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2d 431
Nathan Greenberg, New York City (Itkin, Roberts & Greenbaum, New
York City, on the brief), for plaintiff-appellee.
Patrick E. Gibbons, New York City (Urban S. Mulvehill, Terhune,
Gibbons & Mulvehill, New York City, on the brief), for defendantappellant.
Before LUMBARD, Chief Judge, and FRIENDLY and SMITH, Circuit
Judges.
PER CURIAM.
The jury returned a verdict in favor of Persson in the sum of $55,000. After
entry of judgment in that amount, Judge Croake denied a motion by Kellogg for
judgment notwithstanding the verdict and from this judgment and denial of the
motion Kellogg appeals.
The trial court, with the acquiescence of the parties, applied the law of New
York.1 In Broderick v. Cauldwell-Wingate Co., 301 N.Y. 182, 93 N.E.2d 629
(1950), the New York Court of Appeals held that while a general contractor
who has the power of general supervision may not be held liable for the
negligent actions of subcontractors, this common law rule will yield 'when the
general contractor, by his act or conduct, assumes control and gives specific
instructions which necessarily involve the safety of the subcontractors' men.'
Subsequent New York cases have adhered to this rule. See, e.g., Matuszak v.
City of New York, 8 A.D.2d 976, 190 N.Y.S.2d 776 (1959); Politi v. Irvmar
Realty Corp., 7 A.D.2d 414, 183 N.Y.S.2d 748 (1959).
In its charge to the jury the trial court made it abundantly clear that liability
could be predicated only upon a finding that Kellogg, through its
superintendent Crookshanks, had assumed direct supervision and control of the
rigging operation in which Persson was engaged. There was ample evidence to
warrant submission of the case to the jury on this theory. Although in Broderick
the defendant's superintendent had given instructions directly to the plaintiff,
the fact that Crookshanks did not deal directly with Persson is of no import,
since Anderson testified that Crookshanks had specifically instructed him to rig
the scaffold to the pipe.