17 S.E.2d 95 | Ga. Ct. App. | 1941
Lead Opinion
Paragraph 6 of the petition, after amendment, was not subject to the ground of special demurrer, numbered 3, that it did not make clear whether the plaintiff meant to charge actual or constructive knowledge on the part of the “trainmen, employees, servants, and agents” of the defendant as to the presence of the plaintiff at the place alleged. It was plainly alleged that they “saw said children, including the plaintiff.”
The special ground of demurrer, numbered 4, attacking paragraph 8 as irrelevant and immaterial and constituting a conclusion
The ground of objection in the special demurrer numbered 5, that paragraph 9 of the petition states a conclusion with respect to the knowledge and consent of the defendant, is without*merit.
In paragraph 9 it was alleged that the plaintiff and other children had previously been gathering coal at the place where the plaintiff was run over, as alleged, with the knowledge and consent of the employees and agents of the defendant, and this was known to and consented to by the defendant, the consent to gather said coal as alleged having been given by employees of defendant whose name or names are not known to the plaintiff but are well known to the defendant. This paragraph was attacked by special demurrer, ground number 6, as being too general, vague, and indefinite, it not being set out how or in what manner and by whom the alleged consent was given by the defendant to the plaintiff to be in its switch-yard. While the names of the persons authorized to give such consent need not be set out when the one to whom the consent is given does not know the names, it is necessary that such persons be sufficiently described or identified. Atlanta Ice & Coal Co. v. Reeves, 136 Ga. 294, 296 (71 S. E. 421, 36 L. R. A. (N. S.) 1112), See also Riley v. W. & T. Railroad Co., 133 Ga. 413 (65 S. E. 890, 24 L. R. A. (N. S.) 379, 18 Ann. Cas. 208). The plaintiff was only nine years of age at the time of his injury, and, while such a person can not be held to the standard of an adult, he should be required to do as much as furnish some description or identification of the person or persons alleged to have given him consent to pick up coal in the switch-yard of thé defendant. Direction is given, however, that the plaintiff be permitted to amend by setting out a description or identification of the person or persons from whom the alleged consent was obtained, upon failure to do which the allegations as to consent of the defendant be stricken.
In paragraph 10 of the petition it was alleged that the plaintiff was at a place where he had been permitted before to be by the
A special ground of demurrer, numbered 8, attacks the- allegations of negligence in subparagraph (f) of the petition as being irrelevant and immaterial and not constituting a proper allegation of negligence, for the reason that the plaintiff was not at or near a crossing. The petition shows that, although the plaintiff was not at a crossing but one hundred yards therefrom, the train was approaching the crossing in a populous city and was violating a city ordinance in running at thirty-five miles an hour, and that the speed of the train was not checked when it reached a point about one hundred yards therefrom and at which the plaintiff was gathering coal. The alleged facts are material on the question of other alleged acts of negligence. Macon & Birmingham Railway Co. v. Parker, 127 Ga. 471 (3) (56 S. E. 616). This ground of special demurrer is without merit.
A special ground of demurrer, numbered 9, attacks subparagraph (g) of the petition upon the ground that it is too general, vague, and indefinite, it not appearing therein by whom or by what authority permission was granted the children to pick up coal in the switch-yard. This paragraph does not purport to deal with any express consent or invitation, but goes to the question of anticipation of the plaintiff’s presence under the facts already alleged, and charges the defendant with negligence in failing to exercise ordinary care and diligence for his safety in running the train in the manner theretofore alleged. This ground of demurrer is without merit.
Subparagraph (h) of the petition charges the defendant with negligence in running its train at an excessive rate of speed to the point where the plaintiff was injured when “it saw the plaintiff and
Unless the petition is amended to show express consent from an authorized agent of the defendant for the plaintiff to he in its switch-yard he could not be said to have been an invitee or licensee at the time of his injury. “The inference that a railroad company has impliedly invited or impliedly licensed the public to pass across its tracks can not be raised as to a switch-yard, ‘because such an inference is so inconsistent with the continuous use of its tracks for switching purposes as not to admit of the presumption that there is an invitation or permission granted by the railroad to the public.’” Pollard v. Holland, 64 Ga. App. 487 (13 S. E. 2d, 682), and cit. If the petition is amended in the respect mentioned, the defendant would be under the duty of exercising towards the plaintiff as an invitee ordinary care and diligence, and under the allegations of negligence in the present case a cause of action would be set forth.
