61 So. 312 | Miss. | 1913
delivered the opinion of the court.
Burke & McGuire delivered to the American Express Company for shipment a part of a printing press, consist
It is claimed by appellees that the agents of the express company were indifferent and slow in making an effort to locate the arm, and they evidenced a lack of interest in the whole matter, and did not use sufficient diligence. The appellant’s testimony showed that the castings were fastended together with a twine string and had a shipping tag tied thereon, which tag became detached, and that by reason thereof the shipment went astray. The articles were finally found and sent to Jackson, Miss., in accordance with an understanding between the parties. Appellees in their declaration claim recovery for (a) the value of the castings as a model, which was the expense of bringing on a skilled machinist to make a new article; (b) loss of profits, etc., while the press was idle; and (c) exemplary damages. The appellant pleaded, besides the general issue, that the shipment was made under the common express receipt limiting its liability to fifty dollars, except by special notice and contract. Upon the trial of the case a verdict was rendered by the jury awarding appellees damages as follows: (a) Value of the broken castings as a model, one hundred and twenty-nine dollars and ten cents; (b) loss of profits from job printing, eighty dollars; (c) rental value of printing press, eighty dollars; (,d) punitive damages, one hundred dollars.
This case was tried before the decisions were rendered by the United States Supreme Court in the cases of Adams Express Company v. E. H. Croninger, 226 U. S. 491, 33 Sup. Ct. 148, 57 L. Ed. - -, and Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Ry. Company v. H. Fred Miller, 226 U. S. 513, 33. Sup. Ct. 155, 57 L. Ed. - -, both decided on January 6, 1913. The shipments in these cases were, interstate. The United States Supreme Court held in the above cases that in the provisions of section 20 of the Interstate Commerce Act of February 4,1887 (24 Stat. 386, ch. 104 [U. S. Comp. St. 1901, p. 3169']), as amended by Act June 29, 1906., ch. 3591, sec. 7, 34. Stat. '593' (U.. S. Comp. St. Supp. 1911, p. 1304), Congress had manifested a purpose to take possession of the subject of the liability
■We do not find in this case that there was such gross negligence, or wilful or wanton disregard of its duty, on the part of the appellant to entitle appellees to punitive damages. We do not see that appellant had such notice or knowledge of spécial circumstances attending the shipment which would entitle appellees to special or increased damages by reason of the failure to properly transport and deliver the article.
The trial court in the instructions directed the jury to disregard the stipulations in the express receipt limiting the appellant’s liability to fifty dollars, and declared the same inoperative in the case. ’ In the light of the decisions of the United States Supreme Court, as above stated, this was error. We conclude that the appellees could only re
Judgment is therefore entered here in favor of appellees for that amount.
Affirmed.