Case Name: Thomas McCormick v. The Hudson River Railroad Company
Court: New York Court of Common Pleas
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1855-03
Citations: 4 E.D. Smith 181
Docket Number: 
Parties: Thomas McCormick v. The Hudson River Railroad Company.
Judges: 
Reporter: E.D. Smith's Common Pleas Reports
Volume: 4
Pages: 181–183

Head Matter:
Thomas McCormick v. The Hudson River Railroad Company.
Where a passenger purchased, in Chicago, a “ through ticket” for New York, consisting of four coupons, to he separated and delivered up on demand, three thereof at points between Chicago and Albany, and the fourth after leaving the latter place; held, that the railroad company owning the last route of the journey, from Albany to New York, were liable for the loss of a trunk, the passenger having received their check upon surrendering such trunk and a carpet bag at Buffalo, and they having delivered a part of said baggage at New York.
A passenger on a railroad may place in his trunk his gold watch and such other articles of jewelry as he ordinarily wears about his person, and the carrier is not, as matter of law, exempt from liability therefor, in case the trunk and its contents are lost. Woodruff, J., dissenting.
Action against the defendants as passenger carriers, for the loss of a trunk and its contents. The Marine Court awarded judgment for the plaintiff, upon the case stated by Daly, J. Among the articles assessed in making up the amount of the recovery in the court below, were a gold watch and chain, and certain finger rings, all of which the plaintiff had deposited in the trunk in question.
Calvin Noyes, for the defendants.
John D. MacGregor, for the plaintiff.

Opinion:
Daly, J.
The assignor purchased a ticket at Chicago, for his transportation to New York. It was what is called a through ticket, or coupons, that is, there were four tickets upon one piece of paper, so arranged as to admit of each ticket being cut off and delivered up when demanded at different points along the route. Three of the parts of the coupons were delivered between Chicago and Albany, and the fourth part was received by the defendant, for his transportation from Albany to New York. At Buffalo he de livered up Ms baggage, consisting of a trunk and a carpet bag, for wMch he received one of the defendants' checks. The bag came safely, and was delivered up to him by the defendants, in New York, but the trunk could not be found.
This was sufficient to entitle the plaintiff to recover. The ticket which McCormick received in Chicago, passed him over the defendants' road; and that they took charge of Ms baggage at Buffalo, appéars by their delivering their check for it, and by their transporting a part of it safely to New York. The justice was justified in assuming that the ticket sold McCormick in CMcago was sold by the defendants, or their agents, and that they or their agents took charge of the baggage in Buffalo.
A gold watch is an article of wearing apparel, and when not carried about the person, but in a trunk wMle travelling, is to be deemed baggage. (See Grant v. Newton, 1 E. D. Smith, 95.)