Moeller v. City of Rugby, a Municipal Corporation

• Decision Date: 28 April 1915
• Court: North Dakota Supreme Court

153 N.W. 290

30 N.D. 438

LILLY MOELLER v. CITY OF RUGBY, a Municipal Corporation

Supreme Court of North Dakota

April 28, 1915

Appeal from the District Court of Pierce County, Burr, J.

Reversed.

Motions granted.

A. E Coger and Paul Campbell, for appellant.

A traveler who places himself in a dangerous position in the highway cannot recover for resulting injury. 15 Am. & Eng Enc. Law, 2d ed. 468.

If one knowing of the presence of stones, attempts to pass over them instead of around them, he is liable as a matter of law for injuries caused by tripping thereon. Nicholas v. Peck, 20 R. I. 533, 40 A. 418; Grandorf v. Detroit Citizens' Street R. Co., 113 Mich. 496, 71 N.W. 844; 7 Am. & Eng. Enc. Law, 2d ed. 393.

If, by the exercise of ordinary care and diligence, the person injured could have avoided the injury, and he fails to exercise such care and diligence, he cannot recover. 6 Am. & Eng. Enc. Law 2d ed. 411; 28 Cyc. 1522; Ely v. Des Moines, 86 Iowa 55, 17 L.R.A. 124, 52 N.W. 475; Plummer v. Kansas City, 48 Mo.App. 482; Collins v. Janesville, 107 Wis. 436, 83 N.W. 695; Lerner v. Philadelphia, 221 Pa. 294, 21 L.R.A. (N.S.) 615, 70 A. 755; James v. Wellston, 13 L.R.A. (N.S.) 1262, note.

Knowledge of defects, or where one fails to remember, constitutes conclusive evidence of negligence. Gilman v. Deerfield, 15 Gray, 577; Bruker v. Covington, 69 Ind. 33, 35 Am. Rep. 202.

It is his duty in such cases to take some other available route. Forker v. Sandy Lake, 130 Pa. 123, 18 A. 609; Grattan v. Williamston, 116 Mich. 462, 74 N.W. 668; Collins v. Janesville, 111 Wis. 348, 87 N.W. 244, 1087, 10 Am. Neg. Rep. 520, 107 Wis. 436, 83 N.W. 695; Gilman v. Deerfield, and Bruker v. Covington, supra; 17 Cyc. 57.

On the part of plaintiff, there was no evidence of care or caution to submit to the jury. She could not see on account of darkness; she burdened herself with lights and glass; the adjacent roadway was safe; the sidewalk on the other side of the street was safe. She knew the condition of the walk she chose to use. Circleville v. Sohn, 20 Ohio C. C. 368, 11 Ohio C. D. 193; Grattan v. Williamston, 116 Mich. 462, 74 N.W. 668.

One who knows the existence of an obstruction and attempts to pass it, when in consequence of the darkness he cannot see it, has no reason to complain of an injury received by him therefrom. Lerner v. Philadelphia, 221 Pa. 294, 21 L.R.A. (N.S.) 614, 70 A. 755; Collins v. Janesville, 107 Wis. 436, 83 N.W. 695; Lemman v. Spokane, 38 Wash. 98, 80 P. 280; Lockport v. Licht, 221 Ill. 35, 77 N.E. 581, 20 Am. Neg. Rep. 292; Monroeville v. Weihl, 13 Ohio C. C. 689, 6 Ohio C. D. 188; Columbus v. Griggs, 113 Ga. 597, 84 Am. St. Rep. 257, 38 S.E. 953, 10 Am. Neg. Rep. 28; Conneaut v. Naef, 54 Ohio St. 529, 44 N.E. 236; Durkin v. Troy, 61 Barb. 437; Sickles v. Philadelphia, 209 Pa. 113, 58 A. 128.

Where observation would inform of danger, one who uses sidewalk takes risk. Moore v. Huntington, 31 W.Va. 842, 8 S.E. 512; Muller v. District of Columbia, 5 Mackey, 286; Harrigan v. Brooklyn, 16 N.Y.S. 743.

One assumes risk of apparent dangers. Washington v. Small, 86 Ind. 462.

Where knowledge exists, instructions assuming no knowledge are erroneous. Collins v. Janesville, 111 Wis. 348, 87 N.W. 241, 1087, 10 Am. Neg. Rep. 520; Rusch v. Davenport, 6 Iowa 443; McLeod v. Spokane, 26 Wash. 346, 67 P. 74.

