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Show of interest to pass passengers! Federal Supremo Court Holds Rail-; roads Not Liable for Damag-es for j Killing Men Riding- on Posses, f ' Is is WASHINGTON, Feb. M.-The question f as to whether a passenger on a. railroad train riding on a free pass who loses hi ff life on account of an act of carelessness! on tho part of the railroad company stands! ji on tho samo footing ns a paseengcr who" '!JV pays his fare, was today decided by th Supreme court of the United States; against the freo passenger. l W- The case in which the opinion wns ren? )B-dcred )B-dcred was that of tha Northern Pacific? IS-' Railroad company versus Louis 12. Adatns -ft.: and Frank E. Adams, heirs of Jay H? Adams, an attorney of Spokane, Wash. j( In 1S0S Mr. Adams wa3 killed while rid? .T lng on a pass which contained a stlpula-' tlon exempting tho railroad con pony from f, liability in case of accident The Federal! Circuit court for tho district of Washing-, V? ton State awarded damages to the extent' -of IU.CO0, and tho Circuit Court of Api peals for the Ninth circuit affirmed this, . Judgment. , t5 The opinion of the Supremo court was handed down by Justlco Brewer, and re-) J versed the lower court. The Suproms court held that there could be no higher '1? measure of duty to the heirs than to' Adams himself, and that there Is nothing ta Jn public policy to prevent a contract be-: !" tween a common carrier and a freo pae- sengor exempting tho carrier from Itabil!-ty Itabil!-ty In case of accident. The company, it' is 1 said, waived its rights to exact compeh-i 6ji satlon fro-n Adams. He was not in the power of the company and obliged to ac-cept ac-cept its terms. He fieely and voluntarll-T chose to accept the privileges offered. :md3 having accepted that privilege, the courtfrr said, canont repudiate its conditions. jl'iRi |