Withington v. Rome

Decision Date08 January 1927
Citation154 N.E. 764,258 Mass. 188
PartiesWITHINGTON v. ROME et al.
CourtUnited States State Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts Supreme Court

OPINION TEXT STARTS HERE

Exceptions from Superior Court, Worcester County; Elias B. Bishop, Judge.

Action of tort by Wesley W. Withington, p. p. a., against Abraham I. Rome and another, to recover for personal injuries. Verdict was directed for defendants, and plaintiff excepts. Exceptions overruled.C. T. Flynn, of Fitchburg, for plaintiff.

C. C. Milton, of Worcester, and E. W. Baker, of Fitchburg, for defendants.

BRALEY, J.

[1][2] The plaintiff, a child 18 months old, living with his parents in a tenement owned by the defendants and rented by his mother, Mrs. Grace Withington, suffered physical injuries on June 7, 1923, which are alleged to have been caused by the defendants' negligence. The plaintiff, being too young to care for himself, was in the custody of his mother whose evidence tended to show that she had gone to the roof to take in some clothes, leaving the plaintiff in the living room where there was a closed window, which the jury could find was more or less broken and decayed. Upon her immediate return, she discovered his absence, that the window was broken, and that the plaintiff was lying on the ground below. The question of her due care was for the jury. Grant v. Fitchburg, 160 Mass. 16, 35 N. E. 84,39 Am. St. Rep. 449. There was testimony warranting the jury in finding that when Mrs. Withington intended to rent the tenement and called on the defendants' agent, on November 3, 1922, it was being repaired:

And he told her everything was all right, repairs were under way,’ and ‘The tenement was being fixed up in first-class shape. It was all right to move into.’

Relying on these representations, she paid one month's rent and received the key. The next day upon moving in she found the conditions were not as represented, and at once informed Abraham I. Rome, hereinafter referred to as the defendant, ‘that the tenement was not finished; it was not fixed up as she hired it,’ and that she would not stay.’ A further finding also was warranted that she never agreed to rent the tenement as she found it on inspection. It was under these conditions that the defendant, who had the management of the property and was authorized to act for his brother, the defendant Hyman A. Rome, said ‘that he would finish right up’ and ‘make all repairs that were not finished,’ which could be found to include the window in question. The acceptance of this proposition by the...

To continue reading

Request your trial
17 cases
  • Beauvais v. Springfield Inst. for Sav.
    • United States
    • United States State Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts Supreme Court
    • May 6, 1939
    ...reasonable care and diligence in its performance, Feeley v. Doyle, 222 Mass. 155, 109 N.E. 902, L.R.A.1916F, 1121;Withington v. Rome, 258 Mass. 188, 154 N.E. 764;Lischner v. Hahn, 273 Mass. 259, 173 N.E. 424;Connery v. Cass, 277 Mass. 545, 179 N.E. 164;Cleary v. Union Realty Co. Mass., 15 N......
  • Chelefou v. Springfield Inst. for Sav.
    • United States
    • United States State Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts Supreme Court
    • May 26, 1937
    ...not thereby rendered unsafe for the use of the minor plaintiff in any particular which contributed to her injuries (see Withington v. Rome, 258 Mass. 188, 154 N.E. 764), unless by reason of the fact that the screen was not so installed as to prevent her from falling out of the window. It co......
  • Soulia v. Noyes
    • United States
    • Vermont Supreme Court
    • November 6, 1940
    ...was a part of the lease. It was a promise which the lessee accepted by entering into possession of the premises. Withington v. Rome, 258 Mass. 188, 154 N.E. 764, 765. Indeed, this ground of demurrer does not appear to be relied upon by the defendants for it is not In considering the second ......
  • Soulia v. Noyes
    • United States
    • Vermont Supreme Court
    • November 6, 1940
    ... ... repairs was a part of the lease. It was a promise which the ... lessee accepted by entering into possession of the premises ... Withington v. Rome, 258 Mass. 188, 154 N.E ... 764, 765. Indeed, this ground of demurrer does not appear to ... be relied upon by the defendants for it is ... ...
  • Request a trial to view additional results

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT