Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-11-30

THE RESPONSIBILITY OF CoMMoN-CAR-
RTERs.-In a recent case tried before Judge
Leigh, of the Circuit Court for Lynchburg,
Va, in which damages were claimed Of
Farlsh & Co., Stage proprietors, for the loss
of trunk cut from stage and rihed, the
Court ruled that the evidence of the plain
tiff was admissible TO prove the contents Of
the trunk. The defendant then offered to
prove that notice was kept posted con-
spicuously in their Office, "All baggage at
the risk Of the owners"-that the same was
printed in large letters at the top of the
way-bill, and that proclamation to the same
effect was habitually made before the stag.
es started from the Office. The plaintiff OBJ
iec.ed to the introduction of this evidence
on the ground that such notices did not lin
it the liability of carriers. whom the law
regards as insurers, except against the act
of the owner, the act of God, "a stroke of
lightning, &c., or the act ofpublic enemies.
The Court held that carrier is liable, ex-
cept as just stated, and that he cannot a.
void that liability by notices. He may
qualify it in respect to the place Of delve-
ry, or he may by such general notice re-
quie persons, when they take or send ar
ticles of great value IN small compass, to
acquaint him with the fact, that he may
take greater care, for that would be but rea-
sonable. If special agreement that the
carrier should not be responsible were prov
ed, vt might be a question whether that
would remove his liability or not-but no
general notice will.
1t may be well to add point which,
though not arising in this case. is also gen.
erally misunderstood, viz: That stage
owner, &c., has no right to refuse to take
person who will not agree to be responsible
for his own baggage. They hold them
selves out as offering to carry persons and
their baggage for certain sum. and the
law regards the fare as compensation for
both the trouble and the risk. They arc
looked upon as quasi public officers, who
have no right to make terms in respect to
the performance of their duty, and are LA.
BILE to an action for such refusal.
PREVALENCE OF BALDNEss.-From some
cause Or other, badness seems to befall
much younger men than 1t did thirty or for
ty years ago. A very observant halter in
| IOTIHeu US cuOls tluC siuSc, tUdt uc
agined much of it was owing to the CON-
mon use of wearing silk hats. which, from
their impermeability to the air, kept the
head at a much higher temperature than
the old beaver structures, which he also in
formed US, went out principally because We
had used up all the beavers in the Hudson
Bay Company's territories. The adoption
of silk hats has, however given them time,
1t seems to replenish the breed. These facts
afford singular instance of the influence
Of fashion upon the animals Of a remote
continent. 1t would be more singular still
if the silk hat theory of badness has any
truth in it, as 1t would then turn out that
we were sacrificing our natural nap in order
that the beaver may recover his. Without
endorsing the speculative opinion of our
halter, We may, We believe, state it as a
we'll ascertained circumstance, that soldiers
in helmetted regiments are oftener bald than
any other of our heroic defendels.-Quar-
tsrly Reriem.