Troxell v. Delaware, L. & WR Co., 227 U.S. 434 (1913)

227 U.S.
434
33 S.Ct. 274
57 L.Ed. 586
LIZZIE M. TROXELL, Administratrix of the Estate of Joseph

Daniel Troxell, Deceased, Plff. in Err.,
v.
DELAWARE, LACKAWANNA, & WESTERN RAILROAD
COMPANY.
No. 854.
Argued January 14, 1913.
Decided February 24, 1913.
Mr. George Demming for plaintiff in error.

Messrs. James F. Campbell, Daniel R. Reese, J. Hayden Oliver, and
William S. Jenney for defendant in error.
[Argument of Counsel from pages 435-438 intentionally omitted]
Mr. Justice Day delivered the opinion of the court:
This case was brought in the circuit court of the United States for the eastern
district of Pennsylvania under the Federal employers' liability act, as amended
(35 Stat. at L. 65, chap. 149, U. S. Comp. Stat. Supp. 1911, p. 1322; 36 Stat. at
L. 291, chap. 143, U. S. Comp. Stat. Supp. 1911, p. 1324), by Lizzie M.
Troxell, administratrix of the estate of Joseph Daniel Troxell, deceased, against
the Delaware, Lackawanna, & Western Railroad Company, to recover for the
alleged wrongful death of decedent. A verdict was rendered by the district
court, which had succeeded the circuit court, in favor of the plaintiff, and
judgment entered accordingly, which, on writ of error, was reversed by the
circuit court of appeals for the third circuit. 200 Fed. 44. The case was then
brought here upon writ of error.
It appears from the record that the defendant railroad company operates a line
of road running from Nazareth to Portland, Pennsylvania, and that a branch
road, known as the Pen Argyl Branch, puts off in a northeasterly direction from
Pen Argyl Junction, a point on the defendant's line. Between 100 and 150 yards
northeast of Pen Argyl Junction there is a switch running off the Pen Argyl
Branch, called Albion Siding No. 2, which extends to certain quarries in that
vicinity. The switch track is level, or practically so, for the first 100 feet, and
then rises towards the northeast with a grade of 1 foot in 100 feet. From the
place where the Albion switch connects with the Pen Argyl Branch down to the
main track, and then westward on the main track, there is a down grade. Six
gondola cars, each about 36 feet in length, loaded with ashes, had been placed
on the Albion spur by the train crew of which Troxell was the fireman, he at
that particular time acting as engineer, two days before the happening of the
injury hereinafter described. The night before the injury the yard shifter and
crew had moved the cars a considerable distance further on the spur from the
junction of the siding with the branch and on the up grade. The next morning,
at about half-past 7 o'clock, these cars were seen to be running rapidly down
grade toward the point where the collision occurred. The decedent, Troxell,
then engaged as fireman in propelling a train eastwardly, consisting in part of
interstate cars and freight, was, at the time, working on the tender of the
engine, and when the runaway cars, going at great speed, collided with the
locomotive, he was buried under the wreck and killed.
3
Lizzie M. Troxell (now the administratrix of his estate) brought a previous

action, suing as surviving widow, and joining the two living children, against
the defendant railroad company for damages, stating that at the time of the
injury, July 21, 1909, the deceased was engaged in the capacity of fireman on a
locomotive hauling one of the defendant's trains in interstate and foreign
commerce, and that while so engaged, without fault on his part, and because of
the negligence of defendant, and its failure to supply and keep in good
condition proper and safe devices, instruments, and apparatus, the locomotive
and train came into violent collision with several runaway cars, resulting in the
death of Troxell, and she prayed damages on account of herself and the
children. She recovered a verdict, and judgment was rendered in her favor,
which, upon writ of error, was reversed by the circuit court of appeals for the
third circuit. 105 C. C. A. 593, 183 Fed. 373.
Thereafter, having been appointed administratrix of the estate of her husband,