Present knowledge is a complete defense. Heberling v. Warrensburg, 204 Mo. 604, 103 S.W. 36; Centralia v. Krouse, 64 Ill. 19; Dehlinger v. Chicago, 100 Ill.App. 314; Gosport v. Evans, 112 Ind. 133, 2 Am. St. Rep. 164, 13 N.E. 256; Wilson v. Charlestown, 8 Allen, 137, 85 Am. Dec. 693; Irion v. Saginaw, 120 Mich. 295, 79 N.W. 572; Wright v. St. Cloud, 54 Minn. 94, 55 N.W. 819; Koch v. Edgewater, 14 Hun, 544; Schaafler v. Sandusky, 33 Ohio St. 246, 31 Am. Rep. 533; Hotchkin v. Philipsburg, 5 Sadler (Pa.) 188, 8 A. 434; Cooper v. Waterloo, 98 Wis. 424, 74 N.W. 115.

One is not excused for recklessly casting self on a known danger. Beatrice v. Forbes, 74 Neb. 125, 103 N.W. 1069; Evansville v. Christy, 29 Ind.App. 44, 63 N.E. 867; Barce v. Shenandoah, 106 Iowa 426, 76 N.W. 747; Mayhood v. New York, 119 A.D. 100, 103 N.Y.S. 856; Hentz v. Somerset, 2 Pa. S.Ct. 225; Tuttle v. Clear Lake, Iowa , 102 N.W. 136; Sheats v. Rome, 92 Ga. 535, 17 S.E. 922; Corlett v. Leavenworth, 27 Kan. 673; Rogers v. Bloomington, 22 Ind.App. 601, 52 N.E. 242; Coloney v. Kalamazoo, 124 Mich. 655, 83 N.W. 618; Gosport v. Evans, 112 Ind. 133, 2 Am. St. Rep. 164, 13 N.E. 256; Caven v. Troy, 32 A.D. 154, 52 N.Y.S. 804; Messenger v. Bridgetown, 31 Can. S. C. 379; Slaughter v. Huntington, 64 W.Va. 237, 16 L.R.A. (N.S.) 459, 61 S.E. 155; Drake v. Seattle, 30 Wash. 81, 94 Am. St. Rep. 844, 70 P. 231; Macomb v. Smithers, 6 Ill.App. 470; Lynchburg v. Wallace, 95 Va. 640, 29 S.E. 675; Erie v. Magill, 101 Pa. 616, 47 Am. Rep. 739; Idlett v. Atlanta, 123 Ga. 821, 51 S.E. 709; Clayton v. Brooks, 150 Ill. 97, 37 N.E. 574; Richmond v. Mulholland, 116 Ind. 173, 18 N.E. 832; Munice v. Hey, 164 Ind. 570, 74 N.E. 250, 18 Am. Neg. Rep. 51; Black v. Manistee, 107 Mich. 60, 64 N.W. 868; Cohn v. Kansas City, 108 Mo. 387, 18 S.W. 973; Boyle v. Mahanoy City, 19 Pa. Co. Ct. 195; Ringelstein v. San Antonio, 21 S.W. 634; Winchester v. Carroll, 99 Va. 727, 40 S.E. 37; Roanoke v. Harrison, 1 Va.Dec. 801, 19 S.E. 179; DePere v. Hibbard, 104 Wis. 666, 80 N.W. 933; Lockport v. Licht, 113 Ill.App. 613; Meridian v. Stainback, Miss. , 30 So. 607, 10 Am. Neg. Rep. 619; Smith v. Jackson, 106 Mich. 136, 63 N.W. 982; Collins v. Janesville, 111 Wis. 348, 87 N.W. 241, 1087, 10 Am. Neg. Rep. 520; Lyon v. Grand Rapids, 121 Wis. 609, 99 N.W. 311; Bruker v. Covington, 69 Ind. 33, 35 Am. Rep. 202; Bender v. Minden, 124 Iowa 685, 100 N.W. 352; New Castle v. Grubbs, 171 Ind. 482, 86 N.E. 757; Berg v. Milwaukee, 83 Wis 599, 53 N.W. 890; Mt. Vernon v. Dusouchett, 2 Ind. 586, 54 Am. Dec. 467; Mitchell v. Tell City, Ind.App. , 81 N.E. 594; Bloomington v. Rogers, 9 Ind.App. 230, 36 N.E. 439; Perry v. Cedar Falls, 87 Iowa 315, 54 N.W. 225.

