Brown, J.
This action was brought in the state court to restrain the defendant, Helen Braham, otherwise known as Lilian Bussell, from violating her agreement with the plaintiff by singing during the current season in any other employment than at the plaintiff’s theater, which the complaint alleges she is about to do. A preliminary injunction having been obtained at the time of the commencement of. the action, the cause was removed by the plaintiff to this court before answer; and the defendant now moves upon affidavits to dissolve the injunction. By the agreement in writing between the parties, the defendant agreed to sing in comic opera in the employment of the plaintiff whenever required during the season of 1882 to 1883, commencing on or about September 1, 1882, at a stipulated weekly salary. By article 1 the agreement provides that “the artist is engaged exclusively for Mr. John McCaull, and during the continuance of this engagement will not perform, sing, dance, or otherwise exercise her talent in theater, concert halls, churches, or elsewhere, either gratuitously or for her remuneration or advantage, or for that of any other person or other theater or establishment (although not thereby prevented from fulfilling her engagement with Mr. McCaull) without having first obtained permission in writing of Mr. McCaull; and for each and every breach of this rule the artist shall forfeit one week’s salary, or her engagement, at the option of Mr. McCaull; but such forfeiture of one week’s salary shall not be held to debar Mr. McCaull from enforcing the fulfillment of this contract in such a manner as he may think fit.”
By article 3 it is provided that “no salaries will be paid for any night or days on which the artist may not be able to perform through illness or other unavoidable cause; and the artist absenting herself, except from illness or other unavoidable cause, will forfeit one week’s [39] salary, or her engagement, at the option of Mr. McCaull, and will also be held liable for any loss that may be sustained by Mr. McCaull owing to such absence. Illness, to be accepted as an excuse, must be attested by a medical certificate, which must be delivered to Mr. Me-Caull or his representative as early as possible, and before the commencement of the performance. Should such absence exceed two weeks, the engagement may be canceled at the option of Mr. Me-Gaull.”
The defendant entered upon the performance of her engagement at the Bijou Opera House in this city in September, 1882, with great success, which was continued until prevented from further performance by protracted illness. Having partially recovered, she attempted to renew her appearances, but after three nights’ performances, in December, she suffered a relapse from which she did not recover until about the middle of February, 1883.
By the written contract the plaintiff was to furnish all costumes. This was modified, prior to September, by an oral agreement by which the plaintiff was to pay a larger salary and the defendant to furnish her own costumes. Both parties agree as to the modification of the contract to this extent. The defendant contends that in addition to the above the oral contract was further modified by the plaintiff agreeing to pay her weekly salary as at first fixed during the continuance of any illness; that the sum of about $350, paid to her by the plaintiff during her illness, was paid in pursuance of this modification of the contract; and that since the middle of December the plaintiff has refused to continue such payment during that part of her illness, in violation of the agreement as modified.
The plaintiff denies that the modification of the contract included any agreement to pay her during illness, and asserts that the moneys actually paid her while ill were merely advances on account of future salary to be earned, and so expressly stated at the time. Each party sustains its respective claims in this respect by several witnesses. They leave this branch of the subject in so much doubt that I feel obliged to reject it from consideration, without prejudice to either in regard to their mutual claims in respect to it, since neither party made it a ground of terminating the contract.
Up to the time this action was commenced the defendant had given no notice to the plaintiff terminating the agreement; nor had the plaintiff, as he might have done according to the express provision of the agreement, notified the defendant that it was canceled, owing to her absence beyond two weeks. I must, therefore, hold the agree[40] ment as still in force. Contracts for the services of artists or authors of special merit are personal and peculiar; and when they contain negative covenants-which are essential parts of the agreement, as in this case, that the artists will not perform elsewhere, and the damages, in case of violation, are incapable of definite measurement, they are such as ought to be observed in good faith and specifically enforced in equity. That violation of such covenants will be restrained by injunction, is now the settled law of England. Lumley v. Wagner, 1 De G., M. & G. 604; Montague v. Flockton, L. R. 16 Eq. 189, 199.
The subject was exhaustively considered by Feeedman, J., in the case of Daly v. Smith, 49 How. Pr. 150, in whose conclusions, in accordance with the English cases above cited, I fully concur. In the present case it is, however, urged that the remedy by injunction should not be allowed, on the ground that the plaintiff’s damages have been liquidated by the first article of the contract above quoted; namely, that “for each and every breach of this rule the artist shall forfeit one week’s salary;” and the cases of Barnes v. McAllister, 18 How. Pr. 534; Nessle v. Reese, 29 How. Pr. 382; Mott v. Mott, 11 Barb. 127, 134; and Trenor v. Jackson, 46 How. Pr. 389, are cited in support of this view.
