Citation Numbers: 102 S.E. 779, 179 N.C. 433
Judges: WALKER, J.,
Filed Date: 4/14/1920
Status: Precedential
Modified Date: 1/13/2023
BROWN, J., dissenting. Plaintiffs sued for damage to their cotton crop, which they alleged *Page 434 was caused by the negligent failure of the defendants to carry and deliver to them one hundred and fifteen (115) bags of nitrate of soda, which was shipped from Wilmington, N.C. It was delivered for shipment to the Atlantic Coast Line Railway Company at Wilmington, which company issued a bill of lading marked, "To B.R. Gatlin, Woodley's Siding, N.C. (N. S. near Ellerbee)," a station in Richmond County, N.C. Its name had been changed to Plainview to prevent confusion, as there was a station on the Norfolk Southern Railway Company's line in Tyrrell County, N.C. called "Woodley." The soda was sent by way of Fayetteville and delivered there by the Atlantic Coast Line Railway Company to the Norfolk Southern Railway Company, but the latter's agent never saw the bill of lading, and received only the waybill, on which the address was Woodley's Siding, N.C. the words in brackets, "N. S. near Ellerbee," having been omitted. The agent of the Norfolk Southern Railway Company at Fayetteville forwarded the soda to Woodley in Tyrrell County, where it remained from 30 June, 1917, until 14 July, 1917, on which day it was reshipped by the Norfolk Southern Railway Company to Woodley's Siding, where it arrived on 17 July, 1917, and was delivered to the consignee on 18 July, 1917.
The defendant, Norfolk Southern Railway Company, contended that the negligence was that of the Atlantic Coast Line Railway Company in not giving the true address of the consignee on its waybill, or in not notifying it in some way, but his Honor failed to take that view, and holding that the Atlantic Coast Line Railway Company was faultless, he granted a nonsuit as to that company, and proceeded against the other defendant alone.
There was a verdict and judgment for the plaintiff, and an appeal by the defendant.
after stating the case as above: First, the court committed no error in holding that there was evidence of negligence by the Norfolk Southern Railway Company, apart from the failure of its codefendant to notify it of the proper address, and in this respect the case is unlike that of Gregg v.City of Wilmington,
Second. Without going into details, we are of the opinion that the requests for instructions were substantially given, especially those relating to the burden of proof, the bearing and demeanor of the witnesses, and lastly, as to the weather conditions, and not the negligence of the defendant, being the cause of the injury to the crop. The objections to the evidence are not of material importance, and could not have affected the result enough for us to disturb the verdict.
Third. There was some evidence as to the damages, which was not objected to, if objectionable, and which was properly submitted to the jury. It is hardly possible that defendant did not know for what purpose the nitrate of soda was being shipped, and that it was a fertilizer intended to be used on the plaintiff's lands to aid in its better cultivation. The case is governed in this respect by Neal v. Hardware Co.,
The verdict was a full one, and may have been too large, as contended by defendant, but a motion was made in the Superior Court to set it *Page 436 aside as being against the weight of the evidence, which was denied, and we presume the judge was also asked to set it aside because the damages were excessive.
His decision on these motions are not reviewable in this Court.
No error.
BROWN, J., dissenting.
Herring v. . Armwood , 130 N.C. 177 ( 1902 )
Gregg v. . Wilmington , 155 N.C. 18 ( 1911 )
Tomlinson v. . Morgan , 166 N.C. 557 ( 1914 )
Carter v. . McGill , 168 N.C. 507 ( 1915 )
Lumber Co. v. . R. R. , 151 N.C. 23 ( 1909 )
Carter v. . McGill , 171 N.C. 775 ( 1916 )
Neal v. . Hardware Co. , 122 N.C. 104 ( 1898 )