United States v. Central of Georgia Ry. Co.

(charging jury). This is an action brought by the United States to recover the sum of $200 claimed to have been incurred as penalties by the defendant for hauling two cars, which it is alleged did not comply with the requirements of the act of Congress known as the “Federal Safety Appliance Act.” This statute was enacted in 1893, and one of its provisions is that it is unlawful to use any car in moving interstate traffic not equipped with couplers coupling automatically by impact, and which can be uncoupled without the necessity of a man going between the ends of the cars. This condition,…