Karner v. Kansas City Elevated Railroad

The plaintiff sued a street-railway company on account of injuries received in a collision, alleging negligence in running at too high a rate of speed. Contributory negligence was relied on as a ground of defense. A verdict was returned for the defendant, and the plaintiff appeals. When the jury had been out a short time the court called them in and urged upon them the desirability of their reaching an agreement. Soon afterward he gave them the same admonition in stronger terms, saying, among other things:

“I think you have failed to read your instructions as much as you should have read them,…