Kingsley v. Township of Bloomingdale

In this cause the plaintiff appeals from a directed verdict in favor of the defendant, a township, which was charged with the duty of maintaining a bridge. The plaintiff’s testimony shows that the bridge was 16 feet long, and was made of plank 14 feet long, laid upon stringers, and the bank joined the bridge at an elevation of about 3 feet above the bottom of the ditch which the bridge crossed. He had safely crossed the bridge far enough to bring the back wheels of his carriage 8 feet or more from the bridge, where he stopped several minutes, in conversation with a neighbor. His horse got the…