it we cite the following additional authorities: Johnson v. Railway Co., 46 Fed. 347; Zion v. Southern Pac. Co., 67 Fed. 506; Head v. Railway Co. (Ga.) 7 S. E. 217; Railroad Co. v. Dougherty, 86 Ga. 744, 12 S. E. 747; Railroad Co. v. Roberts, 91 Ga. 514, 18 S. E. 315; Railway Co. v. Hennigh, 39 Ind. 509; Hufford v. Railroad Co., 64 Mich. 631, 31 N. W. 544; Railway Co. v. Mackie (Tex. Sup.) 9 S. W. 451; Railroad Co. v. Conley (Ind. App.) 32 N. E. 96; Murdock v. Railroad Co., 137 Mass. 293; Muckle v. Railway Co., 79 Hun, 38, 29 N. Y. Supp. 732; McGinnis v. Railway Co., 21 Mo. App. 399; Burnham v. Railway Co., 63 Me. 298.

In a majority of the cases cited by the plaintiff in error in support of its contention, it affirmatively appears that the passenger was himself at fault, and that the railroad company was free from any fault, negligence, carelessness, or mistake. Especially is this true in the following cases: Railway Co. v. Bennett, 1 C. C. A. 544, 50 Fed. 496; Dietrich v. Railroad Co., 71 Pa. St. 433; Railway Co. v. Griffin, 68 Ill. 499; Pennington v. Railroad Co., 62 Md. 95; Johnson v. Railroad Co., 63 Md. 106; Petrie v. Railroad Co., 42 N. J. Law, 449. In Mosher v. Railroad Co., 127 U. S. 390, 8 Sup. C Gt.

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Bluebook (online)
70 F. 585, 30 L.R.A. 730, 1895 U.S. App. LEXIS 2530, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/northern-pac-r-v-pauson-ca9-1895.