Case Name: John Cannon, Respondent, v. James C. Fargo, as President of the American Express Company, Appellant
Court: New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1915-04
Citations: 168 A.D. 921
Docket Number: 
Parties: John Cannon, Respondent, v. James C. Fargo, as President of the American Express Company, Appellant.
Judges: 
Reporter: Appellate Division Reports
Volume: 168
Pages: 921–922

Head Matter:
John Cannon, Respondent, v. James C. Fargo, as President of the American Express Company, Appellant.
Hegligence —injury to workman — volunteer—practice—dismissal on appeal.
Upon reargument ordered after decision of November last to reverse and dismiss the complaint, in view of - subsequent decisions of the Court of Appeals, on the power of this court-to direct final judgment of dismissal. (See 165 App. Div. 931.)

Opinion:
Per Curiam:
Plaintiff's first and direct admission that at the time of the accident, and at the first trial, he did not know it was his duty to help with express packages, must control. He then swore that such help was not his duty, nor his custom, since (except in rare instances when called on by the station master) he had not given such help to defendant's servants in handling express matter. His own testimony must be accepted as true, and, therefore, must be decisive of bis action. A mere volunteer, when he went to this express car, as plaintiff conceded that he was, could not afterwards face about and turn himself into an emergency helper by such outside testimony as plaintiff produced at the later trials. As the complaint should have been dismissed below, this court, on reversal, may render a final judgment of dismissal. (Peterson v. Ocean Electric R. Co., 214 N. Y. 43; Bullock v. New York Central & Hudson River R. R. Co., 213 id. 694.) The judgment and order are, therefore, reversed, and the complaint dismissed, with costs. Jenks, P. J., Thomas, Carr, Stapleton and Putnam, JJ., concurred. Judgment and order reversed on reargument and complaint dismissed, with costs.