Miller v. Toledo Grain & Milling Co.

11 Ohio Cir. Dec. 629
CourtOhio Circuit Courts
DecidedOctober 15, 1900
StatusPublished

This text of 11 Ohio Cir. Dec. 629 (Miller v. Toledo Grain & Milling Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Circuit Courts primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Miller v. Toledo Grain & Milling Co., 11 Ohio Cir. Dec. 629 (Ohio Super. Ct. 1900).

Opinion

Haynes, J.

In this case a petition in error is filed to reverse the action of the court o'f common pleas in assessing against Miller and Diehl a fine and costs, and in ordering their imprisonment until the fine and costs were paid, in a proceeding in contempt, for the violation of an injunction which had been granted before that time in the case of the Toledo Milling and Grain Co., against Louis M. Friedman, restraining Friedman from using a certain device or design on certain flour bags, indicating that the grade or class of flour was what was called, commonly, “Pansy.”

In the original case against Friedman, Miller and Diehl were not parties. They had been selling flour as agents of Friedman, were in court, and testified in the case, and knew of the decree that was rendered, but after the decree was rendered, they ceased to be the agents of Friedman, and then took up the business of selling flour under a design made by themselves, which is the design that is complained of as an infringement or imitation of that of plaintiff below, and in violation of its rights under the injunction.

The proceedings were heard upon evidence, and the opinion of the court, delivered by Judge Pratt, is here given in full, in which he sustains the proceeding. Judge Pratt closes his opinion by saying:

“I have had in my practice several cases of this kind — one before Justice Swayne, when he was sitting in the federal court here, and one at Cleveland, in which one of the most prominent attorneys in the city was engaged ;■ and, after holding that the act done was in violation of the injunction, he continued the matter for two weeks, saying that there would probably be no further necessity for any action on his part; and there was not. The same order was once made in a case in the circuit court here, by Judge Scott, at Chambers.
“I would punish parties for contempt by imprisonment, however, if that were deemed necessary. But this is the first time this matter has been brought to the attention of the court, and the fact being, so far as this court is concerned, determined that the injunction has been violated, the violation of the injunction should cease at least until there has been an opportunity to rehear this case on petition in error, and it can be heard, of course, in circuit court. If there should be a continued violation of the order notwithstanding this finding, then some other judge would have to pass upon the question when it is made; but at present the order of the court is that the defendants be fined in the sum of $25 each, and the costs of this proceeding.”

This decision was made on February 8, 1900. An entry was made on the journal of the court upon that, and an order was issued, on February 16, eight days afterwards; but it appears that, notwithstanding the court said he was not going to commit the accused to imprisonment, the entry upon the journal was as follows:

“It is therefore ordered and adjudged, that said Jacob Miller and Jacob Diehl, and each of them, pay a fine of twenty-five dollars and the costs of this proceeding, and that each of them stand committed to im[631]*631prisonment in the.county jail of Lucas county, Ohio, until said fines and costs are paid, or until they be otherwise discharged, and that execution issue to enforce the foregoing order and judgment. To all of said finding, orders, and judgment both Miller and Diehl except."

This is a transcript of the journal entry, and is the same as a copy of the final judgment.

In relation to the facts of the case, we are clearly of the opinion that the court of common pleas was right in finding that the design that was used by these parties for the bags of flour which they sold was in violation -of this injunction. It seemed to us very marked and very clear in that respect; so that upon the facts we find that the court of common pleas was correct in its finding.

Two questions have been made which are of some importance. They .are these :

First, whether these parties are so far parties to the original suit of the Toledo Grain and Milling Company, against Friedman that an attachment for contempt can issue against them, without first instituting an original proceeding for an injunction, and after that an attachment for a violation of it, if they should violate it.

The second question is, whether the imprisonment clause is illegal.

It is claimed on behalf of the plaintiffs in error that it was an abuse of the discretion of the court. It will be observed that this original injunction is against Friedman and his agents, and it was admitted here and stated in the evidence, that Miller and Diehl were agents of Friedman, selling his flour, at the time that the mark upon it was enjoined, and continued to be used until after the judgment of the court in that case; that immediately thereafter they started out independently to sell flour, and undertook to make a design that should just avoid being a violation of the one in use by the defendants in error.

We think the court was correct in holding that these proceedings could be maintained against these parties, although they were not technically parties to the original suit. The law in regard to injunctions is pretty liberal in that respect. The statute itself (Sec. 5579) provides that "An injunction shall bind the party from the time he has notice thereof, and the undertaking required by the applicant therefor is executed.” We have had a case in this court since I sat on the bench in which it was held that where a party had notice that an injunction was applied for and being issued, but was not served for some time, yet he was liable for a violation of that injunction at any time after he had notice that an injunction was being issued against him. The law as laid down by the Supreme Court of the United States, is found in Ex parte Lennon, 10 O. F. D., 456. The court, Mr. Justice Brown delivering the opinion, say:

"The facts that petitioner was not a party to such suit, nor served with process of subpoena, nor had notice of the application made by the complainant for the mandatory injunction, nor was served by the officers of the court with such injunction, are immaterial, so long as it was made to appear that he had notice, of the issuing .of an injunction by the court. To render a person amenable to an injunction it is neither necessary that he should have been a party to the suit in which the injunction was issued, nor to have been actually served with a copy of it, so long as he appears to have had actual notice. High on Injunctions, Sec. 1444; Mead v. Norris, 21 Wis., 310; Wellesley v. Mornigton, 11 Beav., 181.”

[632]*632We think, therefore, that the court of common pleas had authority to paés judgment on these parties, the facts warranting it.

Now in regard to the punishment. While this is a proceeding for contempt, it is governed by Sec. 5581 of the code:

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Related

Mead v. Norris
21 Wis. 310 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1867)
Ex Parte Crenshaw
80 Mo. 447 (Supreme Court of Missouri, 1883)

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Bluebook (online)
11 Ohio Cir. Dec. 629, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/miller-v-toledo-grain-milling-co-ohiocirct-1900.