61 Ind. App. 190 | Ind. Ct. App. | 1916
Appellee brought this action against appellant to recover the valúe of 100 sacks of onions which he alleges were lost while in its possession. There was a trial by the court and a finding and judgment for appellee. A motion for new trial having been overruled, this appeal was perfected.
The two points relied on for reversal question the sufficiency of the proof to sustain the judgment. The evidence, which is uncontradicted, is in substance as follows: On December .9, 1911, W. O. Holman loaded a number of cars with onions at Menokee, Colorado. The particular car in question was shipped to Denver, Colorado, and from there, to Chicago over appellant’s railroad. The car arrived in Chicago, and was placed on appellant’s sidetrack on December 16,1911. One witness testified to loading the car in question, and that 330 sacks of onions weighing 32,315 pounds were placed therein. The car'was shipped to Chicago in the name of Holman. Holman testified to the fact of shipping the onions, and that the ear was full when it arrived in Chicago, and when the onions were later sold to appellee. Witness Piawatti testified that he inspected the car sometime between December 16 and December 19, and found it in good condition and full of onions. On December 19, Holman sold the car in suit with a number of other cars loaded with the same merchandise to M. Piawatti and Son and George E. Stouffer, appellee. These several cars were divided between the purchasers, the car in question going to appellee. On December 22, an order was given to appellant to ship the car in suit to appellee at Kimmel, Indiana. The ear was transferred by appellant to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company in Chicago, and by that company forwarded to its destination. When the ear arrived at Kimmel, witness Fasnaugh testified to unloading the car there
Appellant contends there is no proof in the record of the quantity of onions delivered- to appellant when the contract for transportation from Chicago to Kimmel was entered into and no proof that appellee is the owner of the cause of action sued on to the extent that he is entitled to sue in his own name. There is the further contention that while the car was on appellant’s tracks in Chicago appellant was acting as a warehouseman and not as a common carrier, and, therefore, under the evidence there could be no recovery. The record will not sustain this last contention.
As to appellant’s second contention, appellee as we
Note. — Reported in 111 N. E. 809. As to rule that burden of proof is on bailee to explain loss of goods, see Ann. Cas. 1913 D 947. As to termination of carrier’s liability as such as affected by its fault preventing removal of goods, see 8 L. R. A. (N. S.) 235. See also, under (1, 2) 6 Cyc 454, 456; (3) 6 Cyc 518, 519; (4) 6 Cyc 462.