O'DELL v. Goodsell , 152 Neb. 290 ( 1950 )

Simmons, C. J.

This is an action for damages resulting from the death of plaintiffs intestate while a prisoner in the county jail in custody of the defendant Goodsell, sheriff of Dakota County. Issues were made and trial was had resulting in a directed verdict for defendant. In O’Dell v. Goodsell, 149 Neb. 261, 30 N. W. 2d 906, we reversed the judgment and remanded the cause because of error in failing to submit issues of negligence of defendant sheriff to the jury and in dismissing plaintiff’s action. The cause ¿gain was tried resulting in a verdict for the defendant. Plaintiff appeals. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Herein we use the designation “defendant” with reference to the defendant sheriff.

The plaintiff’s first assignment of error is that the trial court erred in giving the following instruction to the jury: “The Statutes of Nebraska do not require the sheriff or jailer to maintain a constant guard over prisoners incarcerated in the County Jail for the purpose of preventing them from harming themselves either deliberately or accidentally.

“The only provision of the statute with reference to the maintenance of a constant guard at county jails applies to a situation when the condition of the mail (sic) is such as requires a constant guard to prevent the escape of prisoners.”

Plaintiff contends that this instruction, states that the only requirement of a guard, is to prevent the escape of prisoners. Obviously, the instruction does not so state. It sets out what the statutes do and do not require with reference to maintenance of a constant guard. It is not contended that there is a statute requiring the sheriff to maintain a constant guard over prisoners so there appears to be no error in the statement in the first sentence of the instruction. The second sentence obviously refers to that part of section 47-113, R. S. 1943, which provides that when the condition of the jail requires a constant guard to be kept to prevent the escape of prisoners, the sheriff shall be allowed pay for guarding or procuring guard. There appears to be no error in the statement in the second sentence of the instruction.

But plaintiff argues that the jury could have concluded from the instruction that a guard not being required by statute, the defendant had no duty to exercise due care in the premises, and hence the instruction amounted to one to find for the defendant.

In our opinion in the former appeal we referred to some of the statutory duties of the sheriff and said: “Beyond statutory requirements a sheriff is bound to exercise in the control and management of the jail the degree of care requisite to the reasonably adequate protection of the prisoners or inmates.” Obviously the jury should have been instructed as to the duties other than statutory of the defendant.

The rule is: “Instructions are to be considered together to the end that they may be properly understood and, when so construed, if as a whole they fairly state the law applicable to the issues presented by the pleadings and the evidence in support thereof, error cannot be predicated on the giving of the same.” Fimple v. Archer Ballroom Co., 150 Neb. 681, 35 N. W. 2d 680.

Before giving the challenged instruction, the court instructed as to the duties of a sheriff or other police officer to arrest and detain under the provisions of sections 29-401 and 29-410, R. R. S. 1943. The court likewise instructed as to the duties of the sheriff as jailer under the provisions of section 23-1703, R. S. 1943. The court instructed as to the statutory duties of the county board to provide a jail and keep it in repair under section 23-120, R. S. 1943, and that those duties did not devolve upon the sheriff. The trial court then gave-the challenged instruction, followed by this instruction: - “The provisions of the statute with reference to the duties of a sheriff in the supervision and confinement of prisoners placed in his custody are not the only ones to be observed-in order that his conduct fulfills his duties of exercising reasonable care. It is a fundamental rule of action that he shall exercise reasonable care under the circumstances, considering all surrounding conditions of which he has knowledge or by the exercise of reasonable care would have knowledge.”

The plaintiff does not contend that there is error in the other instructions mentioned above. Taking the group as a whole it is patent that the trial court instructed as to statutory duties, those duties not, or only partially, covered by statute, and those duties other than statutory. When so considered we see.no merit in the assignment.

Plaintiff’s next assignment of error is that the court erred in not following the mandate of this court in the previous appeal. Specifically, reference is made to those provisions of the opinion that it was error to refuse to submit to the jury (1) the failure of the sheriff to provide a guard for the jail and the proper inferences to be drawn from such failure; (2) the question of the adequacy of ventilation under the circumstances; (3) the failure to make outside communication available' and the proper inferences to be drawn therefrom; and (4) the question of whether or not the sheriff failed to respond to his duty in the light of the potential for danger which he knew or should have known.

