Shaughnessey v. Jordan

111 N.E. 622, 184 Ind. 499, 1916 Ind. LEXIS 142
CourtIndiana Supreme Court
DecidedFebruary 25, 1916
DocketNo. 22,572
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 111 N.E. 622 (Shaughnessey v. Jordan) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Shaughnessey v. Jordan, 111 N.E. 622, 184 Ind. 499, 1916 Ind. LEXIS 142 (Ind. 1916).

Opinion

Morris, C. J.

Action by appellees, partners, doing a manufacturing business under the firm name of Keyless Lock Company, against appellants, labor union members, for an injunction and damages. The court decreed the injunction prayed and rendered judgment for damages against appellants in the sum of $6,000. Jurisdiction of the appeal is here because a constitutional question is presented. Subd. 1, §1392 Burns 1914, Acts 1907 p. 237.

1. [502]*5022. 3. 4. [503]*5031. [501]*501Appellees have filed a motion to dismiss this appeal for defect of parties. In the title of the complaint appear the names of appellants as defendants, followed by this, “and the members' of the International Molders Union of North America, who are too numerous to join as parties defendant to this action; The members of Iron Molders Union No. 17, who are too numerous to join as parties defendant * ' * * . The members of Iron Molders Union No. 56, who are too numerous to be joined as parties defendant * * * Appellees caused the issuance and service of summonson appellants as the representatives of all the members of the three unions, but this summons was quashed. Following the judgment against appellants, there is a finding by the trial court of the names of several hundred members of the three unions- who were not served with process, and this finding is followed by an order that the decree shall be operative on such named person's from and after actual notice thereof, and that appellees may, if [502]*502they see fit, at their own cost, cause notice of the decree to be served on such named persons. The answer to the complaint, by appellants, was filed by them solely as individuals, and there is no judgment against any one of them in a representative capacity. This appeal was taken in vacation,- and it is appellees’ theory that appellants must have made parties to the appeal the hundreds of members of the three unions, not necessarily by name, but in the names of one or more of appellants, as representatives of such members. Appellees’ theory is wholly untenable. Where an injunction is decreed against a principal, his agent or a third party may be punished for contempt in violating the decree, after actual knowledge of its existence, regardless of any provision for notice .in the decree to those not served with process. Anderson v. Indianapolis Drop Forging Co. (1904), 34 Ind. App. 100, 72 N. E. 277; In re Lennon (1897), 166 U. S. 548, 17 Sup. Ct. 658, 41 L. Ed. 1110. Class suits, involving numerous parties, are of two kinds, true and spurious. 1 Street, Fed. Eq. Prac. § §547, 548. Where the suit relates to a fund or property over which the court may and does acquire jurisdiction, and numerous persons are interested in the property, one may sue or defend as a representative of others with like interests. This constitutes a true class suit. On the other hand, where no fund or particular property is in question, and only a personal liability is involved, the suit is not, in a proper sense, a true class one, but what the text writers call spurious. Suits against involuntary associations, such as labor- unions, for injunctions, belong to this spurious class, and the decree against those served with process can not be effective against those not served nor appearing, unless and . until formally brought into [503]*503' court by some supplemental process. 1 Street, Fed. Eq. Prae. §552. No one of the members of the various unions, not served with process nor appearing in the court below could have properly appealed from the judgment rendered, though each of them, or persons not members of any unions might have been punished for contempt for violating the court’s order, and, from the judgment for contempt, but no other might have appealed. Bessette v. W. B. Conkey Co. (1904), 194 U. S. 324, 24 Sup. Ct. 665, 48 L. Ed. 997. Since these persons had no right of appeal from the judgment in question, it must follow that they are not necessary parties here. The labor unions mentioned were not parties to the action. Karges Furn. Co. v. Amalgamated, etc., Union (1905), 165 Ind. 421, 75 N. E. 877, 2 L. R. A. (N. S.) 788, 6 Ann. Cas. 829. The motion to dismiss is overruled.

The error here assigned is the overruling of appellants’ motions for new trials. Each motion embraces more than 200 alleged grounds, and each reason assigned therein is sought to be presented here for review. The complaint, among other things, alleges that on and prior to October 31, 1912, appellees were engaged, to a large extent, in manufacturing locks, and in connection with their business, they operated a foundry with sixty employes engaged therein; that the foundry department was operated as an “open shop” wherein they employed both union and nonunion molders. This is followed by allegations in relation to the organization, management and purposes of three voluntary labor organizations, Iron Molders Unions Nos. 56 and 17, of Indianapolis, and International Molders Union of North America. It is averred further that appellants were members of one or more of said unions and that certain of appellants held responsible positions in the management thereof; that appellants agreed [504]*504and conspired with one another, and with various other members and officers of said unions, and in pursuance of the orders of the executive officers of said unions acting under the rules of their organizations, to compel appellees to “unionize” their foundry; that through appellant Frank Lewis they notified appellees to unionize the foundry, which notice appellees disregarded; that the conspirators thereupon, pursuant 'to said agreement, threatened appellees’ shop with a strike, which threat was unheeded by appellees; that thereupon, on November 12, 1912, appellants and their fellow conspirators caused appellees’ union employes to quit their employment and declared a strike against the factory; that in furtherance of the conspiracy they established professional pickets about the foundry, employed by said unions, and that these pickets, acting for appellants and the unions, threatened, intimidated, and violently assaulted appellees’ employes working in the foundry and struck and beat them; that because of said conduct appellees’ employes, working in the foundry, threaten to, and will, quit their employment unless protected from such threats, intimidation and violence. It is alleged that appellees have already suffered damages to the extent of $10,000 because of appellants’ acts, but that an action at law will not bring adequate relief because appellants and those acting with them are all insolvent. On the final hearing judgment for $6,000 was awarded appellees, and appellants, thirteen in number, were enjoined (1) from continuing the strike for the purpose of compelling a closed shop, (2) from, by any means, peaceable or otherwise, coercing appellees to establish a union shop, (3) from ■compelling or inducing, by violence or threats thereof, appellees’ employes to leave their service, (4) from preventing, by violence or threats thereof, [505]*505any person from entering or continuing in.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
111 N.E. 622, 184 Ind. 499, 1916 Ind. LEXIS 142, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/shaughnessey-v-jordan-ind-1916.