Case Name: William H. Waddington, Administrator, v. The Village of Jefferson
Court: Illinois Appellate Court
Jurisdiction: Illinois
Decision Date: 1889-02-13
Citations: 30 Ill. App. 198
Docket Number: 
Parties: William H. Waddington, Administrator, v. The Village of Jefferson.
Judges: 
Reporter: Illinois Appellate Court Reports
Volume: 30
Pages: 198–199

Head Matter:
William H. Waddington, Administrator, v. The Village of Jefferson.
Municipal Corporation—Unprotected Bridge—Death by Drowning— Action for Damages.
In an action against a municipal corporation to recover damages for causing the death of the plaintiff’s infant son through alleged negligence in failing to provide railings to a bridge, this court affirms the judgment for the defendant, the questions of negligence on the part of the defendant and ordinary care on the part of the deceased having been fairly submitted to the jury.
[Opinion filed February 13, 1889.]
Appeal from the Superior Court of Cook County; the Hon. Kirk Hawes, Judge, presiding.
Messrs. James Leddy and Edward W. Cullen, for appellant.
Mr. J. P. W. Brown, for appellee.

Opinion:
Per Curiam.
This was an action to recover damages for the appellant's decedent, a boy about the age of eight years. The evidence shows that on his way home from school the boy knelt down on the edge of the bridge, and leaned out over the edge thereof in an attempt to catch or guide by means of a stick, which he held in his hands, pieces of wood which were floating in the stream which ran under the bridge. While so engaged he lost his balance, fell headlong into the water, and was drowned.
The bridge from which he fell had been used for many years as the means for crossing the stream, both by teams and foot passengers, and there was not, at the time of the accident, and had never been any railing upon said bridge. The case was heard by a jury upon all the evidence, and the question of negligence on the part of the defendant, and ordinary care-on the part of the boy, were fairly left to them on instructions which, upon careful examination, we find to have been free from errors; and the verdict of the jury, and the judgment rendered thereon by the trial court, is therefore conclusive. Ho error appearing, the judgment must be affirmed,
Judgment affirmed.