Silver v. Hause
| Decision Date | 04 January 1926 |
| Docket Number | 353 |
| Citation | 285 Pa. 166,131 A. 668 |
| Parties | Silver, Appellant, v. Hause |
| Court | Pennsylvania Supreme Court |
Argued November 27, 1925
Appeal, No. 353, Jan. T., 1925, by plaintiff, from judgment of C.P. No. 5, Phila. Co., June T., 1921, No. 9142, on verdict for defendant, in case of Adolph Silver v. Charles G Hause. Affirmed.
Trespass for personal injuries. Before MARTIN, P.J.
The opinion of the Supreme Court states the facts.
Verdict and judgment for defendant. Plaintiff appealed.
Errors assigned were various rulings and instructions, quoting record.
The judgment is affirmed.
Joseph Gross, with him Harry Balis, for appellant. -- Where a person lawfully on premises occupied by, and in the possession of defendant is injured by a defect therein, the liability of the defendant-occupant is not removed by the fact that his formal lease expired the previous day: Cohn v. May, 210 Pa. 615; Fitzgerald v. Sherwood, 239 Pa. 298; Pennington v. Klemanski, 278 Pa. 591; Martin v. Letter, 282 Pa. 286; Pender v. Raggs, 178 Pa. 337; Praeger v. Gordon, 78 Pa.Super. 76; Grier v. Sampson, 27 Pa. 183; Early v. Ashworth, 17 Phila. 248; Bears v. Ambler, 9 Pa. 193.
Ralph B. Evans, for appellee.
Before MOSCHZISKER, C.J., FRAZER, WALLING, SIMPSON, KEPHART, SADLER and SCHAFFER, JJ.
Hause, the defendant, leased a building, and occupied it for a store and warehouse in the conduct of a feed business. The second floor was used as one room for the keeping of hay and like products. Near the center was a hatchway covered with two doors placed crosswise, measuring eight and one-half by four feet, through which merchandise was lowered, when required, to the driveway beneath. The loft was lighted by windows on driveway beneath. The loft was three sides, each thirty-five inches by seven and one-half feet. On the north there were four, on the west seven, and on the south three, opening, in the first two instances, on public highways, and, in the last, upon an areaway, three or four feet wide, through which light and air were admitted. There were no shutters attached, though screens, with a mesh of one and a half inches, were fastened in each case on the outside. Testimony was offered by the plaintiff in the present action for damages, resulting from a fall through the opening, that all of the windows were dirty, thus diminishing his ability to discern properly the condition of the floor. The accident occurred between nine and ten o'clock on the morning of August 1st.
By the terms of the rental contract, the right of defendant to possession of the premises expired on Sunday, July 31st. On the afternoon of the day preceding, all of lessee's property was removed to a new location, with the exception of a few bags of rubbish, and a mirror, which for a long time previous had been stored in the rear of the loft. Some evidence was offered to show that two or more horses and wagons also remained upon the premises when the employees came on Monday morning to remove the articles left there, and for the purpose of cleaning. Leave to do so had been given on behalf of the landlord. The possession beyond the period of the lease cannot be said to have been more than permissive, and no liability for injuries from defects in the building after July 31st existed (Reilly v. Shannon, 180 Pa. 513; see also, Palmore v. Morris, 182 Pa. 82), for the temporary storage of articles does not continue responsibility of the lessee for injuries occurring after the expiration of the term (Franke v. St. Louis, 110 Mo. 511, 516, 19 S.W. 938), unless it appears there was a holding over by the tenant, and a continued control of the building exercised. The determining question was carefully submitted to the jury by the learned court below, and the verdict rendered was in favor of the defendant. In this connection, it may be observed, the jury asked for further instructions as to the date when the lease ended. The answer by the court named the time testified to without contradiction, as July 31st. If the appellant desired amplification of this statement, so as to cover the possibility that control was exercised by agreement, or otherwise, until a later period, it could have been so requested. Having failed to do so, he cannot now complain of the supplemental charge on the ground suggested.
Silver the plaintiff, was a junk dealer, and had lived within a few doors of the place where he was hurt for many years. He was acquainted generally with the building, though had not previously been on the second floor. Two weeks before, he had purchased a small amount of rubber from Hause, and it was claimed the latter then stated that a mirror, stored on the second floor, could be bought subsequently, when plaintiff would be notified, and given an opportunity to secure it, if he so desired. On Monday, August 1st, one Richards, a driver of defendant, called on Silver, and offered to make the sale. It was insisted this was done on behalf of defendant, though testimony was offered to show that the glass had been given as a present to the employee, who was to keep for himself such sum as he could secure. Silver, Richards and his assistant, went to the loft, and crossed it, evidently passing over or by the hatchway, going to the rear where the mirror stood. Plaintiff said the room was dark, but the light was sufficient to permit an examination of the glass, for which he offered to pay two dollars. The sum mentioned was satisfactory, and the three men started to carry the purchase toward the front of the loft. Silver was walking backwards, and fell through the open hatchway, which, according to his testimony, he had not observed. The two others present claimed the glass was moved to the opening, and there rested upon the floor, preparatory to lowering it to the driveway beneath, and...
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