Court Opinion

ID: 9808915
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-31 20:53:59.335971+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:20:07.270475
License: Public Domain

*377Cook, J.,
dissenting. I do not tbink tbe facts stated in' the complaint show negligence upon the part of defendant company, and therefore see no- error in his Honor’s sustaining the demurrer. . The facts are as follows: “That on December 28, 1897, the plaintiff, at the time in the employment of the Elmira Cotton Mills Company, went to the freight depot of defendant, at Burlington, N. C., the lessee as aforesaid, for the purpose of getting goods and freight consigned to his employers; that upon inquiry he learned from defendant’s agent that the goods for which he had come were not in the depot, but were still in one of defendant’s freight cars, which was moved to the siding nearest the platform, and the engine detached; that thereupon, at the invitation and under the direction of, and accompanied by, defendant’s agent, he entered the car and was proceeding to unload the goods, and when he, assisted by the agent, had unloaded a few bales of said goods, the agent left, directing him to proceed and finish the unloading; that in unloading he would throw two or three bales from the car on the platform and then go on the platform and place these bales on a truck and roll them to the opposite side of the depot, where his horse and wagon were, and then place them on the wagon, and then returning would enter the car and throw out more bales of goods; that while he was in the car unloading the last of the bales that he intended to unload, he suddenly found that the car was in motion, and upon looking out found that it was attached to a train of cars, and apprehended that he was attached to a regular train; and knowing that he was being delayed in delivering the goods to his employers, and thereby delaying the operation of their mill, and knowing that he was leaving his horse and wagon standing at the depot, that before said train had attained any speed, and while it was slowly moving by the depot, he attempted to' step, from the car, in which he was, to the platform, a distance of about *378fourteen inches, and in such attempt he was thrown from the platform and had his right leg broken, to- his damage one thousand dollars. That said accident and damage were caused by the negligence of defendant’s servants in moving the car without first giving notice to the plaintiff, after having invited and directed him to enter the car for the purposes-aforesaid. Wherefore, plaintiff demands judgment for $1,000,” etc.
Eor what purpose the car was being moved, or to what, place it was intended to be carried, does not appear; nor did plaintiff inquire or endeavor to inquire. Having been invited or permitted to go into the car and unload the goods,, defendant company was under obligations, first, to do him no injury while in the car; second, to do him no injury while-carrying the goods out of the car; and third, to give him sufficient notice to safely get his goods and himself out of the-car, in the event that it was intended to carry the car to some other station before doing so.
As plaintiff was not injured by any act of defendant company while he was in the car, or while getting the goods out of the car, the first and second duties or obligations are not in controversy.
As to the third: It is not alleged (only apprehended) that it was the purpose to carry the car away from the depot, or that it was done. In the absence of such an allegation, we have no right to- assume it. Eor what purpose, or to what point the car was being moved, does not appear. If, in shifting its cars at that depot, or in placing other cars on the-siding, it'became, necessary to move that car, in which plaintiff was, to some other point, or to move it temporarily for the convenience of handling other cars, then it would not have been negligence for defendant company to have done so. Therefore, to move the car was not negligence; and as plaintiff was not injured by its “moving,” or on that account, de*379fendant company can not be liable for tbe injury sustained. Had be remained in tbe car, be would not bave been burt; and bad defendant company’s train carried bim away, defendant would bave been liable for tbe damages resulting for carrying bim away from bis business and borse and wagon without giving bim notice of sucb purpose.
From the complaint, it appears that plaintiff “apprehended^ that tbe car was going to be carried away, and assumed that be could step off with safety. In bis assumption be shows be was mistaken, but is silent in bis pleading as to tbe correctness of bis “apprehension.” Whether he was injured by bis own mistake or bis own negligence is not' material to this decision; nor could we discuss tbe question of contributory negligence in tbe absence of sucb plea. Acts 1887, Chap. 33. So, tbe question of law raised by,the demurrer to tbe complaint is, whether tbe injury resulted from the negligence or breach of duty upon tbe part of defendant, as appears from tbe facts alleged by plaintiff. None appearing, it is our duty, as it was that of tbe Court below, to so bold.