79 Miss. 670 | Miss. | 1901
Lead Opinion
delivered tbe opinion of tbe court.
Appellee bad a telegraph office in Boston, Mass. Appellant-contracted with it in that city to send a .cipher dispatch to Memphis, Tem£\in these words: “Haycock, to-day. Impetus, aggress, balcony ceremony, charter, charioteer, leaven, thirty, daisy.” On the back of this message was a printed stipulation that the company should not be liable for mistakes in transmission of obscure or cipher messages unless the sender insured it, as he might do, by paying a trifling sum in excess of the usual charge. This message, as delivered in Memphis, Tenn., was as above, except that the middle letter “r” in the word “charter” was changed to the letter “t,” so as to make the/ word “charter” read “chatter.” This word “chatter” was also a cipher character in complainant's telegraphic code, but it had a very different meaning from the word “charter.” The message contracted to be sent, when translated, would read thus: “We do not see any chance of selling the cotton you have offered to-day. The best offer we can obtain is 5 7-8 cents, 300 average strict middling, nothing below middling; good, strong staple, nothing below 1 1-16 inches long; cotton to be shipped within thirty days. Dwight Mfg. Co., Chicopee, Mass.” The message actually delivered in Memphis, when translated, read thus: “We do not see any chance of selling the cotton you have-offered to-day. The best offer we can obtain is 5 7-8 cents, 300 average strict middling, nothing below middling; some sand and dusty staple, nothing below 1 1-16 inches long; cotton to be shipped within thirty days. Dwight Mfg. Co., Chicopee, Mass.” The word “charter” meant “good, strong staple,” while the word “chatter” meant “sand and dusty.” The difference between the letter “r” and the letter “t” in the message cost the sender about $1,000. The mistake by the transmitting operators seems quite infinitesimal, but the result was grave; and this, to the average mind, emphasizes the curious carelessness in the telegraphic codifier in using such similar words with such opposite meanings. Ap-
\ Whether the action be ex contractu, or ex delicto, arising out N*of the contract, it must be controlled by the lex loci of the contract. )This is finally conceded!) It is also conceded that in the courts of Massachusetts appellant would be denied the right of recovery. It is also plain, and conceded, that the constitution and laws of the state of Mississippi, have nothing whatever to do with the case, but that it must be determined by the Caws of the state of Massachusetts. On behalf of the appellant, [however, it is contended that the law prevailing in the state of Massachusetts was the general common law, which the courts of each state must determine for themselves, regardless of the adjudication of what the common law is by the courts of the state of the contract. But it is admitted, as it must be from the uniform and universal rulings of all courts, that, regardless of the residence of the parties, where there is. a statute, the construction and interpretation of the statute by the court of the state of the statute is binding on the courts everywhere. It is, of course, not tolerable to avoid this universal rule by a mere change of the form of action from one on the contract to one in tort for non-performance of the contract. If complainant could not sue in Massachusetts because of its statute, he cannot sue anywhere. A statute of Massachusetts, existing at the time of the contract, referring to the telegraph companies, is in these words: “Every company shall receive dispatches from and for other telegraph lines, companies, and associations; and, on payment of the usual charges for transmitting dispatches according to the regulations of the company, shall transmit the same faithfully and impartially.” Gen. St., 1860, p. 373, sec. 10. This statute was considered by the supreme court of Massachusetts in 1866 in the case of Ellis v. Telegraph Co., 13 Allen, 226. That court, consisting of six judges, speaking through Chief Justice Bigelow, after discussing the common law, said: “But we need not have recourse to
Affirmed.
Dissenting Opinion
delivered the following dissenting opinion:
The sole question on this reargument relied on by appellee is that this is an action ex contractu, and that the contract was made in Massachusetts, and that the doctrine that a contract valid by the statute law of the state where made is valid everywhere, governs. It is obvious, therefore, that if it be that the statute of Massachusetts does not determine the case, then the argument- wholly fails. The question for decision is, whether a regulation by a telegraph company, that there shall be no liability, beyond the amount paid, in the case of an unrepeated message, is not an attempt to stipulate against the consequences of the company’s own negligence. What is the Massachusetts statute ? It is a general act entitled “Of Telegraph Companies,” and is ch. 64 of the general statutes of Massachusetts passed in 1860. The telegraph as an agency of communication had just come into vogue. The supreme court of Massachusetts, in Ellis v. Telegraph Co., 13 Allen, 230, decided in October, 1866, calls it “this novel branch of human skill.” And the act of 1860 was passed to define in a merely general way what telegraph companies might do. Tor example, it provides (sec. 2) that they might construct lines along public highways, over waterways, etc., by erection of posts, piers, etc.; in sec. 3, that the mayor and aldermen of any places through which it might pass should specify where the posts should be erected, the kind and height of posts, etc.; in sec. 4, that damages may be awarded in the exercise of the right of eminent domain, etc., and how in detail; and other provisions fixed the capital to be subscribed, the limit of debt such companies might contract, not exceeding one-half of its capital stock actually paid in (a limitation that would startle these companies in this day) ; the liability of its officers, etc.—
The suggestion has been made (not in the argument of counsel for appellee) that, because neither of the parties live in this state — -because no part of the telegraph line over which this message was transmitted traversed this state — -therefore, this court ought not to entertain this action. The-complete answer, however, to this objection is, that this is a purely transitory action, and, if the defendant was found here, it ought to answer, just as any other defendant in a transitory action found here ought to answer. We have nothing to do with the good taste of the proceeding. It is simply our duty to administer right between the parties according to our view of the principles of the common law.
p One final observation: The case of Forepaugh v. Railroad Co., 128 Pa., 225; 18 Atl., 503; 5 L. R. A., 508; 15 Am. St. Rep., 672, announces a proposition contended for very earnestly by otoe of the learned counsel for appellee, to wit, that there is no
" Independently of this view, it is also clear that the appellan can recover not only in contract, but in tort. See Shingleur v Telegraph Co., 72 Miss., 1030 (18 So. Rep., 425); 30 L. R. A., 444; 48 Am. St. Rep., 604. The negligence occurred in Georgia. The breach occurred in Tennessee, by reason of the mistake made in Georgia. The message delivered was not the message appellant sent, but an altered message — altered by the mistake of the company’s office in Georgia. There is not only a breach of contract in the case, but a distinct tort — this alteration of the message and its delivery as altered. It is well observed by counsel that the failure to deliver the message at all would not
“I regret the necessity of differing from my brethren, and nothing but strong conviction that their view is erroneous could constrain me to do so. I greatly fear the precedent established will return to plague us.”