Chesapeake Ohio Railway Company v. Laughlin, No. 100

CourtUnited States Supreme Court
Writing for the CourtMcReynolds
Citation37 S.Ct. 40,242 U.S. 142,61 L.Ed. 207
PartiesCHESAPEAKE & OHIO RAILWAY COMPANY, Plff. in Err., v. L. P. McLAUGHLIN
Docket NumberNo. 100
Decision Date04 December 1916

242 U.S. 142
37 S.Ct. 40
61 L.Ed. 207
CHESAPEAKE & OHIO RAILWAY COMPANY, Plff. in Err.,

v.

L. P. McLAUGHLIN.

No. 100.
Argued November 14, 1916.
Decided December 4, 1916.

Page 143

Messrs. F. B. Enslow and Herbert Fitzpatrick for plaintiff in error.

No appearance for defendant in error.

Mr. Justice McReynolds delivered the opinion of the court:

McLaughlin recovered judgment against the railway company in the circuit court, Pocahontas county, West Virginia, for injuries to a horse which it transported from Lexington, Kentucky, and delivered to him at Seebert, West Virginia, February 17, 1914.

The shipment was under a 'uniform livestock contract' signed by both parties and introduced in evidence by defendant in error, which, among other things, provides:

'That no claim for damages which may accrue to the said shipper under this contract shall be allowed or paid by the said carrier or sued for in any court by the said shipper, unless claim for such loss or damage shall be made in writing, verified by the affidavit of the said shipper or his agent and delivered to the general claim agent of the said carrier at his office in Richmond, Virginia, within five days from the time said stock is removed from said car or cars; and that if any loss or damages occur upon the line of a connecting carrier then such carrier shall not be liable unless a claim shall be made in like manner and delivered in like time to some proper officer or agent of the carrier on whose line the loss or injury occurs.'

It conclusively appears that McLaughlin did not present a verified claim to the carrier's agent as provided by the contract. Upon its face the agreement seems to be unobjectionable, and nothing in the record tends to establish circumstances rendering it invalid, or excuse failure

Page 144

to comply therewith. The court below erred in denying a seasonable request for a directed verdict; and its judgment must be reversed. Our recent opinions render unnecessary any further discussion of the reasons for this conclusion. Northern P. R. Co. v. Wall, 241 U. S. 87, 60 L. ed. 905, 36 Sup. Ct. Rep. 493; Georgia, F. & A. R. Co. v. Blish Mill. Co. 241 U. S. 190, 60 L. ed. 948, 36 Sup. Ct. Rep. 541; Cincinnati, N. O. & T. P. R. Co. v. Rankin, 241 U. S. 319, 60 L. ed. 1022, L.R.A. 1917A, 265, 36 Sup. Ct. Rep. 555.

Reverse and remand for further proceedings not inconsistent with this opinion.

Reversed.

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35 practice notes
  • Union Pacific R. R. Co. v. Pacific Market Co., 957
    • United States
    • United States State Supreme Court of Wyoming
    • August 26, 1921
    ...by Federal statutes. Its interpretation presented a federal question. The contract itself must govern. C. & O. Co. v. McLaughlin, 242 U.S. 142; Boyd v. King, 201 Mich. 476 was not in point, the question of notice not being involved. Emery & Co. v. Wabash R. R. Co., 166 N.W. 600; Baird v. th......
  • St Louis, Iron Mountain Southern Railway Company v. Starbird No 275 Starbird v. St Louis, Iron Mountain Southern Railway Company No 796, Nos. 275 and 796
    • United States
    • United States Supreme Court
    • April 30, 1917
    ...the Carmack Amendment makes such carrier for this purpose the agent of the initial carrier. And see Chesapeake & O. R. Co. v. McLaughlin, 242 U. S. 142, 61 L. ed. 207, 37 Sup. Ct. Rep. 40. The Carmack Amendment requires the receiving carrier to issue a through bill of lading, and makes that......
  • In re Thiara, BAP No. EC-01-1359-MAPB.
    • United States
    • Bankruptcy Appellate Panels. U.S. Bankruptcy Appellate Panel, Ninth Circuit
    • November 1, 2002
    ...431 the certificates to its own use. The Court held that this act constituted a conversion and was "willful and malicious." McIntyre, 242 U.S. at 142, 37 S.Ct. Post-Geiger, in Bailey, the Ninth Circuit considered whether a conversion was a nondischargeable debt. The debtor/attorney had know......
  • The Eldridge, 5102.
    • United States
    • United States District Courts. 9th Circuit. United States District Court (Western District of Washington)
    • February 11, 1924
    ...Short Line, 208 F. 1, 125 C.C.A. 313; Olson v. C.B. & Q. Ry. Co., 250 F. 372, 162 C.C.A. 442; Chesapeake & Ohio Ry. Co. v. McLaughlin, 242 U.S. 142, 37 Sup.Ct. 40, 61 L.Ed. 207; Erie R.R. v. Stone et al., 244 U.S. 332, 37 Sup.Ct. 633, 61 L.Ed. 1173; B. & O.R.R. Co. v. Leach, 249 U.S. 217, 3......
  • Request a trial to view additional results
34 cases
  • Union Pacific R. R. Co. v. Pacific Market Co., 957
    • United States
    • United States State Supreme Court of Wyoming
    • August 26, 1921
    ...by Federal statutes. Its interpretation presented a federal question. The contract itself must govern. C. & O. Co. v. McLaughlin, 242 U.S. 142; Boyd v. King, 201 Mich. 476 was not in point, the question of notice not being involved. Emery & Co. v. Wabash R. R. Co., 166 N.W. 600; Baird v. th......
  • St Louis, Iron Mountain Southern Railway Company v. Starbird No 275 Starbird v. St Louis, Iron Mountain Southern Railway Company No 796, Nos. 275 and 796
    • United States
    • United States Supreme Court
    • April 30, 1917
    ...the Carmack Amendment makes such carrier for this purpose the agent of the initial carrier. And see Chesapeake & O. R. Co. v. McLaughlin, 242 U. S. 142, 61 L. ed. 207, 37 Sup. Ct. Rep. 40. The Carmack Amendment requires the receiving carrier to issue a through bill of lading, and makes that......
  • In re Thiara, BAP No. EC-01-1359-MAPB.
    • United States
    • Bankruptcy Appellate Panels. U.S. Bankruptcy Appellate Panel, Ninth Circuit
    • November 1, 2002
    ...431 the certificates to its own use. The Court held that this act constituted a conversion and was "willful and malicious." McIntyre, 242 U.S. at 142, 37 S.Ct. Post-Geiger, in Bailey, the Ninth Circuit considered whether a conversion was a nondischargeable debt. The debtor/attorney had know......
  • The Eldridge, 5102.
    • United States
    • United States District Courts. 9th Circuit. United States District Court (Western District of Washington)
    • February 11, 1924
    ...Short Line, 208 F. 1, 125 C.C.A. 313; Olson v. C.B. & Q. Ry. Co., 250 F. 372, 162 C.C.A. 442; Chesapeake & Ohio Ry. Co. v. McLaughlin, 242 U.S. 142, 37 Sup.Ct. 40, 61 L.Ed. 207; Erie R.R. v. Stone et al., 244 U.S. 332, 37 Sup.Ct. 633, 61 L.Ed. 1173; B. & O.R.R. Co. v. Leach, 249 U.S. 217, 3......
  • Request a trial to view additional results

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