104 Tenn. 74 | Tenn. | 1900
These actions were for unlawfully ejecting the plaintiffs from the cars of defendant road.
They were tried together in the Court below and in this Court, and there was verdict and judgment in each case in the trial Court for the railroad, and the plaintiffs have appealed and assigned errors. The facts, so far as necessary to be stated, are that plaintiff, Willie, is a negro girl some fifteen to seventeen years of age, and plaintiff, Mary, is also a negro girl about seven years of age.
They started from Nashville together to go to Saint Bethlehem, by way of Guthrie. The girls were accompanied to the station by the mother of the plaintiff, Mary, who, it appears, bought a
Several errors are assigned, but' the real question of controversy in the case is whether the conductor had a right to put both girls off the train, because the younger one failed to pay her fare and it was not paid for her. The Court charged the jury that they must determine whether the younger child was in charge and control of the older, and if so, and she failed to pay her fare, both might be ejected, and that the jury
In Ray on Negligence of Passenger Carriers, p. 187, it is said: “The failure to pay the fare of a child under the care of a passenger will authorize the expulsion of the passenger.” Citing Philadelphia, W. & B. R. R. v. Hoefleich, 62 Md., 300; Gibson v. E. T. R. R., 30 Fed. Rep., 904.
Hutchinson on Carriers, Sec. 567c, says: “.-V person traveling with a child in his custody is liable for the payment of the child’s fare, and he may be ejected with the child when he refuses to pay the fare of the latter.” Citing Pittsburg R. R. Co. v. Duvin, 86 Ill., 296. The reason of the rule is apparent. The road is not required to carry the child unless its fare is paid, but it would be contrary to sound policy to expel the child and leave it alone.
If the passenger brings it aboard or has it in his custody, he becomes responsible for its fare,
It is said it was error to allow evidence to sustain the general character of the witness, Cor-bett, the conductor on the train. This witness was assailed in a severe and searching cross-examination by questions which, in their substance and manner of asking, were calculated to impeach his veracity and question his truthfulness. Under such circumstances it was proper to allow evidence to sustain his character. Richmond v. Richmond, 10 Yer., 343-5.
The insistence of the counsel for plaintiffs that the older girl could not be ejected for failing to pay the younger one’s fare, unless she had expressly bound herself to become responsible therefor, is not well taken. If the older one has the younger one in her charge and control, she is by law responsible for its fare, or liable to be ejected with the younger one for failure to pay the same, and it does not change the rule if both parties are minors.
It is said that it was error- to charge that the burden of proof was upon the plaintiffs to establish by a preponderance of the evidence every allegation contained in this cause. We concede that this language is too broad, but are of the opinion that the jury construed it to mean that the plaintiffs must make out by proof every allegation necessary - to establish their case.
We think that, taking these charges together, the jjury could not have been misled, and that the latter lays down a correct rule of law. Upon the whole record we have not been able to find any reversible error, and the judgment of the Court ' below is affirmed with costs.