Baird v. Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad

Wrongful death actions arising from a single event — a motorcycle with driver and passenger collided with a train. Many questions are raised. The deceased were ages 19 and 17, respectively, and unmarried— a man and a woman. A verdict of $100,000 for each of their personal representatives was retmned.

One issue mandates reversal and remandment — briefly stated, it is the interjection of punitive damages by way of instruction and argument. This case came about through an instruction tendered by plaintiffs which quoted substantially verbatim from an Illinois Commerce Commission Rule (Rule 205,…