There is no doubt of the general principle that where the damages for the violation of a covenant are either liquidated by the agreement, or may be easily and definitely ascertained, the parties will be left to tneir remedy at law. But it is clear that in cases of contract like the present, the damages are not capable of being definitely ascer-' tained or measured; and in the cases first abdve cited, injunctions were for that reason allowed. The only question in this case, therefore, which distinguishes the present agreement from those, is whether the provision for the forfeiture of a week’s wages for every violation of article 1 is such a liquidation of the damages as bars the remedy by injunction. In Barnes v. McAllister and in Nessle v. Reese and Mott v. Mott, supra, there was a covenant to pay a specific sum for failure to observe the covenant in these eases; and these sums were held by the court to be strictly liquidated damages.
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Brown, J.
This action was brought in the state court to restrain the defendant, Helen Braham, otherwise known as Lilian Bussell, from violating her agreement with the plaintiff by singing during the current season in any other employment than at the plaintiff’s theater, which the complaint alleges she is about to do. A preliminary injunction having been obtained at the time of the commencement of. the action, the cause was removed by the plaintiff to this court before answer; and the defendant now moves upon affidavits to dissolve the injunction. By the agreement in writing between the parties, the defendant agreed to sing in comic opera in the employment of the plaintiff whenever required during the season of 1882 to 1883, commencing on or about September 1, 1882, at a stipulated weekly salary. By article 1 the agreement provides that “the artist is engaged exclusively for Mr. John McCaull, and during the continuance of this engagement will not perform, sing, dance, or otherwise exercise her talent in theater, concert halls, churches, or elsewhere, either gratuitously or for her remuneration or advantage, or for that of any other person or other theater or establishment (although not thereby prevented from fulfilling her engagement with Mr. McCaull) without having first obtained permission in writing of Mr. McCaull; and for each and every breach of this rule the artist shall forfeit one week’s salary, or her engagement, at the option of Mr. McCaull; but such forfeiture of one week’s salary shall not be held to debar Mr. McCaull from enforcing the fulfillment of this contract in such a manner as he may think fit.”
By article 3 it is provided that “no salaries will be paid for any night or days on which the artist may not be able to perform through illness or other unavoidable cause; and the artist absenting herself, except from illness or other unavoidable cause, will forfeit one week’s [39] salary, or her engagement, at the option of Mr. McCaull, and will also be held liable for any loss that may be sustained by Mr. McCaull owing to such absence. Illness, to be accepted as an excuse, must be attested by a medical certificate, which must be delivered to Mr. Me-Caull or his representative as early as possible, and before the commencement of the performance. Should such absence exceed two weeks, the engagement may be canceled at the option of Mr. Me-Gaull.”
The defendant entered upon the performance of her engagement at the Bijou Opera House in this city in September, 1882, with great success, which was continued until prevented from further performance by protracted illness. Having partially recovered, she attempted to renew her appearances, but after three nights’ performances, in December, she suffered a relapse from which she did not recover until about the middle of February, 1883.
By the written contract the plaintiff was to furnish all costumes. This was modified, prior to September, by an oral agreement by which the plaintiff was to pay a larger salary and the defendant to furnish her own costumes. Both parties agree as to the modification of the contract to this extent. The defendant contends that in addition to the above the oral contract was further modified by the plaintiff agreeing to pay her weekly salary as at first fixed during the continuance of any illness; that the sum of about $350, paid to her by the plaintiff during her illness, was paid in pursuance of this modification of the contract; and that since the middle of December the plaintiff has refused to continue such payment during that part of her illness, in violation of the agreement as modified.
The plaintiff denies that the modification of the contract included any agreement to pay her during illness, and asserts that the moneys actually paid her while ill were merely advances on account of future salary to be earned, and so expressly stated at the time. Each party sustains its respective claims in this respect by several witnesses. They leave this branch of the subject in so much doubt that I feel obliged to reject it from consideration, without prejudice to either in regard to their mutual claims in respect to it, since neither party made it a ground of terminating the contract.
