after stating the case: The defendant’s motion for a nonsuit upon the evidence, and its request for a peremptory instruction to answer the issues in its favor, were both properly denied. The rule as to the treatment of the evidence upon such a question is not only very familiar, but has been stated in various ways so clearly and with so much repetition as to have become somewhat trite and even hackneyed. We must again say that we are not at liberty to select those portions of the testimony more favorable tо a defendant, in such a case, than the rest and act upon it for his special benefit. Such an imposing array of the evidence in his behalf would be not only one-sided, when we are required to hear both sides equally and fairly, but would manifestly be partial and unjust. The rule is rather the other way. We restated it concretely in the recent case of Osborne v. R. R.,
As generally pertinent to the case in hand, we may formulate the following rules:
1. Where a railroad track crosses a public highway, both a traveler and the railroad have equal rights to cross; but the traveler must yield the right of way to the railroad company in the ordinary course of the latter’s business. Duffy v. R. R.,
2. While a train has the right of way at a crossing, it is the duty of the engineer to give signals and exercise vigilance in
3. A railroad company and a traveler on a highway crossing are charged with a mutual duty of keeping a careful lookout for danger, and the degree of vigilance is in proportion to the known danger; the greater the danger, the greater the care required of both. R. R. v. Hansbrough's Administratrix, 107 Va., 733.
4. On reaching a railroad crossing, and before attempting to go upon the track, a traveler-must use his sense of sight and of hearing to the best of his ability under the existing and surrounding circumstances — he must look and listen in both directions for approaching trains, if not prevented from doing so by the fault of the railroad company, and if he has time .to do so; and this should be done before he has taken a position exposing him to peril or has come within the zone of danger, this being required so that his precаution may be effective. Cooper v. R. R.,
5. The duty of the traveler arising under this rule is not always an absolute one, but may be so qualified by attendant circumstances as to require the issue as to his contributory negligence, by not taking proper measures fоr his safety, to be submitted to the jury. Sherrill v. R. R.,
6. If he fails to exercise proper care within the. rule stated, it is such negligence as will bar his recovery: Provided, always, it is the proximate cause of his injury. Cooper v. R. R., supra; Strickland v. R. R.,
7. If his view is obstructed or his hearing an approaching train is prevented, and especially if this is done by the fault of the defendant, and the company’s servants fail to warn him of its approach, and induced by this failure of duty, which has lulled him into security, he attempts to cross the track and is
8. If a traveler is without fault, or if his fault is either excused by some act of the company or is not the proximate cause of his injury, the company having the last clear chance, and if in attempting to cross track on a highway he is-suddenly confronted by a peril, he may without the imputation of negligence adopt such means of extrication as are apparently necessary, and is only held to such measure of care as a man of ordinary prudence would exercise in the same circumstances. Vallo v. Express Co., 14 L. R. A., 745; Lincoln v. Nichols, 20 L. R. A., 855; Crampton v. Ivie Bros.,
With these general rules to guide us, the solution of the question presented will not -be difficult.
This young boy rode up to' the crossing on his bicycle and, as he testified, looked and listened for a train. He saw one pass, composed of an engine and box cars, the latter being shifted by the engine. He could not see to the west, because of box cars standing on one of the tracks, which obstructed his view. He did lоok to the east at the moving train, believing, and having-good reason to' believe, that it was coming back, and not suspecting that it had detached cars for the purpose- of making a “flying switch.” He did not and could not hear the noise of the loose cars as they came up to the crossing, for he could not see them through the solid intervening cars, and no warning was given of their approach, the first notice he had of them being the cry of a woman, which he heard at the very time he was stricken by the cars and knocked under them. He, therefore, had no chance to escape. There was no one on the loose cars to give him a signal, to leave the track, and the cars on -the adjoining track were so near the crossing as to render such a signal ineffective if it had been given. This is his version, and if
Defendant denied it, and alleged that he voluntarily rode between the cars in a negligent manner, not made very clear, and fell from his wheel under the cars 'and was сrushed as he described. . They allege that there was a man on the cars to warn those using the crossing, and that a proper and effective signal was given by him and the woman, which was disregarded.
In this conflict of views, the jury were the proper and only arbiters. They found for the plaintiff, and, as we must assume, under proper instructions from the court, as this part of the charge is not in the record, error not being presumed unless alleged and shown. This being so, the facts are as stated by the plaintiff, and he was, therefore, justly and legally entitled to thе verdict. If we should nonsuit him or direct a verdict, it would be to reject all of his evidence in favor of that of defendant, which is out of the question.' "We must adopt his and reject the defendant’s, except so far as the latter makes in his favor.
In this view of the facts, what are the legal questions involved and ultimate rights of the parties under them? This Court has recently declared, in Vaden v. R. R.,
So we see that defendant was “grossly” in fault at the very inception of this lamentable occurrence. It started wrong in the beginning and continued wrong throughout. It had set a death-trap for the passer-by and the plaintiff unwarily, but
The jury having repudiated the defendant’s version of the facts and accepted the plaintiff’s, there is no room left for the argument that the latter was guilty of contributory negligence, because they have found that he looked and listened and was prevented from any effective use of his faculties or his senses by the wrongful conduct of defendant in moving its cars rapidly without an engine, where they could not be seen, оr the noise of their movement heard by plaintiff, and failing to give any warning of their approach. There is no logic that can withstand such an array of facts, and no law which justifies or excuses the defendant’s conduct. It is like Wolfe's case,- in.that plaintiff’s attention was riveted on the moving train that had just passed with every indication of its immediate return; and the resemblance does not end here, for-Wolfe’s view to the east was obstructed by cars standing on a side-track, just as plaintiff’s view to the east was, in this case, obstructed by cars similarly situated. Wolfe v. R. R.,
Justice Manning said in Farris v. R. R.,
The crucial facts are that plaintiff did look and listen, and seems to have done the best he could under the circumstances. His suspicion was disarmed by the defendant’s fault, and he did not, therefore, anticipate any danger in crossing at the time he did.
