Passmore v. Western Union Telegraph Co.
| Decision Date | 02 April 1876 |
| Parties | Passmore <I>versus</I> Western Union Telegraph Co. |
| Court | Pennsylvania Supreme Court |
April 2d 1876.
Before AGNEW, C. J., SHARSWOOD, MERCUR, GORDON, PAXSON and WOODWARD, JJ.
Error to the District Court of Philadelphia: Of July Term 1873, No. 138.
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J. C. Longstreth and L. Myers, for plaintiff in error.—The liability of telegraph companies is that of common carriers: Shearman & Redfield on Negligence, sect. 554; Parks v. Alta California Tel. Co., 13 Cal. 422; De Rutte v. N. Y., Alb. & Buf. Tel. Co., 1 Daly's R. 547; Telegraph Co. v. Dryburg, 11 Casey 298; Tyler v. W. Union Tel. Co., 60 Ill. 421.
G. L. Crawford and B. H. Brewster, for defendants in error.— The liability of the defendants is not that of common carriers but on the contract only: Playford v. U. K. Tel. Co., Law Rep. 4 Q. B. 707; Leonard & Burton v. N. Y., Alb. & Buf. Tel. Co., 41 N. Y. 554; Birney v. N. Y. & Wash. Tel. Co., 18 Md. 341; Camp v. W. U. Tel. Co., 1 Metc. (Ky.) 164; Breeze v. U. S. Tel. Co., 45 Barb. 274; Shields v. U. S. & N. O. Tel. Co., 11 Am. L. J. 311; Ellis v. Am. Tel. Co., 13 Allen 227; De Rutte v. N. Y., Alb. & Buf. Tel. Co., 1 Daly 547; W. U. Tel. Co. v. Carew, 15 Mich. 525; Graham v. W. U. Tel. Co., 10 Am. Law Rep. N. S. 319.
The liability of a telegraph results from the general principle that where one is injured in consequence of another neglecting to do that which he ought to have done, the latter is liable for the injury: Smith's Manual of Common Law 101-2*; Vandenburgh v. Traux, 4 Denio 464: Rose v. U. S. Tel. Co., 6 Robertson 305.
Common carriers may, by special contract, limit their liability as insurers, or for any injury except one arising from their own negligence, and when they so do, they cease to be common carriers, and the onus of establishing negligence is upon the plaintiff: Browne on Carriers 117-8, and note (a.); Farnham v. C. & A. Railroad Co., 5 P. F. Smith 53; Patterson v. Clyde, 17 Id. 506; Harrison v. Railroad Co., 2 B. & S. 122; White v. Railroad Co., 2 C. B. N. S. 7; York Co. v. Central Railroad Co., 3 Wall. 111; Browne on Carriers 127, 135, 136. The condition as to repetition of message and insurance is reasonable and valid: McAndrew v. Electric Tel. Co., 17 C. B. 3; 33 Eng. Law & Eq. 180; Potts v. Electric Tel. Co., 18 Law Rep. 477; Camp v. W. U. Tel. Co., 1 Metc. (Ky.) 164; Breeze v. U. S. Tel. Co., 45 Barb. 274; Ellis v. Am. Tel. Co., 13 Allen 235; Gildersleeve v. U. S. Tel. Co., How. Pr. 403; 29 Md. 232; Kinghorne v. Montreal Tel. Co., 18 U. C. Rep. 60. If it were even doubtful whether the defendants' negligence alone caused the injury there can be no recovery: Luxford v. Large, 5 C. & P. 421.
The judgment was affirmed in the Supreme Court, April __ 1875.
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