Case Name: Josephine J. Frawley and Another, Respondents, v. Morris Miller and Another, Appellants. William Ahlers, Defendant
Court: New York Supreme Court, Appellate Term
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1925-11-13
Citations: 125 Misc. 864
Docket Number: 
Parties: Josephine J. Frawley and Another, Respondents, v. Morris Miller and Another, Appellants. William Ahlers, Defendant.
Judges: 
Reporter: New York Miscellaneous Reports
Volume: 125
Pages: 864–865

Head Matter:
Josephine J. Frawley and Another, Respondents, v. Morris Miller and Another, Appellants. William Ahlers, Defendant.
Supreme Court, Appellate Term, First Department,
November 13, 1925.
Hunt, Hill & Betts [H. Victor Crawford of counsel], for the appellants.
Abraham Greenberg, for the respondent.

Opinion:
Guy, J.:
Action for damages to plaintiffs' premises from defendants' negligence.
Defense, general denial.
A judgment by default for same occurrence has been recovered against defendant Ahlers who was an independent contractor.
On January 17,1925, Ahlers, an independent contractor, installed a pole in yard of defendants' premises No. 1688 Third avenue. The pole fell and plaintiffs sustained a property damage of $130.
Plaintiffs proved the erection and fall of pole and claimed and oral promise by defendants to repair the damage.
Defense proved that pole was erected by Ahlers, an independent contractor; denied in effect any promise to repair damage and proved that defendants did not interfere with or control the independent contractor.
Defendants are not liable for the neglect of their independent contractor. If a promise to repair damage done by independent contractor is relied on it must be pleaded. No recovery on such a theory can be had under a mere averment of negligence. (Roemer v. Striker, 142 N. Y. 134, 136, 137.)
Judgment reversed, with thirty dollars costs, and complaint dismissed, with costs.
All concur; present, Guy, Bijur and Mullan, JJ.