Ruble v. Stone

430 S.W.2d 140, 1968 Ky. LEXIS 393
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kentucky (pre-1976)
DecidedJune 28, 1968
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 430 S.W.2d 140 (Ruble v. Stone) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kentucky (pre-1976) primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ruble v. Stone, 430 S.W.2d 140, 1968 Ky. LEXIS 393 (Ky. 1968).

Opinion

STEINFELD, Judge.

During July 1964 James Whitt and appellant, Joseph Wilson Ruble, both grandsons of Mrs. H. T. Stone were working for her on a farm which she owned and operated. James Whitt was a deaf-mute, 14 years and 8 months of age and Joseph Ruble was 13 years and 7 months old. On the 21st day of that month she directed them to take her tractor and go to the barn to clean it. Ruble drove to the barn and later Whitt operated the tractor on their return. When they had almost reached the house they discovered that they had left something at the barn so they turned around to go back with Whitt driving and Ruble riding on the fender. They struck a stone in the road, went on to wet grass, and Ruble was thrown off. The tractor passed over Ruble’s left leg severely injuring it and then the tractor turned over. Through his father, Ruble sued Mrs. Stone claiming that she and her agents, servants and employees were negligent.

Ruble completed the presentation of his case, and after counsel for Mrs. Stone had introduced some of her proof he moved for a directed verdict. The trial court sustained the motion and entered judgment dismissing the action, from which Ruble appeals. We affirm.

Appellant asserts that Mrs. Stone should have instructed the boys of the danger incident to the use of her D-10 Allis-Chalmers tractor equipped with an accelerator (take-off) which automatically increased the power when the tractor encountered resistance. It is appellant’s contention that when the tractor struck the stone the accelerator automatically increased the speed and power and this' caused Whitt to lose control and Ruble to fall off.

James Whitt had attended a deaf-mute school for the eight years preceding the summer of 1964. One of his teachers estimated that his mentality was about that of a child in the third or fourth grade— that is a ten year old child. The superintendent, principal and teacher testified that Whitt had taken eight years to reach the fourth grade.

There was considerable confusion and conflict in the testimony as to the number of times, if any, that Whitt had operated this particular tractor. On discovery deposition Joseph Ruble was asked and answered :

“Q. Well, didn’t Whitt operate the tractor with you, sometimes you would operate it and sometimes he would operate it?
A. Yes.
*142 Q. And that was as far back as ’63 wasn’t it?
A. Well, we didn’t really start operating it until that year that we had the accident.
Q. Sir?
A. We really didn’t start operating it until that year that we had the accident. He was just teaching me the gears and stuff.
Q. Oh. Well, then you hadn’t operated the tractor and neither had he before 1964, then?
A. Not that tractor.
Q. But other tractors?
A. Yes.
Q. And he had operated other tractors and so had you before ’64?
A. I don’t know whether he had or not.
Q. But you had?
A. Yes.
Q. But you don’t know whether he had or not?
A. No.
Q. * * * Now in 1964 you and he both operated Mrs. Stone’s tractor?
A. Yes, sir.”

In speaking of 1964:

“Q. Well, both he and you operated the tractor?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. And sometimes you would operate it and sometimes he would operate it?
A. Yes, sir.”
“Q. But both you and Mr. Whitt had operated this tractor during 1964 many times had you not?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. And you had observed James Whitt operating the tractor?
A. You mean at that time?
Q. No, I mean during 1964.
A. Yes, sir.
Q. And he was what you would consider a competent I mean a good tractor operator ?
A. Pretty good.”

In his deposition he also said that he had received schooling in the operation of tractors and he felt he was experienced enough in their operation to enter the tractor-driving contest at the county fair and that prior to being hurt he intended to do so. On his trial he admitted that he had driven the Allis-Chalmers tractor “3 or 4 times”. James Whitt testified that he had operated a tractor a year before the accident happened and that he had been taught how to operate tractors. For the purposes of discovery Whitt, through an interpreter Charles B. Grow, was interrogated by way of deposition which was filed. He was asked and answered:

“Q. About how many times and over what period of time had he operated the tractor of Mrs. Stone that was involved in this action?
A. (Per Mr. Grow) Eight or nine times.
Q. And what other tractors had he op- * erated other than Mrs. Stone’s?
A. (Per Mr. Grow) A John Deere, a Ford. I forgotten the name — he thinks another Ford tractor.”

However, on the trial he denied that he had ever driven the Allis-Chálmers tractor before the afternoon of the accident and said he did not know what a governor on a tractor was and had not been instructed concerning it. On cross examination he said that the testimony in his deposition was true.

*143 It is readily apparent from the admissions of Ruble and the testimony of Whitt that these young boys were well experienced in the operation of tractors. The dangers of improper driving must have been just as apparent to Ruble as to Mrs. Stone. Capps v. Pence, Ky., 280 S.W.2d 168 (1955) and McCormick Harvesting Mach. Co. v. Liter, 23 Ky.Law Rep. 2154, 66 S.W. 761 (Ky.1902). The evidence is insufficient to support a finding that Mrs. Stone’s failure to instruct was negligence or that it was the proximate cause of the accident. Klingenfus v.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Brown v. Indiana Insurance Co.
184 S.W.3d 528 (Kentucky Supreme Court, 2005)
Farmer v. Heard
844 S.W.2d 425 (Court of Appeals of Kentucky, 1992)
Hazelwood v. Beauchamp
766 S.W.2d 439 (Court of Appeals of Kentucky, 1989)
Robbins v. Shepherd
509 S.W.2d 278 (Court of Appeals of Kentucky, 1974)
Johnson v. Thoni Oil Magic Benzol Gas Stations, Inc.
467 S.W.2d 772 (Court of Appeals of Kentucky, 1971)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
430 S.W.2d 140, 1968 Ky. LEXIS 393, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ruble-v-stone-kyctapphigh-1968.