Lizzie M. Troxell began the present action in the circuit court of the United
States. This action was specifically brought under the Federal employers'
liability act. The petition charged that the defendant was a common carrier
engaged in interstate transportation; that Troxell, deceased, was a fireman,
engaged in that capacity upon a locomotive and train engaged in carrying
interstate and foreign commerce, and charged that because of the negligence,
carelessness, and oversight of the defendant, and its failure to supply and keep
in good condition proper, necessary, and safe devices, instruments, and

appliances, the locomotive and train came into violent collision with several
loose and runaway cars, causing Troxell's death; and the plaintiff,
administratrix, as aforesaid, prayed damages, setting forth that she was the
widow of the decedent, and that there were two minor children of the parties.
The case was tried to a jury, and again resulted in a verdict and judgment in the
district court, successor to the circuit court, in favor of the administratrix. Upon
writ of error the circuit court of appeals for the third circuit reversed the
judgment, holding that the first proceeding and judgment was a bar to a
recovery in the second action.
5
Where the second suit is upon the same cause of action set up in the first suit,
an estoppel by judgment arises in respect to every matter offered or received in
evidence, or which might have been offered, to sustain or defeat the claim in
controversy; but, where the second suit is upon a different claim or demand, the
prior judgment operates as an estoppel only as to matters in issue or points
controverted and actually determined in the original suit. Cromwell v. Sac
County, 94 U. S. 351-353, 24 L. ed. 195, 197, 198; Southern P. R. Co. v.
United States, 168 U. S. 1, 50, 42 L. ed. 355, 377, 18 Sup. Ct. Rep. 18;
Virginia-Carolina Chemical Co. v. Kirven, 215 U. S. 252, 257, 54 L. ed. 179,
184, 30 Sup. Ct. Rep. 78.
An inspection of the record shows that upon the trial of the first action the
judge of the district court held that the employers' liability act prevented Lizzie
M. Troxell from maintaining the suit in her individual capacity for herself and
children, and that the Federal act should not be considered in determining the
case, and that it was brought under the statutes of the state of Pennsylvania,
authorizing a widow to bring suit for herself and children, not as administratrix,
but in her individual capacity, to recover damages for the death of the decedent.
In such an action there could be no recovery because of the negligence of the
fellow workmen of Troxell. The record shows that in the first action the trial
court held that no question of the negligence of the fellow servants was
submitted, and, the jury was confined to the question of responsibility for
failing to provide proper safety appliances to prevent the cars from running
down the grade in the manner in which they did, if left unbraked, or on
becoming unbraked on the siding. The circuit court of appeals, in reversing the
case, distinctly stated that, in its view, the case might be brought under the state
act, notwithstanding the employers' liability act, and reached the conclusion
that the judgment below should be reversed.
The second action was brought under the Federal liability act, under which
there might be a recovery for the negligence of the fellow servants of the
deceased, and the judgment of the district court, holding that the former case
had adjudicated matters as to defects in cars, engines, and rails, submitted to the
jury only the question of the negligence of fellow servants in failing to properly
brake and block the cars on the siding. Upon the issue thus submitted a verdict
was rendered and recovery had in the trial court, as we have already said.
8
In the circuit court of appeals, however, it was held that the judgment in the
first case was a bar to the second proceeding, because, in view of the decision
of this court in Second Employers' Liability Cases (Mondou v. New York, N.
H. & H. R. Co.) 223 U. S. 1, 56 L. ed. 327, 38 L.R.A.(N.S.) 44, 32 Sup. Ct.
Rep. 169, an action of this kind for injury to one engaged in interstate
commerce could only be maintained under the Federal employers' liability act;
and that, although the plaintiff undertook in the first action to abandon the
charge as to the negligence of fellow servants, and relied only on the want of a
proper derailing switch on Albion Siding No. 2, nevertheless the first judgment
was a bar because, in the second action, she was merely offering to prove
additional facts which might have been proved in the first trial.
We think it is apparent from what we have said that the first case was
prosecuted and tried upon the theory that it involved a cause of action under the
state law of Pennsylvania. It was so submitted to the jury, and they were told
that they were not to consider the Federal law, but recovery should be based
upon the right under the state act. If the circuit court of appeals was right in its
second decision that no action could have been maintained under the state law,
in view of the employers' liability act, the fact that the plaintiff attempted to
recover under that law, and pursued the supposed remedy until the court
adjudged that it never had existed, would not, of itself, preclude the subsequent
pursuit of a remedy for relief to which in law she is entitled. William W. Bierce
v. Hutchins, 205 U. S. 340, 51 L. ed. 828, 27 Sup. Ct. Rep. 524; Snow v. Alley,
156 Mass. 193, 195, 30 N. E. 691; Water, Light & Gas Co. v. Hutchinson, 19
L.R.A.(N.S.) 219, 90 C. C. A. 547, 551, 160 Fed. 41. Whether the plaintiff
could properly have thus recovered is not the question now before the court. To
work an estoppel the first proceeding and judgment must be a bar to the second
one, because it is a matter already adjudicated between the parties. The cause
of action under the state law, if it could be prosecuted to recover for the
wrongful death alleged in this case, was based upon a different theory of the
right to recover than prevails under the Federal statute. Under the Pennsylvania
law there could be no recovery for the negligence of the fellow servants of the
deceased. This was the issue upon which the case was submitted at the second
trial and a recovery had. Whether the plaintiff could recover under the
Pennsylvania statute was not involved in the second action, and the plaintiff's
right to recover because of the injury by the negligence of the fellow servants
was not involved in or concluded by the first suit.

