{ "id": 2485868, "name": "John W. Donnelly, Administrator, v. Chicago City Railway Company", "name_abbreviation": "Donnelly v. Chicago City Railway Co.", "decision_date": "1907-02-01", "docket_number": "Gen. No. 12,903", "first_page": "302", "last_page": "307", "citations": [ { "type": "official", "cite": "131 Ill. App. 302" } ], "court": { "name_abbreviation": "Ill. App. Ct.", "id": 8837, "name": "Illinois Appellate Court" }, "jurisdiction": { "id": 29, "name_long": "Illinois", "name": "Ill." }, "cites_to": [ { "cite": "89 Ala. 521", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "Ala.", "case_ids": [ 3280180 ], "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/ala/89/0521-01" ] }, { "cite": "212 Ill. 199", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "Ill.", "case_ids": [ 3311684 ], "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/ill/212/0199-01" ] }, { "cite": "200 Ill. 9", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "Ill.", "case_ids": [ 5592389 ], "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/ill/200/0009-01" ] }, { "cite": "93 Ill. App. 411", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "Ill. App.", "case_ids": [ 5289243 ], "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/ill-app/93/0411-01" ] }, { "cite": "47 Wis. 422", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "Wis.", "case_ids": [ 8706370 ], "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/wis/47/0422-01" ] }, { "cite": "90 Hun. 468", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "Hun.", "opinion_index": 0 }, { "cite": "126 Ind. 35", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "Ind.", "case_ids": [ 1388188 ], "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/ind/126/0035-01" ] }, { "cite": "45 N. Y. Supp. 124", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "N.Y.S.", "case_ids": [ 3455163 ], "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/nys/45/0124-01" ] }, { "cite": "42 Ill. App. 469", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "Ill. App.", "case_ids": [ 5041184 ], "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/ill-app/42/0469-01" ] }, { "cite": "86 Ill. 402", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "Ill.", "case_ids": [ 2774060 ], "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/ill/86/0402-01" ] }, { "cite": "170 Ill. 508", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "Ill.", "case_ids": [ 3182174 ], "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/ill/170/0508-01" ] } ], "analysis": { "cardinality": 495, "char_count": 8716, "ocr_confidence": 0.497, "pagerank": { "raw": 6.408855047576188e-08, "percentile": 0.3964962822156813 }, "sha256": "12a7717fa1df07ea7c4719f5f3014f1827815b91b14a1426b107da5c0aabdc48", "simhash": "1:468beef816bb929c", "word_count": 1558 }, "last_updated": "2023-07-14T18:03:26.003810+00:00", "provenance": { "date_added": "2019-08-29", "source": "Harvard", "batch": "2018" }, "casebody": { "judges": [], "parties": [ "John W. Donnelly, Administrator, v. Chicago City Railway Company." ], "opinions": [ { "text": "Mr. Justice Smith\ndelivered the opinion of the court.\nCounsel for plaintiff in error admit in their brief that there is a sharp conflict in the evidence upon the main facts of the case upon which liability depends, and do not seek a reversal on the evidence. It is contended, however, that many of the instructions given by the court are erroneous, and that the court erred in excluding certain evidence of groans and other involuntary exclamations of Wren, indicating suffering by him, and in admitting evidence of insurance money paid by the fire department.\nIn our opinion the court did not err in excluding evidence of groans and exclamations of the deceased. They were not part of the res gestae, and were self-serving declarations and inadmissible upon the grounds stated in West C. St. R. R. Co. v. Kennelly, 170 Ill. 508; W. C. St. R. R. Co. v. Carr, 170 id. 478; Globe Accident Ins. Co. v. Gerisch, 163 id. 625.\nIn the direct examination of Mrs. Wren, plaintiff\u2019s counsel went into the question as to what property the deceased had accumulated at the time .of his death. The witness was then asked: Q. \u201cDid he have any other money invested in anything at the time of his death? A. No, sir. Q. Did he have. any cash on hand? A. No, sir.\u201d\nOn cross-examination defendant\u2019s counsel asked: Q. \u201cWas there any money paid him by the fire department after his death or to the estate?\u201d\nThe court overruled plaintiff\u2019s objection to this question and permitted the witness to answer. We think the court did not err in thus ruling. Plaintiff\u2019s counsel made the evidence competent by his direct examination. It was legitimate cross-examination.\nThe testimony on the part of the plaintiff tended to show that Tobin was the captain of the hose company and Wren was subject to his orders; that WreAs regular duty was to drive the team of the hose carriage, and that he was the driver of the team on the occasion in question until they reached a point between Fifty-fifth street boulevard and Fifty-fourth street; and that. Wren, desiring to put on his coat, and for the sole purpose of enabling him to do so, gave the reins to Tobin to drive for him, and before he had gotten his coat on and while Tobin was driving the collision occurred.\nThe testimony on the part of the defendant in error tended to show that Tobin and Wren were sitting in the front seat; that it was Wren\u2019s duty to drive, and that he was in fact driving at the time of the collision; that Tobin and Wren were each especially charged with the duty of keeping a constant watch ahead to avoid collisions.\nThe court gave to the jury instruction numbered sixteen, which is as follows:\n\u201cIf you believe from the evidence and under the court\u2019s instructions that it was the duty of both said Tobin and Wren, and each of them, on the occasion in question and at the time and place in question, to keep a lookout to foresee and avoid accidents and collisions, and that they, or either of them, failed to use due care, caution, prudence and vigilance in that respect, and that their failure to do so proximately contributed to the accident and injury in question, then the plaintiff cannot recover.