93 Tenn. 53 | Tenn. | 1893
The object of this suit is to recover the sum of $150 alleged to have been stolen from M: Gavin while a passenger on a Pullman palace car.
It appears from the record that on the night of the third of August,' 1889, M. Gavin, with his immediate family and a few friends, left Memphis for a summer excursion. Among the party was Miss Kelly; and just before the train started, at 10 o’clock, Mrs. Kelly, the mother of Miss Kelly, who had accompanied her to the cars, handed to Gavin, across the aisle, the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars, to be used in defraying the expenses of her daughter duiing the trip. Gavin deposited the roll of money, without opening it, in his trousers pocket; and, when he retired to his berth, a lower one, about 11 o’clock, he felt the roll of money in his pocket. He then rolled up his trousers and placed them in the receptacle provided for clothes at the head of his berth. The next morning when Gavin awoke he felt for his trousers, and discovered that they were missing. Robinson, the colored porter, was called, and, in response to inquiries, told-Gavin that he had found a pair of trousers on the floor that morning, but, supposing they belonged to the section adjoining the head of Gavin’s berth, he had placed them in that section. This section was occupied by two well known and reputable citizens of Memphis. Robinson then brought the trousers to Gavin, but the money was missing. Gavin also discovered that
During tbe investigation, it was reported to Gavin that the porter, Lind, had lost one of his sleeve-buttons, and this fact, coupled with the finding of a strange sleeve-button in Gavin’s trouser’s pocket, at once fixed suspicion upon Lind. Gavin called Robinson and questioned him about the sleeve button, and was told by Robinson that Lind had asked him about his lost sleeve-button.
The car containing Gavin’s party was occupied entirely by reputable citizens of Memphis, and many were also in the other sleepers. The train was a special train of five sleepers, and ' was to' run from Memphis to Norfolk without change of cars, and all the sleepers were in charge of only one conductor. No new passengers came aboard at any place between Memphis and Chattanooga. The conductor testified, in regard to the feasibility of one passenger robbing another behind the curtain, that it is possible to be done, but not probable, if the porter is on watch and attending to
Robinson testified that if the porter was at his post and on watch, it would be impossible for any one passing along the aisle, or. for a passenger occupying an adjoining berth, to abstract- any thing from G-avin’s berth without -attracting the porter’s attention; that such a robbery was impossible without detection when the porter was on watch and doing his duty.
The porter, Lind, testified that no one passing along the aisle could have stolen any thing from a berth without being seen by him while on watch, but that a passenger in .a berth might steal from an adjoining section at the head or foot.
The Circuit Judge tried the case without the intervention of a jury, and, being of opinion that the money was stolen by porter Lind, rendered judgment against the company for $150. The Pullman Palace Car Company appealed, and assigned errors.
The law is well settled that a sleeping-car company is not a common carrier. They differ radically in the kind of service rendered the public. The contract of the sleeping-car company is to lodge the passenger, while that of the carrier is to carry him. Sleeping-car companies are not liable as inn-keepers for the loss or theft of articles
Says Mr. Wood, in his work on Master and Servant, Sec. 321: “In that class of cases where the master owes certain duties, either to third persons, or the public, whether the same arise from contract or statutory obligations, a different rule of
The first assignment of error is, viz.: “ There ús no evidence to support the finding of the Circuit Judge, for the reason that the evidence introduced by the plaintiff, shows that the servants of defendant were watchful and diligent, and were guilty of no negligence.” The Circuit Judge found ■that the larceny was committed during Lind’s watch —between twelve and three o’clock — and he found, further, that Lind was the guilty party. Upon an ■examination of the record, we find material evidence to sustain the finding of the Circuit Judge.
The third assignment of error will be considered in connection with the second. The third assignment is, viz.: “The evidence shows that the money sued for was not the money of M. Gavin, but the mouey of Martin Kelly, who was not a passenger upon the car.”
The gravamen of this suit is to recover the value of property claimed to have been stolen by the employes of the company who were charged with the duty of preserving it. As already stated, this money came into the hands of Mr. Gavin as a depositary, to be used and expended by him in defraying the traveling expenses of Miss Kelly. It has been held in this State that an actual and exclusive possession by a party, even though it be by a wrong-doer, is sufficient to support an action of trespass against a mere stranger or wrong-doer, who has neither title to the possession in himself, nor authority from the legal owner. Criner v. Pike, 2 Head, 397. Ordinarily, says the Court in that case, the party in possession is either the owner of the property or answerable over to the owner, and in either case he is entitled, not only to damages for "the taking, but also for the value of the property.
But Mr. Sedgwick thinks the principle of these decisions has been carried “ quite far enough, * * * and that it will not do to permit acts of willful or wanton trespass to be excused by the defense of outstanding titles in third persons.” See also Logan v. Hartford City Coal Co., 9 Heis., 690, where it is held that “ mere possession is a sufficient title upon which to maintain trespass against a mere wrong-doer.” 7 Yer., 387.
Miss Kelly, having been placed in charge of Mr. G-avin, the latter had become the depositary of this money for the purpose of defraying her current expenses as they arose upon the journey.
It has been held that members of the same family, traveling together, may carry each others effects. Dexter v. Syracuse Railroad, 42 N. Y., 326 (S. C., 1 Am. R., 527); Curtis v. Delaware Railroad, 74 N. Y., 116.
We think that Miss Kelly, having been placed in charge of Mr. Gavin, was, pro hac vice, for the purposes of the journey, a member of his family, and that a gentleman in charge of ladies on such an occasion was their protector, and the proper
In this view of the case, we think it unnecessary to determine whether, at the time the theft was committed, the money was the property of Miss Kelly or her father, Martin Kelly. The proof shows the money was in the actual possession of G-avin, as its rightful depositary.
Other questions of minor importance were considered, and decided orally.
Affirmed.