Abraham Lincoln Legal Papers

Abraham Lincoln was hired to represent Joseph A. Dalby who wanted to sue the St.Louis, Alton, and Chicago Railroad.  Dalby stated that he received personal injuries from being beaten on the train. He was suing the railroad for personal injury. The story began on April 4, 1857 when Dalby and his wife Sarah attempted to ride the train from Elkhart to Lincoln, Illinois. The couple went to the station to buy tickets. The tickets, if purchased at the station cost three cents more per mile. The agent then stated to the couple that the tickets were sold out for the day. Dalby requested the agent give him a notice that stated he attempted to purchase tickets for the lower fare. Dalby then took his letter aborad and seated themselves in the passenger car. Dalby handed the conductor the letter from the agent and some money to cover the cost. The conductor threw it all on the floor and stated that “it was not worth a damn.” He then left the couple and proceeded to take the tickets from the other passengers. He came back to Dalby and his wife, and demanded that he pay the balance. Dalby refused to pay a higher price than what was written on the ticket and the conductor attempted to return the money. Dalby would not accept it and the conductor warned Dalby that he would take them off the train at the Broadwell stop. The train then reached Broadwell, and the conductor returned with two brakemen. They escorted the couple off the train. The men grabbed Dalby and pulled him out of the seat . Dalby fought and was held while a third man punched him. Mrs. Sarah Dalby tried to stop the fight and promised to pay what the conductor wanted. But they made the fare even higher. The fight lasted a while and Dalby was beaten.

Lincoln and his associates sought 10,000 in damages, due to the beating, kicking and bruising of Mr. and Mrs. Dalby.  The railroad entered a plea of not guilty and insisted that the agents on the rail acted in self defense. The case was won in favor of Dalby and his wife. This was one of several cases in which Lincoln and his partners presented cases before the Illinois Supreme Court. Lincoln’s partner William Henry Herndon was the lawyer who argued the case. In fact, Lincoln was barely there for the trial and had to attend to another case Sprague, during the Dalby proceedings. His work on this case though established him as a leader in the practice of law, especially law around the railroads. He had worked other cases involving the railroad and had a great record of winning them. Lincoln’s legal practice was know for the innovative and honest ways in which he presented his cases. In fact, his work was so well known that Erastus Corning, the president of the New York Central Railroad offered Lincoln the position of General Counsel for the company.

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