Western Union Telegraph Co. v. Wallace

The appellee instituted this suit in the circuit court-of Marion county against the appellant, the Western Union Telegraph Company, for twenty-five dollars statutory penalty, and one thousand, five hundred dollars actual and punitive damages, for the alleged negligent delay of about three days in the delivery of an interstate message filed at Millport, Ala., for transmission to the appellee at Columbia, Miss.

The only damage alleged or proved was mental anguish caused by the- failure of the appellee to reach the bedside of his mother before she became unconscious, her death having occurred a…