\u201d\nThis instruction imputes to Wren the negligence of Tobin in failing to use due care, caution, prudence and vigilance \u201cto keep a lookout to foresee and avoid accidents and collisions,\u201d and instructs the jury that such negligence of Tobin would prevent the plaintiff from recovering. Upon what principle or authority the negligence of Tobin can be imputed to Wren, under the facts of this ease, is quite unintelligible to us. It may be conceded that under some circumstances, the negligence of one may be imputed to another, as where the wife places herself in the care of her husband and submits her personal safety to his keeping (City of Joliet v. Seward, 86 Ill. 402; and T., St. L. & K. C. R. R. Co. v. Crittenden, 42 Ill. App. 469); and where the son of the deceased was driving and the son\u2019s negligence was held to bar a recovery (Schron v. Staten Island I. E. R. Co., 45 N. Y. Supp. 124); and where the servant was driving and was negligent (L. N. A. & C. Ry. Co. v. Stommel, 126 Ind. 35); and where deceased and the driver were both in a state of intoxication (Titus v. New Scotland, 90 Hun. 468); and where the plaintiff and several other persons were riding in a private conveyance drawn by a horse which was driven along the highway by one of the party and the negligence of the driver caused the accident (Otis v. Janesville, 47 Wis. 422). In each of these cases the driver whose negligence contributed to the injury was the agent of the pg,rty injured, and upon that ground his negligence was imputed to his principal. It is upon this principle that counsel for defendant in error seek to uphold this instruction. In our opinion that principle cannot be applied to this case for several reasons.\nThe evidence of the defendant in error tends to show that Wren, the deceased, was driving. If the jury found from the evidence that Wren was driving, and that he was exercising due care in his driving to keep a lookout and avoid accidents, then the failure of Tobin to discharge his duty in that respect under the circumstances shown by the record could not be imputed to Wren and defeat his right of recovery, as stated in the instruction, for Tobin was in no sense his agent, and the negligence of Tobin could not be Wren\u2019s negligence.\nTobin and Wren were both employes of the fire department of the city of Chicago. Tobin was the captain of the hose company, and Wren was the regular driver of the hose-carriage and was subject to the orders of Tobin. Each of them was especially charged with the duty of keeping a constant watch ahead to avoid collisions. Both were riding on the hose carriage in the regular pursuit of their respective duties as firemen in response to a fire alarm. Upon the theory that Tobin was driving temporarily at the time of the collision at the request of Wren while he was putting on his coat, as the evidence offered by the plaintiff in error tended to show, Tobin was not under the direction or control of Wren, and his negligence could not be imputed to Wren and bar his recovery. Chicago City Ry. Co. v. Wall, 93 Ill. App. 411; Landon v. C. & G. T. Ry. Co., 92 id. 216; West Chicago St. R. R. Co. v. Dedloff, 92 id. 547; Springfield Con. Ry. Co. v. Puntenney, 200 Ill. 9; C. & A. R. R. Co. v. Vipond, Admr., 212 Ill. 199; Elyton Land Co. v. Mingea, 89 Ala. 521.\nThe instruction was, in our opinion, erroneous, and the court committed reversible error in giving it.\nFor the error indicated the judgment is reversed and the cause remanded.\nReversed and remanded\u201e", "type": "majority", "author": "Mr. Justice Smith" } ], "attorneys": [ "Frank H. Graham and Henry S. Wilcox, for plaintiff in error.", "William J. Hynes, Samuel S. Page and Watson J. Ferry, for defendant in error; Mason B. Starring, of counsel." ], "corrections": "", "head_matter": "John W. Donnelly, Administrator, v. Chicago City Railway Company.\nGen. No. 12,903.\n1. Res gestae\u2014what not part of. Groans and exclamations are not part of the res gestae and are incompetent.\n2. Cboss-examination\u2014what proper upon. The\" cross-examiner is entitled to inquire with respect to all of the subject-matters of the direct examination.\n3. Imputed negligence\u2014when doctrine of, does not apply. The doctrine of imputed negligence does not apply as between a driver and his companion where the driver, with respect to whom the negligence is alleged, was not the agent of or controlled by such companion.\nAction in case for death caused by alleged wrongful act. Error to the Circuit Court of Cook county; the Hon. Thomas G. Windes, Judge, presiding.\nHeard in the Branch Appellate Court at the March term, 1906.\nReversed and remanded.\nOpinion filed February 1, 1907.\nStatement by the Court. By this writ of error it is sought to reverse a judgment of the Circuit Court in favor -of defendant in error in a suit brought against it by plaintiff in error to recover damages for personal injuries causing the death of Thomas C. Wren.\nOn March 29, 1897, the deceased, Thomas C. Wren, was employed as a driver of a hose carriage in the fire department of the city of Chicago, at a station on the corner of Fifty-third street and Wentworth avenue, and while riding on a hose carriage, or while driving, as some of the testimony tends to show, in attempting to pass two electric cars of the defendant in error, on Wentworth avenue, at a point about twenty-five feet south of Fifty-seventh street, a collision occurred between a north-bound car of the defendant in error and the hose carriage, by which the said Wren was thrown to the ground and received injuries from which he subsequently died. It is claimed that Wren\u2019s injuries and death were caused by the negligence of the defendant in error.\nFrank H. Graham and Henry S. Wilcox, for plaintiff in error.\nWilliam J. Hynes, Samuel S. Page and Watson J. Ferry, for defendant in error; Mason B. Starring, of counsel." }, "file_name": "0302-01", "first_page_order": 318, "last_page_order": 323 }