Western Union Telegraph Co. v. Goddin
Supreme Court of Virginia
Error to a judgment of the Court of Law and Equity for the city of Richmond, rendered May 29, 1895, in an action of debt wherein the defendant in error was the plaintiff, and the plaintiff^in error was the defendant.
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Error to a judgment of the Court of Law and Equity for the city of Richmond, rendered May 29, 1895, in an action of debt wherein the defendant in error was the plaintiff, and the plaintiff^in error was the defendant. This was an action of debt instituted by E. C. Goddin to recover the penalty prescribed by sec. 1292 of the Code for failure to deliver to him promptly the following telegram sent from Baltimore, Md.: “To E. C. Goddin, “3015 E. Main street, Richmond, Ya.: “Your son is at City Hospital dangerously injured. “Dr. Blare.”
1Opinion of the Court
Keith, P.,
delivered the opinion of the court.
The defendant in error brought an action of debt in the Law and Equity Court of the city of Kichmond to recover of the Western Union Telegraph Company the sum of $100, the penalty prescribed by sec. 1292 of the Code for failure to promptly deliver a dispatch. The defendant demurred to the plaintiff’s declaration upon the ground that sec. 1292 of the Code upon which the plaintiff’s right of action is based is in contravention of Article 1, section 8 of the Constitution of the United States, and is therefore void. It also offered a plea presenting…
2Cases cited5 opinions
- Western Union Telegraph Co. v. JamesSupreme Court of the United States · 1896
- Chaplin v. Commissioners of HighwaysIllinois Supreme Court · 1888
- Western Union Telegraph Co. v. BrightSupreme Court of Virginia · 1894
- Western Union Tel. Co. v. TylerSupreme Court of Virginia · 1893
- City of Virden v. AllanIllinois Supreme Court · 1883
3Cited by3 opinions
- Myers v. MooreSupreme Court of Virginia · 1963
- Western Union Telegraph Co. v. ReynoldsSupreme Court of Virginia · 1902
- Jennings v. Big Sandy & Cumberland RailroadWest Virginia Supreme Court · 1907