Court Opinion

ID: 9833708
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-01 22:57:34.858267+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:44:06.080551
License: Public Domain

On Rehearing.
[5] Appellant insists that the facts of this case bring it within the act of Congress approved April 22, 1908, known as the “Federal Employer’s Liability Act,” and the samé-is controlled by its provisions. As said by Mr. Chief Justice Brown in the case of M., K. & T. Ry. Co. of Texas v. Blalack (Sup.) 147 S. W. 559, recently decided: “This court has never questioned that the Constitution-of the United States and the laws enacted by Congress in the exercise of powers derived from that Constitution are superior to-the laws of this on the same subjects.” We are of the opinion, however, that the facts-in this case do not bring it within the purview of the federal statute. The deceased was run over and killed by a switch engine operated in the yards of appellant in Sherman, Tex. He was working under T. A. Gribble, who was chief clerk out at those yards, and in charge of the same. Deceased’s work was done in connection with the clerks in the yards, and with the switch crew. After a train was brought in, it was delivered to the switch crew. The first act was to obtain the numbers of the cars and make a record of them in the office. Then the switch crew began the work of tearing the train up and making new trains. He got the numbers and initials of each car that came in and went out of the yards. When a train comes in the yards, he goes out and gets the number and initials of each car, and gets the seals that are on the car doors. Whatever impression is on the seal he keeps in his book that he carries. He gets the number of the train. He gets the cars that are made out for this train according to the conductor’s switch list. He puts the cards on the cars in order that the switchman may switch the train properly. After he does that, he goes in the office and cheeks his list, checks his book in the office with the train clerk, and also enters his seals. It is done in order to keep records. A train was coming in from Oklahoma at that time. It was a freight train. The North Sherman yards were the terminal for that train; that is, that was the end of the run of that train. If any trains went south, they were made up in the yards, new trains, and sent south, or other trains made up and sent north. The evidence does not show that any of the cars in the train coming in were destined for other points. Such being the evidence, this case is not controlled by said federal act.
The motion for rehearing is overruled.