As to (1). and (2), plaintiff alleged that the defendant left no guard in or about the jail in charge of the prisoners, ■ and that the defendant failed to provide proper ventilation. The trial court specifically submitted these two questions to the jury as claimed acts of negligence with an instruction elsewhere as, to the burden of proof of negligence in one or more of the respects alleged, and stated that the jury could consider the logical and proper inferences deducible therefrom. As to (3), we find no specific allegation in plaintiff’s petition that defendant was negligent for failure to make outside communication available. We do find an allegation that he did not provide proper fire protection. That allegation of negligence also was submitted to the jury. Under the circumstances here, the matter of means of communication could be material only as to the question of fire protection. As to (4), we have heretofore set out the instruction given as to the duties of the sheriff other than statutory. That instruction was in general accord with plaintiff’s allegation of negligence in that regard. In this connection it is noted that, in response to a motion to make more definite and certain, plaintiff alleged that she was unable to state what other duties or acts she claimed defendant should have performed. The plaintiff here claims no error in the instructions given. It does not appear that plaintiff requested more' specific instructions' as to these matters. The rule is: “In order to present for review the failure of the trial court to instruct the jury upon particular issues or evidence in a case, the party complaining must have requested instructions on the omitted topics.” Carter White Lead Co. v. Kinlin, 47 Neb. 409, 66 N. W. 536. Under these circumstances we see no merit in the assignment.

Plaintiff’s next assignment of error is that the trial court erred in submitting the issue of contributory negligence to' the jury, contending that there is no evidence of any negligence of the deceased.

Before further stating the evidence, reference should be made to the pleadings and the positions taken by the parties in this litigation. Plaintiff alleged as one of- the grounds of negligence that -the defendant permitted matches to be in the jail. The trial court submitted it to the jury as one of the grounds of negligence. Plaintiff makes -no assignment of error as to that. Defendant denied generally and alleged that when the deceased was confined to the jail he had on his person cigarettes and matches which he (deceased) retained. In its instructions the trial court advised the jury of that allegation. Plaintiff makes no assignment of error as to that. By reply plaintiff denied all allegations except those which specifically admitted to be true statements and allegations of the plaintiff’s petition.

It is the rule that “When * * * a general denial is interposed to a pleading, coupled with and followed by admissions, the denial yields to the admissions to the extent thereof.” Carson v. Hunt, 113 Neb. 727, 204 N. W. 813. See, also, Norton v. Bankers Fire Ins. Co., 115 Neb. 490, 213 N. W. 515; Bosteder v. Duling, 115 Neb. 557, 213 N. W. 809.

Under this rule it must be held as established by the pleadings that there were matches upon the person of the deceased when he was confined in the jail.

On her first appeal here plaintiff asserted by way of argument that “We believe that the fair inferences from the facts are that the deceased pulled out the four small mattresses from the bunks in the jail, put them in the southeast corner of the bull pen, laid down on them with a lighted cigárette that set fire to the edge of the mattresses and the mattresses smoldered there until all of the oxygen in the room was gone and both of the men suffoocated (sic) to death therefrom. The deceased man’s body evidently was burned after his death because there was no evidence of a struggle whatsoever.”

By brief in this case and in argument on the first assignment as to due care, plaintiff asserts as a fact that the defendant knew the two men in the jail, had matches and tobacco. Later in the brief plaintiff asserts that the defendant admitted that both men had matches on them. Although plaintiff alleged by amendment to her petition that she did not know the origin of the fire nor fully know why the catastrophe happened, still it is apparent that from the beginning plaintiff presented this case on the theory that the fire was caused by matches used either by the deceased or by Summers, the other man in the jail, and in this connection she alleged that the defendant permitted Summers to use the matches. We find no evidence as to use of matches in the jail by Summers.

