, 1866-03-06
SINGULAR LAW SUIT,
How Muct, Baggage n Lady Ia Leuagt
Entitled TO Carry.

IN the case Of Mrs. ). I. Long, who broneht
suit against the steamboat General Buell for
the loss Of o portion Of her baggage on d tin
from Louisville to Cincinnati, Id September ol
The grounds of defence, as set out in the
plcadings, were stated IN d former report ;and
~ his argument TO the jury, Mr.. Lincoln, On
tne part OF the defence, urged that the boat
was bound to carry only reasonable amount
OF baggassc-ttat one Of the two trunks be-
iopgtng to the lady was saved and delivered
70 her, and that this contained fifteen yaIua.
hle dresses, Jewelry, &C., the estimated value
being 81 900, which he insisted was ample
baggage tor the necessary comfort aud con
venienee Of lady on such trip. The trunk
washed overheard during the storm was
stated to contain 81, 500 worth OF wearing ap-
pnrel.5but was this to be considered as bag
fs ncipas ssss Il d. aSs' eo.sa Rs1 Ssfs1
has, or all the parsonal property be may
desire to convey from one polnf to another,
but those kinds OF articles q traveller takes
along for his personal comfort and conven-
ienco and beyond that the boat did not stand
simply as baslee having possession, and
bound to use the usual and ordinary care over
the property. II there were no precedent for
this rule Of law, he claimed It was high time
that the Court should make one and not
permit class Of persons who had to work
hard for their money, to be sacrificed to the
notions Of fashionable women, carrying three
story trunks, filed with high priced }ewelry
and clothing: Now, suppose the Queen Of
Mexico should come here,
Judge Storcr-Don't bring In Maxlnilian.
Mr.. Llncoln-We are now talking OF the
ladies, and, l 6ay, suppose this distinguished
pefsonage, as she is evidently bound to get
paris md get aboard one Of our steamers.
travelling ;neegnuo, aud with the jewels and
apparel that one In her position would be
likely to possess, have her wardrobe washed
over IN a storm-Wou1d steamboat be re-
sponsible to the owner, where the trunks
out notice a. to the special contents! Where
valuable property had to be transported the
services OF an express company could be en-.
ployed, where the rates Of chnrges were regu-
lated according to the risk and value. He
claimed, in this case, that the trunk was lett
In place OF reasonable security. and that the
boat had discharged all her duties as COM
mon carrier.
Mr.. Ramsey, In closing On behalf Of the
plaintiff, commended that The boat was liable,
no matter what the value of the property wns,
the question being rather as to the character
Of the articles, aud their use for purposes Of
convenience and adonmcnt, and whether
stances III He Of The traveller. The Jury had
right to consider the fact that Mrs, L. was
bride-the most Interesting period of wo-
mans life, when friends and relatives WED In
their Efforts to please her taste, and valuable
tokens of friendship were bestowed. She had
Just become the wife Of a Major General, and
1t was perfectly proper that she should
have wardrobe or this value, As to the
character Of the storm, he claimed that II was
one with which Western river men were per-
fcctly familiar, and that there was not such
Increment Of the elements as human skill
behind was stricken by the storm, and there
was no trouble-not trunk lost overheard,
and The trunk Of this pla{ntit wonld not have
been lost If It hat, been placed In the baeruce-
room. '7''''s'-
Upon the question OF damages. the case was
nof one for rnn,nronisa Thev ,scra rnfitfod
IN iii or name. ri 1ham grfvc verdict far
H. annnnt nrovcn fn h.ve hrrn 1os. ~ cira M
a xer5sct Eor fhe i1ef.nt1nrt and fnt ;en I7nne
nav The cost, ~, 9~'<' 'A1A Az >'sA' ''@1s'
ipdTc stnr-r ;ns,ructei7 the frrv that uhcn
~. n;1,ns,n ca+-;sr @ns adv, ~ tui h"nS
in ths 9.nrnnrc nr m = etn;neni ~ ;,r;st9 o t.n
nI.ncIdo 49, strn. s,.nro1, anS st-,.,1- - ~
a'., ~;,Ie.,t Sn~i.ttor ~ tha ,.-o.,5. n.;,,t
- n,,".a ~ noods nv re.sanaf fia 49, on;
.Iars t''s,i5s 5TGuun G[",1 .;on,, se.Ien,. 80 a.,
bczsIemcut." s % 4 @ common ] esrrlsr Is @bo bound. md
.ccorfii"c 70 we,t.sstt1ciI nrjncinle af 'n' 1aw'
~ tnsat+ ,.,s nra,>.,.r - raan;ra.
~, ~ ,as.tnot, .t:,r, e T. 'a ~ sus
psIse ~ ~. afE t,;a ann.,a ~ ~
ooy =, LIZ e. ,,raa+.taa ec1 w.. ~ .ae as
NJ God ID ,bat nrcrnoTcrin" sa1cc w wnich
"ssas. Mh,sa ~ = cav Oh the power OF hu-
sasn sasm NuaIn., y. asa,t to'na" aenon 9! nuihan
~ rtncn. t. 1sas ss " Snsu ~
~ p.nor u ~. ,,ror.trta ~ nIa.,a ~ "
,irr nonht bnve avera3 ~ a" "rc,aot dao va, u,
oao'ea asosoea eaS 'Hss. nh. Mnen ine oaeeasn o.
.Sssd T;t,,o,t wa;5hirr ~ evcan1g aM H. -, Is
sntH.ra T. ,,oth,o.E H. vSo ~ =.
haeeaoe itscif tn iniicata anythinss ill.,
.3itnnsition IL ra-ry merchan,}fss and nj
BAGGAGE. it is INCUMBENT on ne carrier. or
aren't or the boat. to suptsrst what The tr11nk
OF package NAV contain, Ii at a railroad
depot, etnee-coach. or on board q boat,
where the rule imposes o limit rs to The
weight Of the package, one Is received with
ont Weighing that contains larger number
Of pounds than they had agreed to carry
stiff they are responsible, for they had the
means Of testing the matter.
1t was the dirty Of tue officers or agents Of
the boat 70 place the baggage IN place Of
safety. The utmost degree Of safety, now
ever, Vas comparative term, the utmost
aafcty.' bcing limit difficult TO reach, and
e3metimes boundary very hard to determine.
7he place of safety must be such Is the *
lart Of those engaged in such navigation
would induce them to select. having caro-
FIJI regard to the interests Of Others as well
~ their OWL. When, however, carrier un-
dertakes to determioo for himself that
oae place Is Just as safe as another,
he At once runs The risk whether 1t
Is 70: II, at tho time the baggage vas
paced i1 charge Of re boat, there was one
pace saier than anoiher, II was part Of tho
Mpnea ae1eeMent t1at Inc property should
oe dep2snea mere; II Inc baggage OF party
eannot % received on fau car, IN the bag
e9Ee loom, he eugnt nos % oe 1eceeVed ss a
lasseD h,,. hn ~ ~ n uno n;a enS arnh ah5 as5a9es
~ By which me trunk IS lost. when those IN