Barrow v. Duplantis

86 So. 718, 148 La. 149, 1920 La. LEXIS 1686
Supreme Court of Louisiana·Decided November 3, 1920·No. No. 24310·Published·Cited by 2 cases

Opinion

MONROE, C. J.

Relator prays that the judge of the Twentieth judicial district court and the litigants herein made respondents be prohibited from acting under a certain judgment dissolving an injunction which he had obtained, and that a writ of mandamus be issued, directing the judge to grant a suspensive appeal therefrom; the circumstances out of wbich this application has arisen being as follows:

Many years ago, relator entered into a contract of partnership and lease with H. Clay Duplantis, which was renewed from time to time, and, the term of the last renewal Of which will expire with the current year. The contract declares that the partnership is formed for the cultivating, in sugar and other products, of Myrtle Grove plantation, the property of Barrow; that Duplaritis shall exercise and maintain a general and strict supervision over the plantation operations, and shall devote his best energies and skill and exclusive time to their successful prosecution ; that he shall keep a faithful account of the plantation expenses, each party to furnish monthly one-half thereof, and the books to be kept by a regular bookkeeper, chosen by said parties; that for his services, as over[151]*151seer and manager, lie shall receive.$1,800 per year, and that Barrow shall receive $5,000 per year for rent of the plantation, with buildings, etc.; that the sugarhouse and refinery shall be kept constantly insured, and in case of loss the proceeds of the insurance shall, under certain circumstances, he devoted to their rebuilding; that the crops shall be equally divided on tbe plantation, should tbe parties see proper, and each partner shall be at liberty to dispose of bis share as he pleases, provided there are no joint notes or obligations to be met; and that all losses are to be borne by tbe parties in equal proportions. It contains, among others, tbe following articles (quoting so much as seems pertinent to this ease) to wit:

“Art. 13. * * * It is understood and agreed that, at the expiration of this contract, there shall be left on the * * * plantation, properly put down, sufficient seed cane to plant 300 acres of land, which shall be a part consideration for the use of the plantation.
“Art. 14. In case of the death of the said Duplantis, his heirs and legal representatives shall furnish a man to take his place, subject to Barrow’s approval; the heirs or legal representatives of said Duplantis being bound to pay the wages or services of said manager; and the said Barrow agrees and binds himself to continue the partnership to its full term with the said manager, so selected to replace said Duplantis.”
“Art. 17. It is distinctly understood and agreed that the plantation, the refinery and everything appertaining thereto shall be kept in good order and condition and repair and is to be turned over to said Barrow at tbe expiration of the partnership in like good condition.”

H. Olay Duplantis died in September, 1919, and bis son, Caliste A, Duplantis, was appointed administrator of bis estate, after wbicb, in.-that capacity and as representing bimself and bis cobeirs, be selected J. Q. Dillard to take tbe place of tbe decedent, as provided by article 14 of tbe contract, and tbe selection, was approved by Barrow; but, witbin a short time thereafter, in consequence of a disagreement as to tbe status and authority of Dillard and the relations of tbe Duplantis heirs to the contract, Barrow brought suit for the dissolution of tbe partnership, praying for tbe sequestration of its property and the appointment of a sequestrator or receiver to carry on .the business until tbe end of tbe term, which writ and appointment having been denied by the district court, and Barrow haying been denied a writ of mandamus in tbe matter by this court (147 La. 461, 85 South. 205), tbe suit for tbe dissolution of tbe partnership was left pending, with no definite understanding upon tbe question of tbe right of control of tbe business. In that connection, and as throwing some further light upon tbe present situation, we make tbe following excerpt from tbe original petition for the dissolution of tbe partnership, wbicb is annexed to tbe petition herein filed, to wit:

“Tour petitioner shows that, the said manager was appointed as the representative of the partnership in accordance with the plain terms and meaning of the said article 14. * * * That he remained under that impres-. sion until January 16, 1920, when the.said Dillard informed petitioner that he had been employed by the said Caliste A. Duplantis, administrator, as personal representative of the heirs of the late H. Clay Duplantis; that he had been required by the said Caliste A. Duplantis to sign a written agreement of employment by which he was to take orders from the said administrator or the heirs of Duplantis, and that he was subject to discharge by them; * * * that he cannot consent to any such interpretation of article 14; * * * that the intent of article 14 * * * is that the manager, once selected * * * and approved, * * * then takes the place * * * lately held by the said H. C. Duplantis, and with him your petitioner is to continue the partnership until the end of the term.”

In tbe meanwhile it appears that Caliste A. Duplantis, administrator and representative, etc., claiming an equal voice with Barrow in tbe management of tbe partnership business;, has been acting as bookkeeper and paymaster of tbe concern, and has drawn bis checks in [153]*153those capacities for. such partnership purposes as met with his approval, against the funds -of Barrow & Duplantis, deposited in the Bank of Houma, and that the checks have been duly paid.

In August of this year Dillard, having started some of the hands upon certain ditching by way of preparing the land for the proper putting down of seed cane, called for by article 13, and of getting the plantation into the good condition required by article 17 of the contract, he was notified by Duplantis to discontinue that work, and that, should he fail to do so, the names of the hands so employed would be stricken from the pay roll, and no wages would be paid to them; and thereupon, on August 27, Barrow obtained a writ-of injunction, from the clerk of the district court, in the absence of the judge from the parish, prohibiting Duplantis from so interfering with Dillard; from drawing against the funds of the partnership, and prohibiting the bank from paying his checks; the allegations of the petition,being that he has no such .authority, under the contract of partnership; that Dillard, as manager, _ insists that the ditching is necessary to the welfare of the plantation; that the .action complained of is arbitrary, illegal, injurious to petitioner, individually and as a member of 'the firm of Barrow & Duplantis, and to the great detriment and injury of the plantation affairs.

On September 1 following, Duplantis ruled Barrow to show cause why the injunction so issued should not be dissolved, on the grounds that—

“(1) As appears, on the face of the papers, the said injunction improvidently issued, and without sufficient cause.
“(2) The affidavit is insufficient and fatally defective, in that it is not positive, clear, and unconditional, as the law requires to authorize the issuance of the writ of injunction.”

And on September 20, the rule was made •absolute and the injunction dissolved; the reasons assigned by the respondent judge for that ruling being, in part, as follows, to wit:

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Barrow v. Duplantis, 86 So. 718, 148 La. 149, 1920 La. LEXIS 1686 (La. 1920).

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