United States v. Wallace

• Decision Date: 21 March 1927
• Docket Number: No. 5032.,5032.
• Citation: 18 F.2d 20
• Parties: UNITED STATES v. WALLACE et al.
• Court: U.S. Court of Appeals — Ninth Circuit

18 F.2d 20 (1927)

UNITED STATES v. WALLACE et al.

No. 5032.

Circuit Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit.

March 21, 1927.

Ira Bronson, J. S. Robinson, H. B. Jones, and Robert E. Bronson, all of Seattle, Wash., for the United States.

John S. Jurey, of Seattle, Wash., for appellee Wallace.

B. S. Grosscup, W. C. Morrow, and Chas. A. Wallace, all of Seattle, Wash., for appellee Draper Engine Works Co.

Before GILBERT, RUDKIN, and DIETRICH, Circuit Judges.

DIETRICH, Circuit Judge.

The Draper Engine Works Company had a contract for special repair work on the steamship West Gambo, a merchant vessel owned and operated by the government. At the same time other repairs were being made by the owner upon its own account. In moving scaffolding used by them while painting in and about No. 3 hatch between-decks, the government workmen carelessly permitted a heavy timber to fall upon and seriously injure appellee Wallace, who, as an employé of the contractor, was working below them in No. 3 lower hold. Wallace brought this proceeding, in the nature of a libel in rem, under the Suits in Admiralty Act of March 9, 1920 (Comp. St. §§ 1251¼-1251¼l), against the owner alone. Answering, the owner petitioned in the contractor under general admiralty rule No. 56. There was a decree in favor of Wallace against the government alone, for $25,000, from which the latter brings this appeal.

In view of the concession at the hearing, that the record discloses no substantial error affecting the libelant's rights, there is left for consideration only the government's contention that it is entitled to relief against the contractor.

The scaffolding in question, consisting of two ordinary sawhorses, about three feet high, upon which were laid heavy loose planks, was necessarily moved from place to place at short intervals of time, as the work progressed. Without relating the details of the particular occurrence, it will suffice to say that the mode employed in manipulating the planks at the moment of the accident was so unusual that it could not have been reasonably anticipated by either the libelant or the contractor. It follows that, if the latter is in any wise liable to the government, it must be by virtue of an indemnifying provision in the contract, which presents the one serious question in the case. This provision is as follows:

"The contractor is to fully protect the ship and owners against any and all claims for injury to workmen engaged by him or his subcontractor, in carrying out work on the vessel."

Read literally, the language is undoubtedly broad enough to cover not only cases where both indemnitor and indemnitee are negligent, but cases where, as here, the indemnitee alone is chargeable. But in the light of the circumstances and of established principles of interpretation, should it be so understood? It is one of the general clauses of the "U. S. S. B. Specifications," and by reference was adopted as a part of the specific contract here.

In 5 Elliott on Contracts, § 4007, it is said: "A contract of indemnity against personal injuries should not be construed to indemnify against the negligence of the indemnitee himself, unless such an intention clearly appears." Of like tenor is the text in 31 C. J....