Lavigne v. Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad

Plaintiff, while employed as a switchman by defendant in its G-alewood yard in Chicago, took hold of a grab iron on the front end of a freight car; the iron pulled out, throwing him to the ground, injuring him; he brought suit and had a verdict for $45,000; defendant appeals from the judgment for this amount.

The complaint was in two counts. The first alleged that plaintiff, employed by defendant, was engaged in switching certain cars in interstate commerce and transportation in a switch yard of defendant; that defendant was subject to the Federal Employers’ Liability Act, Ill. State Bar.…