Knowledge, darkness, and attempt, constitute contributory negligence. Hesser v. Grafton, 33 W.Va. 548, 11 S.E. 211; Austin v. Charlotte, 146 N.C. 336, 59 S.E. 701; Monence v. Kendall, 14 Ill.App. 229; Casey v. Fitchburg, 162 Mass. 321, 38 N.E. 499; Forker v. Sandy Lake, 130 Pa. 123, 18 A. 609; Boswell v. Wakley, 149 Ind. 64, 48 N.E. 637; Graney v. St. Louis, 141 Mo. 180, 42 S.W. 941, 3 Am. Neg. Rep. 419; Pittman v. El Reno, 4 Okla. 638, 46 P. 495, and cases cited; Bohl v. Dell Rapids, 15 S.D. 619, 91 N.W. 315; Gosport v. Evans, 112 Ind. 133, 2 Am. St. Rep. 164, 13 N.E. 256; Erie v. Magill, 101 Pa. 616, 47 Am. Rep. 739; Friday v. Moorhead, 84 Minn. 273, 87 N.W. 780; Marshall v. Belle Plaine, 106 Iowa 508, 76 N.W. 797; McLeod v. Spokane, 26 Wash. 346, 67 P. 74; Garbanati v. Durango, 30 Colo. 358, 70 P. 686; Irion v. Saginaw, 120 Mich. 295, 79 N.W. 572; Wright v. St. Cloud, 54 Minn. 94, 55 N.W. 819; Beatrice v. Forbes, 74 Neb. 125, 103 N.W. 1069; Collins v. Janesville, 107 Wis. 436, 83 N.W. 695; Cooper v. Waterloo, 98 Wis. 424, 74 N.W. 115; Barce v. Shenandoah, 106 Iowa 426, 76 N.W. 747; Tuttle v. Clear Lake, Iowa , 102 N.W. 136; Black v. Manistee, 107 Mich. 60, 64 N.W. 868; De Pere v. Hibbard, 104 Wis. 666, 80 N.W. 933; Parkhill v. Brighton, 61 Iowa 103, 15 N.W. 853; McGinty v. Keokuk, 66 Iowa 725, 24 N.W. 506; Cosner v. Centerville, 90 Iowa 33, 57 N.W. 636; Sargeant v. Detroit, 156 Mich. 291, 120 N.W. 792; Stock v. Tacoma, 53 Wash. 226, 101 P. 830; Lemman v. Spokane, 38 Wash. 98, 80 P. 280; Kornetski v. Detroit, 94 Mich. 341, 53 N.W. 1106; Bowman v. Ogden City, 33 Utah 196, 93 P. 563; McKenzie v. Northfield, 30 Minn. 456, 16 N.W. 264; Salzer v. Milwaukee, 97 Wis. 471, 73 N.W. 20; Mt. Vernon v. Dusouchett, 2 Ind. 586, 54 Am. Dec. 467; Quincy v. Baker, 81 Ill. 300, 25 Am. Rep. 278; Gibson v. Denison, 153 Iowa 320, 38 L.R.A. (N.S.) 644, 133 N.W. 712; Knoxville v. Cain, 128 Tenn. 250, 48 L.R.A. (N.S.) 628, 159 S.W. 1084, Ann. Cas. 1915B, 762.

D. C. Greenleaf and E. R. Sinkler, for respondent.

The requests by defendant for instructions by the court were fully covered in the court's general instructions, and this is sufficient. Jackson v. Grand Forks, 24 N.D. 601, 45 L.R.A. (N.S.) 75, 140 N.W. 719; Pyke v. Jamestown, 15 N.D. 157, 107 N.W. 359; Solberg v. Schlosser, 20 N.D. 307, 30 L.R.A. (N.S.) 111, 127 N.W. 91; Johnson v. Fargo, 15 N.D. 525, 108 N.W. 243, 20 Am. Neg. Rep. 460; Ouverson v. Grafton, 5 N.D. 281, 65 N.W. 676; Carpenter v. Dickey, 26 N.D. 176, 143 N.W. 964.

Plaintiff thought the opening in the sidewalk where she was injured was farther west than where it actually was, and it was so dark she couldn't exactly locate it. She felt her way carefully and walked slowly. These facts do not show contributory negligence. Johnson v. Fargo, 15 N.D. 525, 108 N.W. 243, 20 Am. Neg. Rep. 460; Ouverson v. Grafton, 5 N.D. 281, 65 N.W. 676; Solberg v. Schlosser, 20 N.D. 307, 30 L.R.A. (N.S.) 1111, 127 N.W. 91; Pyke v. Jamestown, 15 N.D. 157, 107 N.W. 359; Jackson v. Grand Forks, 24 N.D. 601, 45 L.R.A. (N.S.) 75, 140 N.W. 719.

OPINION

BURKE, J.

Plaintiff was awarded $ 800 damages for injury alleged to have been received from fall upon defective sidewalk. Defendant appeals, relying principally upon the defense of contributory negligence. For the purposes of this appeal only, the city concedes its negligence, but alleges that plaintiff's negligence contributed to her own injury, and therefore, under well-settled principles of law, she ought not to recover.

(1) Under the circumstances, it is necessary to examine the facts disclosed by the record, and this will be given our first consideration. Plaintiff is a married woman, rather stout was forty-one years of age at the time of the...