Case Name: Before State Workmen's Compensation Commission. In the Matter of the Claim of William E. Mihm for Compensation to Himself under the Workmen's Compensation Law, v. William M. Hussey, Employer, and Commercial Casualty Company, Insurance Carrier
Court: New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1915-11-10
Citations: 169 A.D. 742
Docket Number: 
Parties: Before State Workmen’s Compensation Commission. In the Matter of the Claim of William E. Mihm for Compensation to Himself under the Workmen’s Compensation Law, v. William M. Hussey, Employer, and Commercial Casualty Company, Insurance Carrier.
Judges: 
Reporter: Appellate Division Reports
Volume: 169
Pages: 742–745

Head Matter:
Before State Workmen’s Compensation Commission. In the Matter of the Claim of William E. Mihm for Compensation to Himself under the Workmen’s Compensation Law, v. William M. Hussey, Employer, and Commercial Casualty Company, Insurance Carrier.
Third Department,
November 10, 1915.
"Workmen’s Compensation Law — “ warehousing ” defined — injury to employee of produce merchant.
An employer in order to be engaged in “ warehousing ” within the meaning of the Workmen’s Compensation Law, must be engaged in storing goods “for pecuniary gain.” Hence, an employer in the wholesale business who, in connection therewith, maintains a place in which to store his goods is not engaged in warehousing within the meaning of the statute and an employee, whose hand was -injured while tiering barrels, is not entitled to an award.
Kellogg and Howard, JJ., dissented, with opinion.
Certification of a question by the State Workmen’s Compensation Commission to the Appellate Division, under section 23 of the Workmen’s Compensation Law (Consol. Laws, chap. 67; Laws of 1914, chap. 41), upon reconsideration of a claim for compensation.
Otto D. Parker [Henry Siegrist of counsel], for the insurance carrier.
Egbert E. Woodbury, Attorney-General [Harold J. Hinman of counsel], for the Commission.
Benjamin Axleroad, for the claimant.

Opinion:
Lyon, J.:
The State Industrial Commission has certified to this court the question: "Was the claimant at the time of the injury engaged in a hazardous employment within the meaning of the Workmen's Compensation Law, and entitled to compensation as a result of injuries arising out of and in the course of such employment." The employer was engaged in the wholesale produce business, with an office at 348 Broadway, Albany, N. Y. In connection with said business, and upon said premises, he maintained a warehouse or place of storage in which the produce owned by him was kept in storage until sold at wholesale.
The claimant was in his employ as shipper, and on the 28th of September, 1914, while tiering barrels of vinegar, weighing about 500 pounds each, in the storehouse, his right hand was pressed against a brick wall, injuring the second and third fingers. The Commission has found that the injuries were accidental, arose in the course of employment, and were without fault of the employee.
The alleged hazardous employment in which claimant was engaged is embraced in group 29 of section 2 of the Workmen's Compensation Law (Consol. Laws, chap. 67; Laws of 1914, chap. 41), which is as follows: "Milling; manufacture of cereals or cattle foods, warehousing; storage; operation of grain elevators."
The single question, therefore, for decision is whether the claimant was engaged in the "employment" of "warehousing " at the time he sustained his injuries. Warehousing is defined in the Century Dictionary as "1. The act of placing goods in a warehouse. 2. The business of receiving goods *for storage." "'Employment' includes employment only in a trade, business or occupation carried on by the employer for pecuniary, gain." (Workmen's Compensation Law, § 3, subd. 5.)
Claimant's employer was not carrying on the business of warehousing for pecuniary gain, hence the submitted question should be answered in the negative.
All concurred, except Kellogg, J., who dissented in opinion, in which Howard, J., concurred.