Riggs v. Tucker Duck & Rubber Co.

119 S.W.2d 507, 196 Ark. 571, 1938 Ark. LEXIS 229, 2 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 852
CourtSupreme Court of Arkansas
DecidedJune 6, 1938
Docket4-5109
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 119 S.W.2d 507 (Riggs v. Tucker Duck & Rubber Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Arkansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Riggs v. Tucker Duck & Rubber Co., 119 S.W.2d 507, 196 Ark. 571, 1938 Ark. LEXIS 229, 2 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 852 (Ark. 1938).

Opinions

Smith, J.

This appeal is from a decree of the Sebastian chancery court, which will be set out in extenso, making permanent a temporary injunction previously granted. Three days were devoted to the hearing of the application for the permanent injunction, during the progress of which many witnesses testified. No attempt was made to preserve this testimony or to bring it into the- record. The decree awarding injunctive relief refers to the opinion of the presiding judge which directed that his findings of fact be incorporated in the decree. This was done, and this appeal challenges the correctness of the decree upon these findings of fact, the insistence being that the court awarded relief which was in excess of authority in view of the facts found by' the court. In this state of the record the conclusive presumption must be indulged that the testimony supports the court’s findings of fact.

The decree containing these findings of fact reads as follows: “Now on this 25th day of September, 1937, being one of the regular judicial days of the September, 1937, term of this court, this cause comes on for final decision on the merits. The plaintiff being present by its attorneys, Daily & Woods, and the defendants being present by their attorneys, I. S. Simmons and L. E. Lister, and said cause having been heretofore taken under advisement upon pleadings of the parties, the oral evidence, and the exhibits adduced in open court, and the briefs of counsel, and the court being well and sufficiently advised in the premises, doth find:

‘ ‘ Plaintiff is a corporation organized .under the laws of the state of Arkansas. Its general place of business is at 515 Garrison avenue, Fort Smith, Arkansas, and it maintains and operates factories at 515 Garrison avenue, at 14.North Fifth street, and at Kelley Highway and ‘A’ street, in said city.
“A large number of the production employees of plaintiff belong to United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America Local No. 1651, an affiliate of the American Federation of Labor. These employees, numbering 175 to 180, were called out on a strike July 27th, 1937. Several meetings between officials of the company and the Bargaining Committee of the Local were had before the strike was called. These efforts to settle their differences were unsuccessful. When the strike was called, the membership was organized into groups for the purpose of picketing the different plants and places of business of plaintiff. There were 25 pickets on duty at the. Kelley Highway plant, and eight in front of the company building at 515 Garrison avenue. Other members of the local union- visited the ones doing picket duty, and at times there .were from 15 to 20 striking employees congregated in front of the place at 515 Garrison avenue. Two pickets carried a banner at this place back and forth in front of it, occupying a space of 15 by 23 feet, and at times there were three and four marching abreast.
“These pickets did not attempt to interfere with the office force of the company when they were entering or leaving the buildings. They did accost different ones who entered the building at 515 Garrison avenue and tried to persuade them from making purchases. After purchases were made, they tried to get customers of the company to return the purchases, and actually followed one farmer who lives a few miles away in Oklahoma, and by persuasion and threats caused him to return some cotton pick sacks he had purchased. Later, this customer got a friend of his to secure the sacks for him. On different occasions pickets accosted those who were entering the building to make purchases or were leaving it, and informed them that they were breaking a union picket line, and attempted to persuade them from doing this. Truck drivers were asked not to deliver or haul material for the company, and warned them that to do so might cause trouble.
“At the time the strike was called, the company had seven cars of lumber in transit. Five of these cars were disposed of to other concerns, but no such disposition could be made of two of the cars, and company officials Aver© told by striking employees not to unload them. To prevent demurrage from accumulating, the cars were spotted at the Ballman-Cumming Furniture factory for unloading. A committee of striking employees appeared, and the lumber Avas not unloaded. Later the cars were sent to Hackett to be unloaded, and some pickets rode the train with the cars, and others went down by automobile, and the cars were not unloaded there. Mr. Peerson, president of the Local, testified that the purpose of having pickets appear at both of these places was to prevent the cars from being unloaded.
“After all this interference, Mr. Tucker, president and principal stockholder of the company, decided to ask for volunteers from his office force and salesmen to assist him in unloading the lumber, and, on the morning of August 13th, 1937, he and Allen Cox, together with eight of the office employees and salesmen of plaintiff went to the plant on Kelley Highway for that purpose. A crowd estimated at from 75 to 100, a majority of whom were striking employees, -was on hand when they arrived at the factory. This crowd increased during the day, and at times there were as many as 500 to 600 present. The president of Local Union No. 1651, as well as the chairman of the Bargaining Committee and a score or more of other members of the Local were identified as being present. Many outsiders who were sympathizers and members of other locals of the American Federation of Labor were present. The mayor of the city visited the place on two or three occasions during the day, and two policemen were present all day. Mr. Tucker and his assistants went to the plant in two automobiles, and there was some disturbance as they entered the place. During the day, and as numbers of -the mob increased such epithets as ‘scab,’ ‘yellow-belly,’ ‘snake in the grass, ’ and names more opprobrious, violent, and vulgar were uttered by the members of the mob. This continued throughout the day, being more violent at times than others, and some of it came from the direction of Hardin Glass plant near by, where men belonging to another local, affiliated with the American Federation of Labor were at work. No personal violence to those unloading the lumber was attempted while the work was going on, but threats of what would happen later were heard.
“Unloading of the car was finished about'5:15 in the afternoon and as the cars carrying Mr. Tucker and his assistants left they were separated from the officers who had been present during the day, and the car being driven by Mr. Staton was stopped and surrounded by a mob on Sixth street. An attempt at personal yiole-nce was made by someone, but this was prevented, and one of the striking employees, Chester Riggs, stated that the man should not be attacked while they were tired, but if necessary, wait until they hacl had a bath and catch them out on the creek sometime. After the cars proceeded to Garrison avenue, the Staton car was again surrounded and threats of turning' the car over and pushing them into the river was made. Mr. Tucker, Mr. Cox, and Mr. Duey were riding in one of the cars, and, seeing the mob surrounding Mr. Staton’s car on the avenue, went to the alley leading to the rear of the Garrison avenue place of business, and, after stopping, a truck appeared containing from five to seven men, some of whom were recognized by Mr. Tucker and Mr. Cox, and Mr.

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Bluebook (online)
119 S.W.2d 507, 196 Ark. 571, 1938 Ark. LEXIS 229, 2 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 852, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/riggs-v-tucker-duck-rubber-co-ark-1938.