Case ID: ga_77/html/0075-01.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "Blandford, Justice.", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

The Alabama Great Southern Railroad vs. Wilkinson et ux.
    
    In a suit for damages resulting from the negligent conduct of the agents of a railroad in failing to stop its cars at the depot of a place where, by a passenger’s ticket, she had a right to depart from the train, but stopping at another point and causing the passenger to alight in the rain, whereby she was injured, a verdict for $100 being reasonable, and the court below having refused a new trial, this court will not interfere.
    April 20, 1886
    Railroads. Damages. Negligence. Before Judge Eain. Dade Superior Court. September Term, 1885.
    John B. Wilkinson and his wife brought their action against the Alabama Great Southern Railroad Company, alleging, in brief, as follows: On March 36, 1882, Mrs. Wilkinson purchased a ticket entitling her to be carried from one station to another on the line of the defendant’s road. She entered the car, carrying with her, by consent of the conductor, her two infant children. At the point of destination, the car was not stopped, nor was any opportunity given her to leave the train at the usual and proper place for discharging passengers, but they were carried • some distance beyond and discharged at an unusual, unsafe and inconvenient place. The weather was inclement, and she was compelled, to go back to the station with her children with much inconvenience and annoyance, and as a result, one of the children was made sick, causing her to employ a doctor at a cost of $10, besides giving her great trouble and anxiety.
    The defendant pleaded the general issue. The evidence for the plaintiffs tended to support the allegations of the declaration. There was some conflict as to the distance beyond the station to the point at which Mrs. Wilkinson, was put off. She testified that i t was about a quarter of a mile; other witnesses testified that it was from 50 to 100 yards. There was testimony to. show that the defendant had no station of its own, but used that of another road which joined it there; that the train stopped about 50 to 100 yards before reaching the station, and remained there about half an hour; that it then started on, and after passing the station, Mrs. Wilkinson called the attention of a person on the -train to the fact that she had not left the train, that he in turn called the attention of the conductor thereto, and the latter at once stopped the train and Mrs. Wilkinson was assisted in alighting; that she never asked him to carry her back to the station; and that a witness told her to leave her baggage and have the agent carry it back; but she attempted to carry it a part of the way herself and was then assisted in doing so. There was some conflict as to whether the child was made sick by this exposure or by reason of having ridden two miles in an open wagon that morning.
    The jury found for the plaintiffs $100. The defendan moved for a new trial, on the ground that the verdict was contrary to law and the charge of the court and was excessive. The motion was overruled, and exception was taken.
    W. U. & J. P. Jacoway ; R. J. McOamy, for plaintiff in error.
    McOutchen & Shumate, for defendants.
   Blandford, Justice.

The defendants in error sued the plaintiff in error for the negligent conduct of its agents in failing- to stop its cars at the depot of a place where, by defendant’s ticket, she had a right to depart from the train of plaintiff in error. The jury found a verdict for defendant in error, assessing her damages at one hundred dollars. The plaintiff in error moved for a new trial, which the court refused, and this is assigned as error.

The damages done to the defendant in error, if any, were small; the verdict is reasonable; so thought the court below; he refused a new trial, and we will not interfere therewith.

Judgment affirmed.