The rule is that this court will dispose of a case on appeal on the theory on which it was presented to the trial court. Parker v. Knights Templars & Masons Life Indemnity Co., 70 Neb. 268, 97 N. W. 281; U. S. Tire Dealers Mutual Corporation v. Laune, 139 Neb. 26, 296 N. W. 333; Bohmont v. Moore, 141 Neb. 91, 2 N. W. 2d 599; Gillan v. Equitable Life Assurance Society, 143 Neb. 647, 10 N. W. 2d 693, 148 A. L. R. 496.

We now go to the record to- determine whether or not it contains evidence of a fact or facts from which negligence of the deceased could have been properly inferred by the jury.

The evidence of plaintiff shows that deceased and one Summers had been drinking beer in a tavern át Homer since 9 p. m. on the evening in question; that deceased became quarrelsome when he had been drinking; that the village marshal, who was plaintiff’s witness, cautioned them on one or more occasions; that the conduct continued and about 10:30 p. m., the deceased had a fight with one Armour in which the tavern proprietor was knocked down as he attempted to intervene; and that the deceased and Summers were arrested about 10:30 p. m., and placed in the village jail. The marshal testified that deceased walked without help and without staggering to the jail. The marshal testified that in his opinion the deceased was not intoxicated.

The marshal then called the sheriff at the county seat and asked him to come to get the prisoners. The sheriff and his deputy did so, receiving the prisoners about midnight and taking them to the courthouse. There the sheriff turned on the thermostat of the steam system which heated the jail. The sheriff and his deputy talked with the prisoners until about 1:30 a. m. They had been friends since school days and the visit was friendly. The sheriff testified that he knew the deceased had been drinking from his knowledge of his past actions, although he did not smell liquor on him and the deceased walked without difficulty. The sheriff testified that when the men were locked up they were in good condition and “practically sobered up” and “were sobered up.”

There is undisputed evidence that deceased was a cigarette smoker, and that during the visit in the sheriff’s office he had been smoking. On cross-examination plaintiff asked the sheriff, “But you knew that both of them had tobacco, cigarettes and matches?” The sheriff answered, “I presume they had tobacco, they were smoking.” Neither of the prisoners was searched before being locked up. It does not appear that any possessions were taken from them.

The jail is fireproof, of cement and steel construction. The only inflammable material shown to have been in it at the time was a small wooden table, mattresses, and bedding on the bunks in the cells. The men were not locked in the cells but had access to all parts of the jail. At 7:30 a. m., the caretaker of the building smelled smoke. He went to the sheriff’s office and detected the odor of cigarette smoke. He opened the jail and found it-full of .smoke, so much so that he could not see except near the .floor. He entered and opened the windows. The room is 15 feet' from north to south. He found Summers on the floor, dead, lying near the northeast corner of the jail, his head to the north. He was fully clothed, had bedding folded for a pillow, and was as though asleep. There was no indication of struggle and no evidence of fire, matches, or ashes about his body. The caretaker found, deceased near the southeast corner of the jail, his head to the north. The mattresses had been, taken from the bunks. The deceased was lying on the mattresses on his back, his' outer clothing removed, his head to the north, and apparently he was in a sleeping position. The remains of mattresses and clothing were still smoldering so as to require water to put them out; Deceased was badly burned where his body was exposed to the mattresses. The .only evidence of fire, that is, ashes and burning material, was around, near, and under deceased. The nearest any of this material was to Summers was two feet. Plaintiff’s evidence was that the cause of death was suffocation caused by the ignition of bed and clothing in a closed- room.

This is a case where there is an absence of any ill will between the two men and an absence of any evidence of a struggle or other disturbance. It also is a case where the evidence shows an absence of the causes, save for matches, which common experience indicates ordinarily may cause a fire. The pleadings show that there were matches on the person of the deceased. There is evidence of his use of cigarettes and his possession of tobacco. It is common knowledge that matches exist to produce fire and are used to light cigarettes. All of the evidence of fire was in and around the deceased. In the absence of other evidence as to a cause, the evidence is ample to sustain a reasonable inference that the fire was caused by'the use of matches on the part of the deceased, and sufficient to sustain a reasonable inference that the' fire and resulting death arose as a result of want of care on the part - of the deceased. See Miratsky v. Beseda, 139 Neb. 229, 297 N. W. 94.

