Case Name: BUTLER et al. v. WHITEMAN
Court: Supreme Court of the United States
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 1958-04-14
Citations: 356 U.S. 271
Docket Number: No. 200
Parties: BUTLER et al. v. WHITEMAN.
Judges: Mr. Justice Whittaker joins, dissenting.
Reporter: United States Reports
Volume: 356
Pages: 271–273

Head Matter:
BUTLER et al. v. WHITEMAN.
No. 200,
Misc.
Decided April 14, 1958.

Opinion:
Per Curiam.
The motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis and the petition for writ of certiorari are granted. The judgment is reversed and the cause is remanded for trial. We hold that the petitioner's evidence presented an evi-dentiary basis for jury findings as to (1) whether or not the tug G. W. Whiteman was in navigation, Senko v. LaCrosse Dredging Corp., 352 U. S. 370, 373; Carumbo v. Cape Cod S. S. Co., 123 F. 2d 991; (2) whether or not the petitioner's decedent was a seaman and member of the crew of the tug within the meaning of the Jones Act, 41 Stat. 1007, 46 U. S. C. § 688; Senko v. LaCrosse Dredging Corp., supra; Gianfala v. Texas Co., 350 U. S. 879; South Chicago Co. v. Bassett, 309 U. S. 251; Grimes v. Raymond Concrete Pile Co., 356 U. S. 252; and (3) whether or not employer negligence played a part in producing decedent's death. Ferguson v. Moor e-McCormack Lines, 352 U. S. 521; Rogers v. Missouri Pacific R. Co., 352 U. S. 500; Schulz v. Pennsylvania R. Co., 350 U. S. 523.
For reasons set forth in his opinion in Rogers v. Missouri Pacific R. Co., 352 U. S. 500, 524, Mr. Justice Frankfurter is of the view that the writ of certiorari is improvidently granted.