Bossert v. Southern Pacific Co.

[505]

SHAW, J.

The plaintiffs appeal from the judgment. The record was prepared in the mode provided in sections 953a, 953b, and 953c of the Code of Civil Procedure, and is in typewriting.

The first ground urged for reversal is “that plaintiffs made out a

prima facie

case. ’ ’ The plaintiffs do not print in their brief any statement which enables us to ascertain the nature of the action. We learn from the defendants’ brief that it was an action to recover damages for bodily injuries alleged to have been caused to Effie Bossert by the negligence of the defendant. The fact that plaintiffs made out a

prima facie

ease does not of necessity require a reversal. The proof of plaintiffs may have been overcome by that of the defense. In the absence of any showing or claim that it did not, we will presume that the jury decided for the defendants in accordance with the weight of the evidence.

The plaintiffs called a witness to testify as a physician regarding the nature of the injuries claimed to have been inflicted. On the examination as to his qualifications as an expert witness, he first testified that he was a graduate of the medical college of Miami University, in Ohio. On cross-examination he confessed that this testimony was false, and that he was not a graduate of any medical college, or a regular practicing physician of any recognized school of medicine. The court refused to allow him to testify as an expert, and struck out some testimony which he had given before his want of qualifications was disclosed. At the close of the examination regarding his qualifications, the judge asked him if he understood the nature of an oath, and further stated that it would be his duty to call the attention of the grand jury to his testimony, saying to him that he was old enough to know better than to testify in such a way and to attempt to deceive the court and jury. This conduct, it is claimed, was prejudicial to the plaintiffs. It clearly appeared that the witness had given false testimony. The remarks of the court to the witness were not without cause. They were addressed to the witness, not to the jury. It would have been better if the court had not spoken to him during the trial or.in the presence of the jury. But the testimony of the witness was properly excluded because it was incompetent. The episode had no real bearing on the case, and was no part of the evidence. The production of such a witness and his egre