45 So. 873 | Miss. | 1908
delivered the opinion of the court.
The determining question in this cause is whether the unfortunate little boy who lost his life fell into the tank through the rotten roof at the time when he was engaged in and about his master’s business, or at a time wholly disconnected from
It is for the plaintiffs, if they would hold the defendant liable, to show that the boy came to his death by falling through this roof while engaged in and about his master’s business. It will not do, on the one hand, for the company, on this record, to contend that he was not an employe, or that the father was guilty of any contributory negligence which would bar his suit, or that it was not the duty of the company to have repaired, and kept in repair, its roof over the tank; and no more will it do, on the to her hand, for the plaintiffs to contend, on this very unsatisfactory record, that any clear case of liability is shown here, to wit, that the deceased fell through the roof to his death at a time when he was engaged about his master’s business. The testimony in the ease leaves it entirely uncertain when he so fell through, and what he was doing at that time, and yet these are the crucial inquiries in the case.
The court instructed the jury for the defendant in instructions Nos. 2, 3, and 5 as follows:
“(2) The court instructs the jury for the defendant that if*299 they believe from the evidence that the said Thomas H. A. Slaughter, at the time he met his death, was upon the roof of the tank for the purpose of play or amusement, or- of tossing stones at passers-by, or for any other purpose except to arrange^ the float or lever, then they shall find for the defendant.”
“(3) The court instructs the jury for the defendant that if they believe from the evidence that the said Thomas H. A.. Slaughter remained on top of said tank for the purpose of play or amusement, or of tossing stones a.t passers-by, or for any other purpose not connected with the lever or float, they shall find for the defendant, notwithstanding the fact that they may believe that he went upon said tank in the first place in the discharge of his duty.”
“(5) The court instructs the jury for the defendant that, if they believe from the evidence that that part of the roof of the tank through which the said Thomas H. A. Slaughter fell was not a part of .the roof over which he would have to pass in going to or from the ladder to the lever or manhole while-engaged in his duties with reference to said lever or float by the nearest convenient route, then they shall find for the defendant.”
It will be seen that these three instructions, grouped, told the jury that if they believed from the evidence that Thomas Slaughter at the time he met his death was upon the roof for the purpose of playing, etc., or for any other purpose except to arrange the float and lever, then they should find for the defendant, notwithstanding that they might believe he went upon the tank in the first place in the discharge of his duty; and, further, that if they believed from the evidence that that part of the roof of the tank through which the said Thomas Slaughter fell was not a part of the roof over which he would have to pass, in going to or from the ladder to the lever or manhole while engaged in his duties with reference to said lever and float by the nearest convenient route, they should find for the defendant.
If the evidence shall show, on a new trial, that he fell in through this roof whilst engaged in and about his master’s business, a recovery ought not to be disturbed because he fell through one part or the other of the roof; there being but the small radius of seven and one-half feet around which he could move.
Because the testimony fails to show that he was engaged in-his master’s business at the time he fell in, the judgment is reversed, and cause remanded.
jReversed and remanded*.