In the absence of sufficient allegations showing express consent from an authorized agent of the defendant, the petition must be tested, against the general demurrer, by the application of the law as to the duty of a railroad towards a trespasser on its tracks. “Ordinarily the only duty owing by a railway company to a trespasser upon or about its property is not to wantonly or wilfully injure him after his presence has been discovered.” Hammontree v. Southern Railway Co., 45 Ga. App. 728 (165 S. E. 913); Young v. South Georgia Railway Co., 34 Ga. App. 537 (130 S. E. 542); Ashworth v. Southern Ry. Co., 116 Ga. 635 (43 S. E. 36, 59 L. R. A. 592). “The mere fact that the public may have been accustomed to travel on foot along a certain portion of the right of way of a railway company, and that no measures have been taken to prevent it, does not of itself operate to constitute a person so using the track a licensee of the company; and in the absence of the company’s permission for such use, such unauthorized custom does not change the relation of one so using the property of the railway
The present petition alleges that the plaintiff and other children had “previously” been gathering coal at the place where he was injured. It is not clear whether by “previously” is meant a custom or habit or an isolated instance, but no special demurrer was interposed by the defendant, and we think that the allegation is sufficient to make a jury question as to whether or not the trainmen should have anticipated the presence of the plaintiff, inasmuch as it is further alleged that he was at a place where he had been permitted before to be by the trainmen, etc. The petition charges specific acts of negligence, sufficient for the consideration of a jury, as to whether or not the defendant’s trainmen failed to exercise ordinary care and diligence towards the plaintiff. A cause of action was set forth, and the court did not err, for reasons above mentioned, in overruling the defendant’s general demurrer.
There is an additional reason why the petition set forth a cause of action. It was alleged that the plaintiff and other children were in full view of the trainmen, that there was no obstacle to prevent them from seeing the children, and that they did see them, including the plaintiff, and that he was deliberately run over. It is thus charged that the trainmen’s acts were wilful and wanton.
Judgment affirmed in part and reversed in part, with direction.
Lead Opinion
1. The allegations of paragraph 9 of the petition do not sufficiently show that express consent was given to the plaintiff, by an authorized agent of the defendant, to be in the switch-yard where the plaintiff was injured, and the court erred in overruling ground 6 of the special demurrer. Direction is given, however, that the plaintiff be allowed to file an amendment describing or identifying the person or persons from whom the alleged consent was obtained; upon the failure to do which the allegations as to consent are stricken.
(a) The court erred in overruling ground 10 of the demurrer, attacking subparagraph (h) of the petition as not showing whether the plaintiff meant to charge actual or constructive knowledge of the presence of the plaintiff upon the tracks of the defendant.
(b) The other special grounds of demurrer are without merit.
2. The petition set forth a cause of action, and the court did not err in overruling the general demurrer.
It was alleged that the defendant was negligent: (a) in allowing the plaintiff and other children to go upon its said yards to pick up coal without warning them of danger; (b) in operating said freight train at a fast and reckless rate of speed at the time and place where the plaintiff was injured, to wit, about thirty miles an hour; (c) in that said trainmen, servants, employees, and agents failed to keep a watchout for children at said time and place where the plaintiff was injured and failed to keep a watchout for the plaintiff before running said train upon him; (d) in running said train upon and over the plaintiff by failing to check the speed of the same and failing to stop the train before running it over him; (e) in injuring the plaintiff as alleged, causing his leg to be amputated, *69 and there causing plaintiff's hurt and damage as aforesaid; (f) in approaching a public city street, to wit, North Avenue, where it crosses the said yards of the defendant and failing to check the speed of the train in approaching the crossing when the train reached a point about one hundred yards therefrom; (g) in failing to exercise ordinary care and diligence for the safety and welfare of the plaintiff and the other children when the defendant knew that it had been permitting children to pick up coal on or in said yard at the time and place the plaintiff was run over as alleged; (h) in running said train at said rate of speed to the point where the plaintiff was run over as aforesaid when it saw the plaintiff and the other children or by the exercise of due care and diligence could and should have seen them; (i) in operating the said train at a rate of speed at about thirty-five miles an hour, in violation of an ordinance of the City of Atlanta which was binding and of force and effect at the time of the plaintiff's injury and which was as follows: "Sec. 2358. Any engineer or other person in charge of an engine or train who shall run same through any part of the city at a greater rate of speed than twenty miles an hour, upon conviction in the recorder's court shall be fined not less than twenty-five dollars for the first offense, fifty dollars for the second offense, seventy-five dollars for the third offense, and one hundred dollars for all succeeding offenses, or thirty days in the city stockade, or both, within the discretion of the court."
To the petition as amended the defendant renewed its general and special demurrers which had been filed to the original petition. The court overruled the demurrers, and the exception is to that judgment. 1. Paragraph 6 of the petition, after amendment, was not subject to the ground of special demurrer, numbered 3, that it did not make clear whether the plaintiff meant to charge actual or constructive knowledge on the part of the "trainmen, employees, servants, and agents" of the defendant as to the presence of the plaintiff at the place alleged. It was plainly alleged that they "saw said children, including the plaintiff."
The special ground of demurrer, numbered 4, attacking paragraph 8 as irrelevant and immaterial and constituting a conclusion *70 of the pleader without supporting facts to show "wilful and gross negligence," is without merit. It is elsewhere alleged in the petition that the plaintiff and other children were in full view of the trainmen and that there was nothing to obstruct their view, and in paragraph 8 it was alleged that the plaintiff was "deliberately" run over, paragraph 6 having alleged that the trainmen "saw said children, including the plaintiff."
The ground of objection in the special demurrer numbered 5, that paragraph 9 of the petition states a conclusion with respect to the knowledge and consent of the defendant, is without merit.
