Case Name: BROWN v. WESTERN UNION TEL. CO.
Court: Supreme Court of South Carolina
Jurisdiction: South Carolina
Decision Date: 1922-04-18
Citations: 119 S.C. 175
Docket Number: 10876
Parties: BROWN v. WESTERN UNION TEL. CO.
Judges: 
Reporter: South Carolina Reports
Volume: 119
Pages: 175–175

Head Matter:
10876
BROWN v. WESTERN UNION TEL. CO.
(112 S. E. 117)
1. Telegraphs — Commerce.—Where a message between Charleston and Aiken was transmitted by the company through Atlanta, it is an interstate message and there can be no recovery for mental anguish or punitive damages for delay in its delivery.
2. Telegraphs — Commerce—Government Control. — There can be no recovery against a telegraph company for delay in a message during the period of operation and control of said company by the U. S. Government.
Before Wilson, J., Aiken, November, 1919.
Reversed.
Action by Steven Brown against Western Union Telegraph Co. Judgment for plaintiff for actual and.punitive damages and defendant appeals.
Messrs. Francis R. Stark and Nelson, Gettys & Mullins. for appellant,
cite: Message was interstate transaction and liability is controlled by Federal Law: 110 S. C. 169; 115 S. C. 520; 254 U. S. 17. Not liable while under Government control: 65 U. S. L. Ed. 709.
Mr. Filian B. Salley, for respondent.
April 18, 1922.

Opinion:
The. opinion of the Court was delivered by
Mr. Justice Cothran.
Upon the authority of Berg v. Telegraph Co., 110 S. C. 169, 96 S. E. 248; Son v. Telegraph Co., 115 S. C. 520, 106 S. E. 507, Telegraph Co. v. Speight, 254 U. S. 17, 41 Sup. Ct. 11, 65 L. Ed. 104, and Telegraph Co. v. Poston, 256 U. S. -, 41 Sup. Ct. 598, 65 L. Ed. 709, the judgment of the Circuit Court is reversed.