Case Name: FURLONG v. WINNE & McKAIN CO.
Court: New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1915-03-18
Citations: 152 N.Y.S. 245
Docket Number: No. 25-48
Parties: FURLONG v. WINNE & McKAIN CO.
Judges: 
Reporter: West's New York Supplement
Volume: 152
Pages: 245–248

Head Matter:
FURLONG v. WINNE & McKAIN CO.
(No. 25-48.)
(Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Third Department.
March 18, 1915.)
1. Appeal and Error <@=>171—Theory of Case, in Trial Court—Review on Appeal—Objections.
Where an action for injuries to plaintiff stopping a runaway team of defendant was without objection tried on the theory of negligence to fasten the team at all, or negligent failure to adequately fasten it, though the complaint merely alleged an entire failure to fasten the team, defendant could not, on appeal from judgment in its favor, urge that, without an amendment of the complaint, recovery would not be authorized on the ground that the fastening as proved was insufficient.
[Ed. Note.—For other cases, see Appeal and Error, Cent. Dig. §§ 1053-1063, 1066, 1067, 1161-1165; Dec. Dig. <@=>171.]
2. Municipal Corporations <@=>706—Care of Teams—Prima Facie Negligence.
That a team on a public street ran away is some evidence of negligence of the owner to one voluntarily stopping the team to prevent it running into children playing in the street.
[Ed. Note.—For other cases, see Municipal Corporations, Cent. Dig. § 1518; Dec. Dig. <@=>706.]
3. Municipal Corporations <@=>706—Care of Teams—Evidence—Question for Jury.
In an action for injuries to one stopping a runaway team in a public street, evidence of the owner’s negligence held, under the evidence, for the jury.
[Ed. Note.—-For other cases, see Municipal Corporations, Cent. Dig. § 1518; Dec. Dig. <@=>706.]
Woodward and Kellogg, JJ., dissenting.
Appeal from Trial Term, Schenectady County.
Action by Peter Furlong against the Winne & McKain Company. From a judgment for defendant, rendered on a verdict directed by the court, plaintiff appeals. Reversed, and new trial granted.
Argued before SMITH, P. J., and KELLOGG, LYON, HOWARD, and WOODWARD, JJ.
Eugene D. Flanigan, of Albany, for appellant.
Henry S. Baehler, of Schenectady (Wm. Dewey Loucks, of Schenectady, of counsel), for respondent.

Opinion:
SMITH, P. J.
Upon the 24th day of June, 1912, the plaintiff was injured in attempting to stop a runaway team belonging to the defendant, upon a public highway in the city of Schenectady. The team was attachéd to a coal delivery wagon, and was running away with the empty wagon along the street upon which were playing some children, among which children were two of plaintiff's own. As he swears, in order to protect those children, he ran into the street and caught hold of the running horses, and finally brought them to a stop; in so doing he was injured, and he now seeks to recover damages for such injuries. At the trial term a verdict was directed for the defendant, and upon the judgment entered upon such directed verdict this appeal is taken.
Plaintiff was entitled to have this case submitted to the jury, both upon the question whether these horses were at all secured before they started to run, and also whether that security was adequate. It is true that the complaint seems to charge negligence only as to an entire failure to fasten the horses. But the case was tried upon both theories, without an objection having been once taken that the pleadings were insufficient. Not having taken the objection at the time, the respondent is not in a position now to urge that without an amendment of the pleading a recovery would not be authorized upon this specific ground that such fastening as was proven was insufficient. The fact that the horses were running away without a driver called for an explanation from the defendant. Prima facie that fact alone would seem to be some evidence of negligence upon defendant's part.
If this be true, the only proof that the horses were fastened by two weights was the evidence of the driver and the evidence of the brewery man who was cleaning the coal. The evidence of the driver is under suspicion, both by reason of his being in the employ of the defendant, and also by reason of the fact that if the horses were not fastened he was the man responsible for the accident. The jury might well have found that the brewery man, who received the coal, being down in the coal cellar, was not in a position to see whether these weights were attached to the horses, or that he would not naturally have taken notice of such a fact. The plaintiff voluntarily placed himself in danger to avoid possible accidents to some children from a runaway team. The facts of the case should be viewed fairly in his effort to recover damages for the injury resulting therefrom from the owner of the team, which was thus permitted to create the dangerous situation.
The judgment should therefore be reversed, with costs to appellant" to abide event, and a new trial granted. All concur, except WOODWARD, J., who dissents, in opinion in which KELLOGG, J., concurs.