Up to the time this action was commenced the defendant had given no notice to the plaintiff terminating the agreement; nor had the plaintiff, as he might have done according to the express provision of the agreement, notified the defendant that it was canceled, owing to her absence beyond two weeks. I must, therefore, hold the agree[40] ment as still in force. Contracts for the services of artists or authors of special merit are personal and peculiar; and when they contain negative covenants-which are essential parts of the agreement, as in this case, that the artists will not perform elsewhere, and the damages, in case of violation, are incapable of definite measurement, they are such as ought to be observed in good faith and specifically enforced in equity. That violation of such covenants will be restrained by injunction, is now the settled law of England. Lumley v. Wagner, 1 De G., M. & G. 604; Montague v. Flockton, L. R. 16 Eq. 189, 199.
The subject was exhaustively considered by Feeedman, J., in the case of Daly v. Smith, 49 How. Pr. 150, in whose conclusions, in accordance with the English cases above cited, I fully concur. In the present case it is, however, urged that the remedy by injunction should not be allowed, on the ground that the plaintiff’s damages have been liquidated by the first article of the contract above quoted; namely, that “for each and every breach of this rule the artist shall forfeit one week’s salary;” and the cases of Barnes v. McAllister, 18 How. Pr. 534; Nessle v. Reese, 29 How. Pr. 382; Mott v. Mott, 11 Barb. 127, 134; and Trenor v. Jackson, 46 How. Pr. 389, are cited in support of this view.
There is no doubt of the general principle that where the damages for the violation of a covenant are either liquidated by the agreement, or may be easily and definitely ascertained, the parties will be left to tneir remedy at law. But it is clear that in cases of contract like the present, the damages are not capable of being definitely ascer-' tained or measured; and in the cases first abdve cited, injunctions were for that reason allowed. The only question in this case, therefore, which distinguishes the present agreement from those, is whether the provision for the forfeiture of a week’s wages for every violation of article 1 is such a liquidation of the damages as bars the remedy by injunction. In Barnes v. McAllister and in Nessle v. Reese and Mott v. Mott, supra, there was a covenant to pay a specific sum for failure to observe the covenant in these eases; and these sums were held by the court to be strictly liquidated damages.
Where the provision of the contract is in the nature of a penalty, and not liquidated damages, it is well fettled that such a provision will not prevent the remedy by injunction to enforce the covenant specifically; and the provision will be construed as a penalty, and not as liquidated damages, where its plain object is to secure a performance of the covenant, and not intended as the price or equivalent to [41] be paid for a non-observance of it. Howard v. Hopkyns, 2 Atk. 371; Bird v. Lake, 1 Hem. & M. 111; Fox v. Scard, 33 Beav. 327; Sloman v. Walter, 1 Brown, C. C. 418; Jones v. Heavens, 4 Ch. Div. 636.
Whether the language of the contract is to be construed as a penalty or as liquidated damages is to be determined from its language and its presumed intent to be gathered from the circumstances of the parties and the nature of the agreement. “A penalty,” says Lord Loughborough, in Hardy v. Martin, 1 Cox, Ch. 26, “is never considered in this court as the price of doing a thing which a man has expressly agreed not to do; but if the real meaning and intent of the contract is that a man should have the power, if he chooses, to do a particular act upon the payment of a certain specified sum, the power to do the act upon the payment of the sum agreed on is part of the express contract between the parties.” Vincent v. King, 13 How. Pr. 234-238; Kerr, Inj. 409.
In Coles v. Sims, 5 De Gex, M. & G., Lord Justice Tubneb says, upon this point, (p. 1:) “The question in such cases, as I conceive, is', whether the clause is inserted by way of penalty or whether it amounts to a stipulation for liberty to do a certain act on the payment of a certain sum.”
That the clause providing for the forfeiture of one week’s salary for each violation of this contract was in the nature of a penalty, and designed solely to secure the observance of article 1, is manifest both from the general nature of the employment and the requirements of a manager of opera, as well as the express language of this article; because (1) the stipulation is not for the payment of a certain sum as liquidated damages, but only for the forfeiture oí a week’s salary; (2) it gives an option to the plaintiff, instead of such forfeiture, to annul the engagement; (3) it declares that such forfeiture shall not disbar the plaintiff from enforcing the fulfillment of this contract in such a manner as he shall think fit, i. e., by any available legal or equitable remedy. As the remedy by injunction is one of the remedies available, this language is equivalent to an express declaration that the provision for the forfeiture of a week’s salary for each violation shall not affect .his right to a remedy by injunction. This last stipulation would not, indeed, influence the court, provided it was clear that the damages were intended to be liquidated at a specific sum, for which the defendant was to have the option of singing at any other theater. But these several clauses taken together show conclusively that no such thing was intended, and that the sole object was to secure the specific observance of the contract that the defend-[42] ánt should not sing elsewhere; and the plaintiff is therefore entitled to restrain the violation of it. As the season will close on May 15th and the contract then terminate, there are certain equitable conditions which should be observed, and which it is competent for the court, in continuing the injunction, to impose. Russell v. Farley, 105 U. S. 433, 438.