All this brings this case under the direct control of Osborne v. R. R.,
Judge Elliott states the rule to be that “where the employees of a railroad company by negligent or wrongful acts mislead a traveler, and put him off his guard, the company may be liable, although the traveler may have done that which, but for the
The railroad company must abandon tbe device of tbe flying-switch as a means of shifting its cаrs, which has been strongly condemned by us, as we have seen, or it must take tbe consequences of its causing injury to persons in tbe lawful use of its ’crossings, or at least, it must, by proper signals, whether from tbe top of tbe car or on tbe crossing, and by tbe exercise of that degree of care which is commensurate with tbe danger it has produced or'enhanced, provide against resulting damage.
Maxton is a populous town, one of our largest and most prosperous, and this crossing is much used by tbe public, including school children. Common prudence demands that care, duly proportioned to tbe great risk they incur when they cross its tracks, should be taken in order that it will not be. further increased by tbe continuance of unnecessary and highly dangerous methods in tbe operation of trains.
This case illustrates tbe danger of the “flying switch” and shows bow easily it may entrap tbe unsuspecting traveler:
1. Tbe following car was not coupled to an engine, which by its noise and smoke, its bell or whistle, would attract attention, and being, much lighter, it moved almost noiselessly.
2. Tbe engine with its cars bad passed, making noise by ringing its bell and otherwise at tbe other' end of tbe track, and by its movements indicating its return..
3. No one was at tbe crossing- to signal that shifting was in progress.
4. Tbe traveler relies upon tbe reasonable supposition that there is no danger ahead, and goes on, not anticipating that
Add to all this the intervening line of cars which entirely obstruct his view and conceal the impending danger, and the trap is complete.
We do not impute any moral wrong to defendant, as we are dealing only with the legal aspect of the case; but the defendant was negligent to the point of recklessness, even if its acts were thoughtlessly and not intentionally' committed.
The second exception is clearly untenable. It was irrelevant to the controversy that the witness C. C. Hatch had measured other box cars, unless it had been shown that the box cars near or at this crossing.were of the same dimensions. It is admitted that there is no uniformity in the width of box cars, and that those on the oil mill siding, which obstructed plaintiff’s view, were not measured by the witness or any one else. The rule for estimating or judging one thing by its resemblance to another, therefore, does not apply, as at least substantial identity between them must first be shown before it is admissible to institute the comparison, so that you may reason from one to the other, for the purpose of proving the objective fact. This is so in regard to values, and is equally so as to size, quality, and quantity or any other characteristic which admits of comparison. If the car‘-at the crossing had been measured, no comparison would have been necessary. It is similitude that opens the door to this kind of evidence and lets it in. We have so held. Warren v. Mackeley,
The defendant moved in the court below to set aside the verdict because it is against the weight of the evidence and the damages are grossly excessive, and the motion was pressed in this Court with zeal by counsel; but we must deny it, as we are not authorized to try the facts or to revise the findings of the jury in a case like this; nor do we assent to the claim that the damages are grossly or “shockingly” excessive. We arе not, therefore, at liberty to review the ruling against defendant on the motion, but must leave it as we find it, the final appeal in such cases being to the presiding judge, and we may
We are of the opinion, though, that there was an error in the charge as to damages. The three clauses in the charge to which exceptions were specially reserved in the assignment of errors are these:
1. “He is entitled to the difference between what he would make if the injury had not been done and what he would make with it done.”
2. “If you reach this issue, and say what is the value of his diminished, earning capacity, then when you do that, you are to add reasonable compensation for his pain and suffering.”
3. “He is entitled to the difference between what he would make if the injury had not been done and what he would make with it done”; and the following: “If you reach this issue, and say what is the value of .his diminished earning'capacity, then when you do that, you are to add compensation for his pain and suffering”; also the following: “and when you ascertain that, you add that to such amount as you may have determined to be the amount to which his earning capacity has “been diminished by the injury.” The same instruction was given in Fry v. R. R.,
There must be a new trial of the issue as to damages, and it is restricted to that issue, as was done in Tillett v. R. R.,
New trial.
Since this case was argued, the defendant has moved for a new trial, upon the ground of newly discovered evidence. Applications. of this kind, as we have held, should be carefully scrutinized and cautiously examined, and the burden is upon the applicant to rebut the presumption that the verdict is correct and that there has been a lack of due diligencе. 14 Am. and Eng. Enc. Pl. and Pr., 790. We require, as prerequisite to the-granting of such motions, that it shall appear by the affidavit: (1) That the witness will give the newly discovered evidence; (2) that it is probably true; (3) that it is competent, material, and relevant;. (4) that due diligence has been used and the means employed, or that there has been no laches, in procuring the testimony at the trial; (5) that it is not merely cumulative; (6) that it does not tend only to contradict a former witness or to impeach or discredit him; (7) that it is of such a nature as to show that on another triаl a different result will probably be reached and that the right will
Motion denied.
