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Schulwitz v. Delta Lumber Co.

Schulwitz v. Delta Lumber Co., 85 N.W. 1075 (Mich. 1901)
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Court
Michigan Supreme Court · State Highest Courts
Decided
May 7, 1901
Judges
Long, Other
Citations
85 N.W. 1075126 Mich. 5591901 Mich. LEXIS 775
Disposition
Affirmed.
Headnotes
Negligence of Servant — Liability of Master — Scope of Employment. A master is not liable for the negligence of his servant in permitting a boy, contrary to the master’s orders, to ride upon a wagon provided for the servant’s use in hauling lumber, such act not being within the scope of the servant’s employment.
Summary
Error to Wayne; Lillibridge, J. Case by Cordy Schulwitz, by next friend, against the Delta Lumber Company, for personal injuries. From a judgment for defendant on verdict directed by the court, plaintiff brings error.

Syllabus and headnotes are prepared by the reporter or publisher, not the court, and are not part of the opinion.

Opinion of the Court — Long

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Long, J.

This action is brought to recover damages for an injury which it is claimed was caused by the negligence of the defendant company. It appears that in September, 1894, a teamster of defendant was hauling a load for defendant on the Gratiot road, in Macomb county. When near the plaintiff’s home, he saw plaintiff, a boy about 7 years old, and inquired of him where the Mills place was. Mills place was where the lumber was to be delivered. The boy showed the driver the place, which was about 80 rods from plaintiff’s home. When opposite the place of delivery, the driver placed some rails in a. ditch over which he was to drive to enter the place, and drove across. After unloading the lumber he turned his team about, and stopped just inside the ditch, and went back where he had left the lumber. In the meantime the plaintiff had climbed upon the wagon, and sat upon the-bolster, with his back towards the horses, and his arm around a stake which was at the end of the bolster. The driver returned and seated himself upon the hounds of the-wagon, near the boy, and spoke to his team to get up, when they gave a jump as they crossed the ditch, jolting' the wagon and loosening the stake to which the plaintiff was holding. His leg became entangled in the spokes of the wheel, severely injuring and breaking it. The action is brought against the defendant company to-recover damages, claiming that the negligence of the teamster in permitting the boy to ride upon the wagon may be imputed to the company. It is conceded by coun *561 sel for plaintiff that the teamster had been told by the defendant company not to allow children to ride upon his wagon, whether loaded or unloaded. The court below directed a verdict in favor of the defendant. Plaintiff brings error.

We think the court below was not in error in so directing the verdict. Even if the driver had' invited the boy to ride, the defendant could not be made liable. The case falls directly within the rule laid down by this court in Keating v. Railroad Co., 97 Mich. 154 ( 56 N. W. 346 , 37 Am. St. Rep. 328 ).

The judgment is affirmed.

The other Justices concurred.

How later courts describe this case

No later court has written an explanatory parenthetical about this case yet.

Cited by 22 cases

View all citing references →
1902: 11908: 11910: 11911: 11912: 11915: 11916: 11917: 11920: 41923: 21924: 21929: 11931: 11932: 21933: 11955: 119022026peak 1920 · 4

Relies on it most ⓘ

  1. Mahler v. Stott89 N.W. 340 (Mich. 1902)
  2. Hensel v. Hensel Yellow Cab Co.245 N.W. 159 (Wis. 1932) · Dissent
  3. Dougherty ex rel. Dougherty v. Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Co.137 Iowa 257 (1908)
  4. Texas, O. & E. R. Co. v. McCarroll1920 OK 309, 195 P. 139
  5. Gruber v. Cater Transfer Co.165 P. 491 (Wash. 1917)
  6. Rice v. City of Portland17 P.2d 562 (Or. 1932)

Most recent

  1. Rinkevich v. Coeling74 N.W.2d 12 (Mich. 1955)
  2. Hartman v. Badger Tobacco Co.246 N.W. 577 (Wis. 1933)
  3. Hensel v. Hensel Yellow Cab Co.245 N.W. 159 (Wis. 1932) · Dissent
  4. Rice v. City of Portland17 P.2d 562 (Or. 1932)
  5. Chajnacki v. Dougherty236 N.W. 789 (Mich. 1931)
  6. Jefferson v. King124 So. 589 (La. Ct. App. 1929)

Citing references are not a citator: they show that a later opinion cites this case, not whether it followed, distinguished, or overruled it. Check negative history before relying on this case.

Authorities cited 1

DepthCaseCited by
Keating v. Mich. Cent. R.R., 56 N.W. 346 (Mich. 1893) 21

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