Estherwood Rice Mill, Inc. v. Western Union Telegraph Co.

TATE, Judge.

The defendant telegraph company (hereinafter “Western Union”) appeals from judgment holding it liable for $2,984.49 of monetary damages sustained by the plaintiff rice mill (“Estherwood”) through the erroneous transmission of a telegraphic message.

The defendant-appellant principally contends : (a) that recovery for such damages is not permissible under federal law, which exclusively governs the question despite state law to the contrary; (b) that Esther-wood cannot recover the losses sustained because the erroneous telegraphic message did not result in a binding contract, so that…