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82 Me. 579

Jackson v. Castle

Supreme Judicial Court of Maine

Decided June 3, 1890

Supreme Judicial Court of Maine · decided 1890-06-03

<p> Pleading. Declaration. Negligence. City ordinance. </p> <p>Tlie averment, in a declaration, that defendant’s sliding witli boisterous demeanor in a street, contrary to the city ordinance and to the damage and common nuisance of the public, whereby the plaintiff’s horses became frightened, ran away and were injured, sets out no cause of action.</p> <p>The calling of an act a nuisance does not make it so, when the nature of the act does not show it; nor does the averment of an act contrary to a city ordinance necessarily charge negligence ; it may be evidence of negligence, but not proof of it.</p>

Decided 1890-06-03

Haskell, J.

¶1A declaration in this case, substantially like the present one, has been adjudged bad on demurrer. Jackson v. Castle, 80 Maine, 119. It was there said: “Sliding in a street accompanied with boisterous conduct is not necessarily unlawful. Nor is if necessarily a public nuisance.” The additional averment that it was done contrary to the city ordinance and to the common nuisance of citizens there being does not cure the defect in the former declaration.

¶2The obstruction of or use of a street, so as to unreasonably impede travel and render its use inconvenient or dangerous to the traveller, may become a common nuisance, and a person suffering special injury, without fault on his part, might recover damages. Holmes v. Corthell, 80 Maine, 81. The plaintiff here makes no such complaint. In short, he says the defendant’s sliding with boisterous demeanor, contrary to the city ordinance, Lightened his horses. lie does not say whether the ordinance prohibits sliding altogether hi the street, or only in a particular manner. “One doing a lawful act in a manner forbidden by law is not absolutely liable for an injury caused to a third party by the act; nor is the violation of law in doing it conclusive evidence of negligence.” Burbank v. Steam Mill Co., 75 Maine, 382; Gilmore v. Ross, 72 Maine, 194. The plaintiff does not aver that defendant’s negligence frightened his horses, nor that he was in the exercise of proper care himself.

¶3 Fxcepbions overruled.

Peters, C. J., Walton, Virgin, Llbjbey and Poster, JJ., concurred.
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