In fact, plaintiff requested an instruction as follows: “You are instructed that there is a presumption, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, that the deceased, Judd Marion O’Dell, exercised due care and caution for his own safety, and, in considering the issue of negligence of the deceased, you should give the plaintiff the benefit of this presumption, until it is overthrown by a preponderance of the evidence.” The rule is: “A párty who requests a trial court to give instructions framed upon a certain theory can not be heard to complain that the court gave other instructions proceeding upon the same theory.” Schrandt v. Young, 62 Neb. 254, 86 N. W. 1085. See, also, Longman v. Pope, 111 Neb. 838, 197 N. W. 955. It follows that there is no merit in the assignment.

The plaintiff’s next assignment of error is that the trial court erred in refusing to give the instruction last above quoted. Although variously stated in our opinions, we think the more comprehensive statement of the application of the rule of presumption of due care is that given in the syllabus in Eggeling v. Chicago, R. I. & P. Ry. Co., 119 Neb. 229, 228 N. W. 361, on rehearing, 119 Neb. 235, 231 N. W. 152, as follows: “The presumption of due care arising out of the natural instinct of self-preservation is not evidence, but a mere rule of law, and obtains only in the absence of direct or circumstantial evidence justifying reasonable inferences one way or another upon that subject; when such evidence is produced the presumption disappears and is not entitled to be considered.” Having determined that there is evidence here justifying a reasonable inference of negligence on the part of the deceased, the presumption of due care disappeared and was not to be considered. Under the circumstances we see no merit in the assignment.

■ By his answer defendant alleged that on the evening before deceased’s death, the deceased drank a quantity of intoxicating alcoholic liquor and became intoxicated, and that deceased was arrested by the marshal of Homer on charges of intoxication and assault. By another allegation defendant stated that deceased at all times retained consciousness and was aware of his actions, and that when deceased and Summers were locked in the jail they had practically sobered up and were no longer intoxicated to any great degree, but on the contrary were in full possession of all their faculties and fully able to care for their own persons. Defendant had testified on direct examination that the marshal had told him to come and get the two men because they had been fighting.

On cross-examination of defendant, plaintiff, as a part of a question, undertook to read from the answer the first allegation above recited. Objection was made that the answer should be offered in evidence. The trial court ruled that that was the best evidence. Plaintiff stated there were matters in the exhibit which impeached the testimony of the witness, and that plaintiff did not want to be bound by the entire answer.

On cross-examination defendant testified that the marshal had told him he had arrested the men for fighting. He then was asked if he had not in his answer sworn that the marshal had arrested them for intoxication. Objection was made and the trial court ruled that plaintiff might offer the whole answer. The answer was offered in evidence and no objection was made. Plaintiff then read to the jury the first allegation summarized above.

Defendant was further cross-examined and asked if the men were not both under the influence of intoxicating liquor when he received them. Defendant answered that they had been drinking; 'that he talked to them long enough so that they had regained some degree of consciousness and were aware of where they were; and that they had practically sobered up when they were locked up. In his words they were “sobered up and in good condition.” Plaintiff then read to the jury the allegation of the answer second above summarized.

Plaintiff assigns as error the requirement that the answer be admitted in evidence as a condition to defendant’s being cross-examined as to statements in it.

So far as the first allegation is concerned it is apparent that the plaintiff was trying to establish by it the fact- that deceased was intoxicated when arrested by the marshal, and in effect to impeach her own witness, for he had testified that the deceased was not intoxicated.

As to the second allegation the defendant had testified on cross-examination to substantially the same facts as recited in his answer. In any event plaintiff got the facts of the allegations of the answer to the jury. We see no prejudicial error in the matter.

The sheriff kept a prison calendar upon which he entered in his handwriting under columns so designated the name, residence, age, height, color of hair and eyes, and complexion of deceased, and under the heading of “Peculiarities,” the word “Intoxication.” The time of the entry on the calendar is not shown. The sheriff was asked on cross-examination to produce the above record and, having done so, plaintiff read to him the entries above' recited, not as a question, but for the purpose of calling them to his attention. Defendant stated, let plaintiff put the record in evidence. Plaintiff first offered in evidence the entire page containing 38 other similar entries, and then that part in particular which referred to deceased. Asked, to identify, plaintiff offered the two lines containing the entry as to deceased and Summers. Objection was made that it was not proper cross-examination. No ruling was made. Other questions were asked. The court advised plaintiff to make his offer and let 'objections be made and not to read from the exhibit until it had been received in evidence. Plaintiff offered the two lines from the exhibit in evidence. Defendant objected as not proper cross-examination and an effort to prove why the men were arrested. Plaintiff stated that the offer was for impeachment on the ground that the sheriff had testified to things which would indicate that the men were not intoxicated and yet had written the word “Intoxication” on the record. At .that point in'the trial the court adjourned until the following morning. Thereafter when court convened the plaintiff offered the entire page of the calendar in evidence. Objection was made that it was incompetent, irrelevant, immaterial, and not proper^ cross-examination. The objection was sustained.'

Plaintiff assigns error in the refusal ■ to admit the exhibit. We think it obvious that under the showing made the entire page of the calendar was not admisr sible. Plaintiff argues that the evidence was admissible to show that the sheriff knew the men were intoxicated. His evidence shows that he knew that at one time during the evening the men were intoxicated. His evidence is that when the men were locked in the jail they had practically, if not entirely, sobered up from that intoxication. The sheriff was not asked as to when he made the entry. If contradictory of ány testimony, it was of that of the plaintiff’s witness, the marshal, who stated on direct examination that the deceased in his opinion was not intoxicated. It was cumulative of the sheriff’s testimony and is subject to the rule that “The admission of cumulative evidence is ordinarily within.the discretion of the trial court and its ruling thereon will not be held erroneous unless it clearly appears that such discretion has been abused.” Horky v. Schroll, 148 Neb. 96, 26 N. W. 2d 396. Here the jury had the evidence from plaintiff’s witness of the fact of the drinking of intoxicants and their effect on the deceased. It had the evidence of the defendant as to the condition of intoxication of the men during the hour and a half after they were taken into custody and particularly when locked up three hours after the last evidence of drinking of intoxicants is shown. We see no error in the ruling of the court.

As a specific ground of negligence plaintiff pleaded that the sheriff did not provide proper fire protection for the inmates of the jail and offered evidence which was received as a part of her case-in-chief that there were no fire extinguishers in the jail. Defendant pleaded that it was the general custom of all jailers to permit smoking by prisoners in the quarters in which they were confined. He testified that he had been a deputy sheriff and sheriff for over twelve years; that he had visited other jails and penal institutions in Nebraska and surrounding territory; that he was familiar with the general custom as to permitting smoking in penal institutions; and that the custom was never to deny tobacco to a prisoner if he smoked. The defendant also testified that he was familiar with the custom of penal institutions with reference to whether or not fire extinguishers were permitted in jail quarters, and that they were not permitted. These answers were admitted over objection of the plaintiff as incompetent, irrelevant, immaterial, not tending to prove or disprove any issues in the case, and no proper foundation laid. Plaintiff assigns this as error, contending that the foundation did not show how general the custom was, what it covered, how long it had been a custom, and what the custom was in jails where no guard was furnished. These specific objections were not presented to the trial court nor developed in 'cross-examination for the purpose of laying a foundation for the objection.

• The rule is stated as follows: The cardinal principle is that a general objection, if overruled, cannot avail the objector on appeal. The only modification of this broad rule is that if on the face of the evidence, in its relation to the rest of the- case, there appears to be no purpose whatever for which it could be admissible, then a general objection, though overruled, will be deemed to have been sufficient. 1 Wigmore, Evidence (3d ed.), § 18, p. 332, et seq.

The reason for the-rule is stated as follows: “When evidence is offered to which there is some objection, substantial justice requires that the objection be specified, so that the party offering the evidence can remove it, if possible; and let the case be tried on its merits. If it is objected that the question is leading, the form may be changed; if that the evidence is irrelevant, the relevancy may be shown; if that it is incompetent, the incompetency may be removed; if that it is immaterial, its materiality may be established; if to the order of introduction, it may be withdrawn and offered at another time — and thus appeals could often be saved, delays avoided, and substantial justice administered.” Rush v. French, 1 Ariz. 99, 25 P. 816. “Certainly it is not fa.ir to allow such a general dragnet as ‘incompetent, irrelevant, and immaterial’ to be cast over every bit of evidence in the case which counsel would like to keep out, and then to permit counsel, upon careful analysis of the printed narrative of the trial, to formulate some specification of error not thought of at the time, and which, if seasonably called to the court’s attention, might have been avoided or corrected.” Sigafus v. Porter, 84 F. 430, reversed on other grounds, 179 U. S. 116, 21 S. Ct. 34, 45 L. Ed. 113. In Neal v. State, 104 Neb. 56, 175 N. W. 669, we approved the language last above quoted. See, also, Weatherford v. Union P. R. R. Co., 5 Neb. (Unoff.) 464, 98 N. W. 1089, reversed on other grounds, 74 Neb. 229, 104 N. W. 183.

Concededly an objection that no foundation has been laid is more specific than the three general objections of incompetent, irrelevant, and immaterial. We have determined that an objection that no foundation has been laid may not be sufficiently specific to present a matter for review here. See Abbott v. Chicago, B. & Q. R. R. Co., 88 Neb. 727, 130 N. W. 438.

In Aller v. State, 114 Neb. 59, 205 N. W. 939, objection was made to the introduction of certain exhibits on the ground, among others, that no sufficient foundation-had been laid. We held the objection too indefinite to challenge the court’s attention to the specific objection raised there, observing that had the particular point been made the foundation might have been more specifically laid and held that the court did not err in overruling the objection. This was followed in Lewis v. State, 115 Neb. 659, 214 N. W. 302. In Kennedy v. Woods, 131 Neb. 217, 267 N. W. 390, on an objection of no foundation laid, we held that if there was some particular respect in which the proof of foundation was lacking, the trial court’s attention should have been specifically directed thereto by appropriate objection. See, also, State ex rel. Sorensen v. Kistler, 119 Neb. 89, 227 N. W. 319.

The general rule is that “* * * upon the issue of negligence or contributory negligence, evidence of the ordinary practice or of the uniform custom, if any, of persons in the performance under similar circumstances of acts like those which are alleged to have been done negligently is generally competent evidence.”- 38 Am. Jur., Negligence, § 317, p. 1015. See, also, Annotation, 137 A. L. R. 611; Tite v. Omaha Coliseum Corporation, 144 Neb. 22, 12 N. W. 2d 90, 149 A. L. R. 1164.

Accordingly we hold that the trial court did not err in the admission of the challenged evidence.

Defendant was- asked on direct examination if he had ever found it necessary to assist prisoners to operate the ventilating windows. Objection was made that it was immaterial, not tending to prove or disprove any of the issues of the case. The objection was overruled. The question was answered, “No, I never have.” He then was asked if it had been his experience that the prisoners were able to operate the windows themselves. He answered, “Yes.” Inquiry was made as to his height and he stated that it was five feet, ten inches. Defendant further testified that he could operate the windows; that deceased was six feet, one inch; and that a man of that height could operate the windows. Plaintiff assigns the admission of this evidence over objection as error.

Plaintiff had alleged as negligence that the defendant did not provide proper ventilation in the jail. On cross-examination and partly by direct examination it was shown by plaintiff’s witnesses that there was a wicket in the jail door leading into the corridor that could be pushed open from the inside; that the ventilating windows were easily opened; that “everybody” could open them; that there was no lock attached; that the catch and handle on the ventilators, when pushed up and pulled, opened the ventilators downward; and that a man five feet, eleven inches, could open them.

As we see the evidence objected to, it was merely confirmatory of that already in evidence as a part of plaintiff’s case. We see no error in the admission of the evidence.

This disposes of all errors assigned and discussed. Rule 8 a 2 (4) of this court.

The judgment of the trial court is affirmed.

Affirmed.