From Casetext: Smarter Legal Research

Pattison v. Livingston Amusement Co.

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Apr 30, 1913
156 App. Div. 368 (N.Y. App. Div. 1913)

Summary

In Pattison v. Livingston Amusement Co. (156 App. Div. 368) the court said: "She had been in the theatre before, she knew that there were steps leading down from the platform to the said fifth row of seats.

Summary of this case from O'Neill v. Chatham Phenix Nat. Bank Trust Co.

Opinion

April 30, 1913.

James I. Cuff, for the appellant.

Edward J. Flanagan, for the respondent.


Plaintiff has failed to show herself to be free from negligence contributing to her injury. She testified that when she entered upon the platform at the rear of the balcony in defendant's theatre, it was "dark," "very dark," so dark that she could not see any steps. The seats which she had purchased were in the fifth row from the front. There was a sharp conflict of evidence upon the question of the absence of light, but as she has persuaded the jury to accept her testimony as true, she in turn must accept the consequences thereof. She had been in the theatre before, she knew that there were steps leading down from the platform to the said fifth row of seats. Notwithstanding this knowledge, and notwithstanding this darkness, to use her own words, she groped her way along. She neither asked for assistance to find her way, nor waited, as there was abundant time for her to do, until more lights had been turned on. Missing her footing at the top of the steps, she fell and was injured. Within the authorities she was guilty of contributory negligence as matter of law, and the motion for a nonsuit should have been granted. ( Rohrbacher v. Gillig, 203 N.Y. 413; Brugher v. Buchtenkirch, 167 id. 153; Piper v. New York Central H.R.R.R. Co., 156 id. 224; Hilsenbeck v. Guhring, 131 id. 674.) There is no contention that any competent evidence offered on the part of plaintiff was not received, and since the evidence was insufficient to require the submission of the case to the jury, and this question was duly presented by a motion for the dismissal of the complaint, the judgment and order appealed from should be reversed, and final judgment granted to defendant dismissing the complaint. (Code Civ. Proc. § 1317; Bonnette v. Molloy, 153 App. Div. 73.)

JENKS, P.J., BURR, RICH and STAPLETON, JJ., concurred; HIRSCHBERG, J., dissented.

Judgment and order reversed, and final judgment granted to defendant dismissing the complaint, with costs.


Summaries of

Pattison v. Livingston Amusement Co.

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Apr 30, 1913
156 App. Div. 368 (N.Y. App. Div. 1913)

In Pattison v. Livingston Amusement Co. (156 App. Div. 368) the court said: "She had been in the theatre before, she knew that there were steps leading down from the platform to the said fifth row of seats.

Summary of this case from O'Neill v. Chatham Phenix Nat. Bank Trust Co.
Case details for

Pattison v. Livingston Amusement Co.

Case Details

Full title:JULIA A. PATTISON, Respondent, v . THE LIVINGSTON AMUSEMENT COMPANY…

Court:Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department

Date published: Apr 30, 1913

Citations

156 App. Div. 368 (N.Y. App. Div. 1913)
141 N.Y.S. 588

Citing Cases

Seyford v. Southern Pacific Company

There is no ground for a finding that he was justified in supposing that each of them was covered. He says…

Schwartz v. International Vaudeville Co.

Assuming that the plaintiff's way down the steps was dark, she was guilty of contributory negligence as a…