10
Furthermore, it is well settled that to work an estoppel by judgment there must

have been identity of parties in the two actions. Brown v. Fletcher, 210 U. S.
82, 52 L. ed. 966, 28 Sup. Ct. Rep. 702; Ingersoll v. Coram, 211 U. S. 335, 53
L. ed. 208, 29 Sup. Ct. Rep. 92. The circuit court of appeals in the present case,
while recognizing this rule, disposed of the contention upon the ground that the
parties were essentially the same in both actions (the first action was for the
benefit of Lizzie M. Troxell and the two minor children, and the present case,
although the action was brought by the administratrix, is for the benefit of
herself and children); and held that, except in mere form, the actions were for
the benefit of the same persons, and therefore the parties were practically the
same; and that the omission to sue as administratrix was merely technical, and
would have been curable by amendment. This conclusion was reached before
this court announced its decision in American R. Co. v. Birch, 224 U. S. 547,
56 L. ed. 879, 32 Sup. Ct. Rep. 603. That action was brought under the Federal
employers' liability act by the widow and son of the decedent, and not by the
administrator. The lower court held that the requirement of the act that the suit
should be brought in case of death by the personal representative of the
deceased did not prevent a suit in the name of the persons entitled to the benefit
of the recovery. In other words, the court ruled, as did the circuit court of
appeals in this case, that where it was shown that the widow and child were the
sole beneficiaries, they might maintain the action without the appointment of a
personal representative. This court denied the contention, and held that
Congress, doubtless for good reasons, had specifically provided that an action
under the employers' liability act could be brought only by the personal
representative; and the judgment was reversed without prejudice to the rights of
such personal representative. We think that under the ruling in the Birch Case
there was not that identity of parties in the former action by the widow and the
present case, properly brought by the administrator under the employers'
liability act, which renders the former suit and judgment a bar to the present
action.
11
It is further urged that even if this court should hold that the sole ground upon
which the circuit court of appeals proceeded, namely, that the former judgment
is a bar to this action, was untenable, nevertheless the judgment of the district
court ought not to be affirmed, because there is no testimony in the record
adequate to sustain the verdict and judgment of that court. The case in the
appellate court must be determined, not by considering and weighing
conflicting testimony, but upon a decision of the question as to the presence of
testimony in the record fairly tending to sustain the verdict. An examination of
the record satisfies us that the district judge in his charge fairly stated the
conflicting testimony adduced as to the negligence of the fellow servants in

securing and blocking the cars on the siding, and that there was testimony to
sustain the verdict of the jury adverse to the defendant. It is also contended that
certain testimony was inadmissible. We have examined this assignment, and,
without going into detail, find that it, too, must be denied. It is also urged that
the record shows that the case when tried was not at issue; at least, under the
rules of the lower court, was not triable until after issue joined, and this
objection is set up because of the failure of the plaintiff to file a replication
after the court had decided that the plea of res judicata was a correct plea under
the local practice. The case was at issue, and the plea of res judicata was
considered and decided in both courts, and it is too late to make a technical
objection of that character in this court.
12
Judgment of the Circuit Court of Appeals reversed, and that of the District
Court affirmed, and the case remanded to the District Court.
13
Upon the issue of res judicata, Mr. Justice Lurton concurs solely because of
the lack of identity of the parties in the two actions.

Troxell v. Delaware, L. & WR Co., 227 U.S. 434 (1913)

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227 U.S.

LIZZIE M. TROXELL, Administratrix of the Estate of Joseph

Mr. George Demming for plaintiff in error.

Lizzie M. Troxell (now the administratrix of his estate) brought a previous

Thereafter, having been appointed administratrix of the estate of her husband,

in good condition proper, necessary, and safe devices, instruments, and

was not involved in or concluded by the first suit.

Furthermore, it is well settled that to work an estoppel by judgment there must

conflicting testimony adduced as to the negligence of the fellow servants in

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