Phares v. Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway Co.

50 N.E. 306, 20 Ind. App. 54, 1898 Ind. App. LEXIS 514
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedApril 26, 1898
DocketNo. 2,291
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 50 N.E. 306 (Phares v. Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Phares v. Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway Co., 50 N.E. 306, 20 Ind. App. 54, 1898 Ind. App. LEXIS 514 (Ind. Ct. App. 1898).

Opinion

Black, J.

The court rendered judgment for the defendant upon a special verdict in an action brought by the appellant against the appellee. The controlling facts of the lengthy special verdict were as follows: The railroad company had two classes of freight brakemen, one called regular freight brakemen, and the other extra freight brakemen. The appellant entered the service of the appellee on the 6th day of September, 1892, and during all the time of his service was an extra freight brakeman. He suffered a personal injury while in such service, on the 29th of October, 1S92. On the 25th of March, 1893, the appellant signed a writing, referred to in the special verdict as a proposition and as a written option and as an offer of compromise, as follows: “Elkhart, Indiana, March 25, 1893. For and in consideration of the sum of one dollar, to me in hand this day paid by the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway Company, I hereby stipulate and agree to and with the skid company that I will accept from it the sum of three hundred dollars, and further that I am to remain in the service of said company as brakeman as long as I want to, providing my work shall prove satisfactory to said company, as full settlement and satisfaction of all claims and demands of every kind, nature and description, which [56]*56I have or may be entitled to have against said company by reason of personal injuries sustained by me while a freight brakeman of said company, at or near Dune Park Station, in the State of Indiana, on the 29th day of October, 1892, and in consideration thereof to execute and deliver to said company a full, perfect and complete release and satisfaction, provided the same is paid to me within forty-five days from the date hereof. W. H. Phares. (Seal.)

“Witnesses: C. A. Theis, C. C. Needham.

“Elkhart, Indiana, March 25th, 1893.

I, the aforesaid W. H. Phares, do hereby acknowledge receipt from the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway Company, by the hands of C. C. Needham, its agent, the said sum of one dollar mentioned in the above agreement. W. H. Phares.

“Witnesses: C. A. Theis, C. C. Needham.”

On the 10th day of May, 1893, the appellant signed a writing as follows:

“Form No. 1284.

“Whereas, on the 29th day of October, A. D. 1892, the undersigned, while in the employ of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway Company as freight brakeman, received certain injuries as follows, to wit: While uncoupling engine, had his left hand caught between pin and end sill of car C. L. & W. 3718, one finger amputated and another bruised, while in the discharge of his duties, at or near Dune Park Station, in the State of Indiana; and whereas, I, the said William H. Phares, believe that my said injuries are the result of the negligence of said railway company, its officers, agents and employes; and whereas the saidrailway company denies any and all negligence on the part of itself, its officers, agents, and employes, and denies any and all liability to me for damages for the injuries so as aforesaid by me sustained; but by reason of an [57]*57offer of compromise made by me, the said L. S. & M. S. Ry. Co., for the purpose of avoiding litigation, to receive and accept the sum of three hundred dollars in full accord and satisfaction for all claims for damages which I may or might have for the injuries aforesaid, have paid to me the sum of three hundred dollars and agree to re-employ me as a freight brakeman for such time only as may be satisfactory- to said company. Now, therefore, in consideration of the premises, and the payment to me of the aforesaid sum of three hundred dollars, the receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge, I do hereby release and forever discharge the said Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway Company and all other parties in interest, of and from all actions, suits, claims, and demands for or on account of or arising from the injuries so as aforesaid received, and every and all results hereafter arising therefrom.

“Witness my hand and seal, at Elkhart, Indiana, this tenth day of May, A. D., 1893.

“William H. Phares. (Seal.)

“Signed, sealed and delivered in presence of C. C. Needham. J. W. Gainard.

“Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway Company, to William H. Phares, Dr. Issued April 28, 1893, care of A. B. Newell, Chicago, 111. For settlement in full of all claims and demands t'o date, especially for personal injuries sustained at Dune Park, Indiana, October 29th, 1892, as per attached form G. S. 1284. $300.00.

“Received, Elkhart, May 10th, 1893, of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Ry. Co., three hundred dollars in full of the above account.

“$300.00. William H. Phares.

“Correct. W. H. Cahniff, Gen. Sup’t.

“Audited. C. P. Lehand, Auditor.

“Approved. P. P. Wright, Ass’t Gen’l Manager.”

[58]*58On the 25th of March, 1893, and during the whole of that month, and on the 10th day of May, 1893, and during the whole of that month, the appellant was employed by the appellee as an extra freight brakeman; and from the time of his first employment down to the 26th of June, 1894, Avhenever he was called upon to do work, he was put upon the appellee’s pay roll of extra freight brakemen, and he received pay as such. At the date last mentioned, the appellee put in force a seniority list of all brakemen, whereby those in the appellee’s service for the shortest time were put upon the list of extra freight brakemen, and the youngest of the extra freight brakemen in the sendee, to the number of ten, were temporarily laid off until business should reAdve. From that date to the commencement of this action the appellant’s name was kept upon the list of extra freight brakemen who were so laid off, to be called into sendee as extra freight brakemen according to their seniority of service whenever business should revive so as to give them active employment.

It was found that the offer of compromise referred to in the writing of Blay 10, 1893, was the same offer of compromise contained in the writing of Blarch 25, 1893; that this offer of March 25, 1893, was accepted by the appellee by C. C. Needham, claim agent, before the execution of the written release and written receipt dated May 10, 1893; that said Needham agreed with the appellant that the terms regarding appellant’s employment contained in the written option of Biarch 25,1893, should be embodied in the written papers dated Blay 10, 1893, which were signed by the appellant.

It was also found that the appellee, on or about the 10th of Blay, 1893, accepted a proposition made by the appellant in said writing dated Blarch 25, 1893, [59]*59and paid him $300.00; that the general officers of the appellee sent the release and receipt both dated May-10, 1893, to Needham, to be signed by the appellant; that after the execution of the writings dated May 10, 1893, no new or different arrangement regarding the appellant's employment was entered into between the parties.

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Bluebook (online)
50 N.E. 306, 20 Ind. App. 54, 1898 Ind. App. LEXIS 514, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/phares-v-lake-shore-michigan-southern-railway-co-indctapp-1898.