72 Mo. 168 | Mo. | 1880
Action for damages for injury done plaintiff and his property while crossing defendant’s railroad. In the view we take of this case, it is unnecessary to do more than to determine the point of the sufficiency of the plaintiff’s evidence to authorize a recovery; in other words, whether, if the facts thereby established are taken as admitted, and they are to be so taken in consequence of
We see nothing in the foregoing testimony to distinguish this case in principle from others heretofore decided by us or to relieve the plaintiff from the consequences of his own folly. Fletcher v. A. & P. R. R. Co., 64 Mo. 484; Harlan v. St. L. K. C. & N. Ry. Co., 64 Mo. 480; Henze v. St. L., K. C. & N.Ry. Co. 71 Mo. 636 ; Moody v. P. R. R. Co., 68 Mo. 472. This case, indeed, exhibits features of recklessness that to some extent are wanting in the cases just cited; for in all those instances the parties injured at least had their faces turned toward the track they were about to cross. The very fact tha,t Purl saw indications of a train moving upon the track, though such train seemed distant, ought of itself to have sounded an alarm in the ear of his caution and kept his faculties on the alert. Instead of that, however, the mute warning of the smoke of a moving train seems to have silenced the promptings of prudence and led him to disregard its most obvious dictates. If, therefore, he has suffered an injury in either person or property, he must be content to abide the result of his own
And the case is not altered, nor does it become more favorable for the plaintiff by reason of his deafness. Such an affliction, so far from excusing one who might have seen the train, should rather add a spur to his vigilance and prompt him to employ his other faculties so as to oompensate, as far as possible, for the lacking one. 1 Thompson on Neg., 430, and cases cited; Shearman & Eedfield on Neg., § 488.
If it be said that tke road on which plaintiff was driving was parallel with and in full view of the railroad track, that, therefore, defendant’s servants were lacking in the proper care, or else the accident would not have occurred, the reply is an obvious one, that where the road on which plaintiff was driving makes an abrupt curve to the north to cross the railroad track, it is only some ten or twelve feet from that track; and at that point it also continues west for a short distance and then turns in a southerly course, so that defendant’s servants had no cause to suspect, nor were they bound to anticipate that plaintiff intended to cross the track, and especially to do this in front of the train. Railroad Co. v. Manly, 68 Ill. 300; Shearman & Redfield on Neg., § 481; 1 Thompson on Neg , 426, et seq; N. C. R. R. Co. v. State to use of Burns, 10 Reporter 663. The judgment is reversed, and as it is apparent, from plaintiff’s own showing, that he has no standing in court, we shall not remand the cause.