In paragraph 9 it was alleged that the plaintiff and other children had previously been gathering coal at the place where the plaintiff was run over, as alleged, with the knowledge and consent of the employees and agents of the defendant, and this was known to and consented to by the defendant, the consent to gather said coal as alleged having been given by employees of defendant whose name or names are not known to the plaintiff but are well known to the defendant. This paragraph was attacked by special demurrer, ground number 6, as being too general, vague, and indefinite, it not being set out how or in what manner and by whom the alleged consent was given by the defendant to the plaintiff to be in its switch-yard. While the names of the persons authorized to give such consent need not be set out when the one to whom the consent is given does not know the names, it is necessary that such persons be sufficiently described or identified. Atlanta Ice Coal Co. v. Reeves,
In paragraph 10 of the petition it was alleged that the plaintiff was at a place where he had been permitted before to be by the *71 "agents, workmen, employees, trainmen, and servants of the defendant." A special ground of demurrer, numbered 7, attacks the allegations as being too general, vague, and indefinite in that it is not made to appear how or in what way permission had been granted or by what authority. These allegations do not deal with any express consent or invitation. Construed in connection with the preceding allegation of the petition that the plaintiff and other children had previously been gathering coal at the place where the plaintiff was injured, its purport is only to the effect that the plaintiff's presence had not been objected to and should have been anticipated. The allegations are not subject to the objection urged.
A special ground of demurrer, numbered 8, attacks the allegations of negligence in subparagraph (f) of the petition as being irrelevant and immaterial and not constituting a proper allegation of negligence, for the reason that the plaintiff was not at or near a crossing. The petition shows that, although the plaintiff was not at a crossing but one hundred yards therefrom, the train was approaching the crossing in a populous city and was violating a city ordinance in running at thirty-five miles an hour, and that the speed of the train was not checked when it reached a point about one hundred yards therefrom and at which the plaintiff was gathering coal. The alleged facts are material on the question of other alleged acts of negligence. Macon Birmingham Railway Co. v. Parker,
A special ground of demurrer, numbered 9, attacks subparagraph (g) of the petition upon the ground that it is too general, vague, and indefinite, it not appearing therein by whom or by what authority permission was granted the children to pick up coal in the switch-yard. This paragraph does not purport to deal with any express consent or invitation, but goes to the question of anticipation of the plaintiff's presence under the facts already alleged, and charges the defendant with negligence in failing to exercise ordinary care and diligence for his safety in running the train in the manner therefore alleged. This ground of demurrer is without merit.
Subparagraph (h) of the petition charges the defendant with negligence in running its train at an excessive rate of speed to the point where the plaintiff was injured when "it saw the plaintiff and *72 the other children or by the exercise of due care and diligence should have seen them." Special ground of demurrer, numbered 10, attacks the allegations as being too general, vague, and indefinite, in that it is not made to appear whether the plaintiff charges actual or constructive knowledge of the presence of the plaintiff. This ground is well taken, and the court erred in not sustaining it and striking the particular allegations objected to.
2. Unless the petition is amended to show express consent from an authorized agent of the defendant for the plaintiff to be in its switch-yard he could not be said to have been an invitee or licensee at the time of his injury. "The inference that a railroad company has impliedly invited or impliedly licensed the public to pass across its tracks can not be raised as to a switch-yard, `because such an inference is so inconsistent with the continuous use of its tracks for switching purposes as not to admit of the presumption that there is an invitation or permission granted by the railroad to the public.'" Pollard v.Holland,
In the absence of sufficient allegations showing express consent from an authorized agent of the defendant, the petition must be tested, against the general demurrer, by the application of the law as to the duty of a railroad towards a trespasser on its tracks. "Ordinarily the only duty owing by a railway company to a trespasser upon or about its property is not to wantonly or wilfully injure him after his presence has been discovered."Hammontree v. Southern Railway Co.,
The present petition alleges that the plaintiff and other children had "previously" been gathering coal at the place where he was injured. It is not clear whether by "previously" is meant a custom or habit or an isolated instance, but no special demurrer was interposed by the defendant, and we think that the allegation is sufficient to make a jury question as to whether or not the trainmen should have anticipated the presence of the plaintiff, inasmuch as it is further alleged that he was at a place where he had been permitted before to be by the trainmen, etc. The petition charges specific acts of negligence, sufficient for the consideration of a jury, as to whether or not the defendant's trainmen failed to exercise ordinary care and diligence towards the plaintiff. A cause of action was set forth, and the court did not err, for reasons above mentioned, in overruling the defendant's general demurrer.
There is an additional reason why the petition set forth a cause of action. It was alleged that the plaintiff and other children were in full view of the trainmen, that there was no obstacle to prevent them from seeing the children, and that they did see them, including the plaintiff, and that he was deliberately run over. It is thus charged that the trainmen's acts were wilful and wanton.
Judgment affirmed in part and reversed in part, withdirection. Stephens, P. J., concurs.
FELTON, J., concurs in all of the rulings except the ruling on ground 10 of the demurrer, as dealt with in the first division of the opinion. *75
Concurrence Opinion
concurs in all of the rulings except the ruling on ground 10 of the demurrer, as dealt with in the first division of the opinion.