The injunction of this court must not be used directly or indirectly to enforce the collection by the plaintiff of his alleged but disputed claim for previous advances, through the non-payment of salary hereafter earned, at least until his right is legally adjudicated. (2) Considering the short period remaining, the defendant must not be sent to California, where by the contract she might have been taken without salary en route going and returning; nor, having respect to her precarious health, should she be sent to any very distant point; (3) the plaintiff should furnish satisfactory security for the prompt payment weekly for the defendant’s services at the rate of $150 per week, the contract price, from the time the defendant gives notice in writing of her readiness to sing under the contract, so long as she shall continue in readiness to perform her duties.
In ease of failure to pay any future salary earned, tne defendant may apply, on two days’ notice, to the plaintiff’s attorneys for the dissolution of this injunction.
An order may be entered continuing the injunction subject to the above provisions and conditions.
Enjoining Employe from Serving Rival ' of Employer. The decisions upon the judicial enforcement of the stipulations common between actors, artists, authors, lecturers, or other professional workers and their employers, that the employe shall not exercise Ms skill and talent for any other person, are not very numerous, and are somewhat conflicting; but they establish the modern general doctrine to be that the employer is not obliged to submit to a breach of the covenant, and content himself with an action for damages, but, in a proper case, may have an injunction restraining the employe from engaging in any rival service; and this, whether compelling the latter to perform his affirmative engagement to labor for his employer is practicable or not. To reconcile the decisions would be difficult, except upon the explanation that, when suits of this nature were first brought, the inadequacy of the action for damages, as a remedy, was not fully perceived; but that, gradually, as one case after another was presented, it became better understood, and equity judges grew more prompt and willing to exercise their jurisdiction on the ground that employers of public performers cannot well be compensated in damages for departures of artists from their establishments.' If an actor, continuing to perform for his general employer, according to his engagement, [43] plays on “ off niglits ” for a rival theater, tlie question how much the receipts of his employer have been diminished by the opportunity given the public of hearing the favorite elsewhere, is too vague and uncertain to be shown by legal proof. And if, as is frequently the case, he withdraws from his first engagement wholly, and devotes himself to the service of a competitor, the question of damages is rendered still more perplexing by the difficulty of showing wliat profits the deserted manager would have realized had the performances been continued as agreed; and the latter needs, also, to have some indemnity, difficult ,to be estimated in money, for his liability to refund for tickets or boxes sold in advance, and for liis loss of prestige through failure of his announced entertainments. Obviously courts of justice cannot compel public performers or members of the professions to perform specific services they have promised; there are no means at the command of a tribunal for compelling a person to act, sing, speak, or write, nor is there any standard for determining whether one has done so in good faith and with his best skill. The result, therefore, is that a properly-framed stipulation, in a contract for services of this description, forbidding the employe to serve elsewhere, may be enforced by injunction. Such injunctions are equally obtainable under the codes of procedure, upon complaint in a civil action; or, in states adhering to the old practice, upon bill in equity; or, in the United States circuit court, sitting in equity, if the i>arties are citizens of different states.
In what cases the fact that the contract of the parties, by liquidating the damages or otherwise, gives the employer a better remedy by action than usual, precludes his resort to injunction, is the question particularly discussed in the text, and nothing need be added to Judge Brown’s able and lucid exposition of the principles governing that branch of the subject. This note will indicate the development of the general power of equity to enjoin in these cases.
Early English Decisions went upon the theory that although an independent, simple covenant not to undertake specified services may be enforced, when reasonable and consistent with public policy, yet in a contract between A. and B. that B. shall act or sing, etc., for A., and shall not perform for any one else, the negative clause is merely incidental to the affirmative; and unless the case is one in which the court can enforce the affirmative stipulation it ought not to enjoin a proposed breach of the negative. These decisions, therefore, generally denied A.’s prayer for an injunction to restrain B. from performing in the employment of C., unless some special ground of equitable jurisdiction over the case existed. The following are illustrative cases: Trice agreed to prepare exchequer reports for Clarke to publish, without, however, engaging not to write for any one else. The lord chancellor refused an injunction. saying that as he had no jurisdiction to compel Price, directly, to write reports for Clarke, ho ought not to do so indirectly, by forbidding him to write for anyone else.