United States v. Jordan

302 F. Supp. 370, 8 A.L.R. Fed. 619, 1969 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9392
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Louisiana
DecidedJuly 30, 1969
DocketCiv. A. 15792
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 302 F. Supp. 370 (United States v. Jordan) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Louisiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Jordan, 302 F. Supp. 370, 8 A.L.R. Fed. 619, 1969 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9392 (E.D. La. 1969).

Opinion

*371 HEEBE, District Judge:

Does the mere conversion of a public restaurant into a “private club”, which, in effect, is open to the white public, constitute a “pattern or practice of resistance to the full enjoyment of any of the rights secured” by Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 warranting action by the Attorney General under § 206(a) of that Act, 42 U.S.C. § 2000a-5(a)? This is the most substantial question presented for our determination in this lawsuit. In addition, we must determine whether the defendant herein is a place of public accommodation or is a private club or other establishment not in fact open to the public.

This action was filed on July 19, 1965, by the United States Attorney General under the public accommodations title of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title II. The provisions of Title II secure to Negroes equal access to and equal treatment in places of public accommodation. Under § 206(a) of the Act, 42 U.S.C. § 2000a-5(a), the Attorney General may bring a civil action for “such preventive relief, including an application for a permanent or temporary injunction, restraining order or other order * * * as he deems necessary to insure the full enjoyment of the rights herein described” whenever he has “reasonable cause to believe that any person or group of persons is engaged in a pattern or practiec of resistance to the full enjoyment of any of the rights secured by” Title II. The complaint, as amended in January 1966, alleges that Gilbert W. Landry and Landry’s Private Club, Inc., have engaged in a pattern or practice of resistance to the full enjoyment by Negroes of rights secured to them by Title II. 1 The defendants, Landry’s Private Dining Club, Inc. and Gilbert W. Landry, assert that they are exempt under § 201(e) of the Act, 42 U.S.C. § 2000a(e), which provides in pertinent part: “The provisions of [Title II] shall not apply to a private club or other establishment not in fact open to the public.”

In a pre-trial order the parties entered into a stipulation with respect to most of the facts involved, which shortened the trial to a single day and considerably eased the Court’s task of resolving the factual issues herein. The matter was taken under advisement after oral argument, but further correspondence from both sides and a detailed memorandum by counsel for the defend- ' ants have been received since the date of submission.

Prior to April 1965 the eating establishment, which is now owned by the defendant “club” and which is located in Bogalusa, Louisiana, was owned and operated by Gilbert W. Landry and was known as Landry’s Fine Foods Restaurant. The establishment was a typical restaurant open to the general public, serving primarily seafood and meat dishes to customers from a standard menu form. The restaurant was staffed with an average of nine employees and was open Monday through Saturday between 10:30 A.M. and 10:00 P.M. Gilbert W. Landry owned the restaurant equipment and supplies used in operating the restaurant but the premises, together with the portion of the building used by Landry and his family as living quarters, were leased from Mr. George *372 Klotzbaeh. The restaurant advertised by means of one highway road sign, several signs on the building in which the restaurant was located, and by sponsoring a ladies’ bowling team which wore shirts lettered “Landry’s Fine Foods.” ' Prior to February 1965 no Negroes had ever sought service at Landry’s Fine Foods Restaurant. On three different occasions during that month, however, Negroes sought and received service at the restaurant. Troublesome racial incidents accompanied these occasions. The events are fully described in the stipulation:

“Sometime around the beginning of February 1965, and again on February 10, 1965, Negroes entered Landry’s Restaurant and were served.
“On Thursday, February 11, 1965, Landry’s Restaurant was picketed by white persons carrying signs reading, ‘Landry Peacefully Integrated.’ Mr. Landry called the Mayor of Bogalusa, Mr. Jesse Cutrer, on the 11th and asked for help. The mayor advised that the city could do nothing to help unless Landry brought charges against the pickets. Landry did not bring charges; he could not identify the pickets. Mr. Landry closed the restaurant between 2:30 and 3:00 p.m. on the 11th in order to keep down trouble. His customary closing hour was 10:00 p.m. at that time.
“Mr. Landry did not reopen his restaurant until Monday, February 15, 1965. His restaurant normally closed only on Sundays.
“On February 15, 1965, at approximately 9:20 p.m. a group of seven or eight Negroes entered Landry’s Restaurant. After all the members of the Negro group took seats, Mrs. Susie Lee Landry, Mr. Landry’s wife, approached the group. They said they only wanted coffee. At this point, Mr. Landry advised the Negroes that his establishment was a restaurant and not a coffee shop. Mrs. Landry gave each of the Negroes a glass of water and menus. Each of the Negroes ordered a hamburger. While the hamburgers were being grilled, two white men came into the restaurant. These men approached the Negroes, threatened them, and told them to get out. The group of Negroes got up and left the restaurant. The white customers who had been in the restaurant also left at this time. No other customers or persons entered the restaurant after this incident that evening, except a police officer who entered the restaurant looking for a purse which one of the Negroes had left in the restaurant. Mrs. Landry looked in the area where the Negroes had been seated and discovered a purse on the floor. She gave this purse to the police officer. Mr. and Mrs. Landry closed the restaurant at 9:50 p.m. that evening, because of their fear that additional trouble might take place,
“While the group of Negroes were in Landry’s Restaurant, on February 15, 1965, at approximately 9:30 p.m., Mr. Landry called the mayor of Bogalusa, Mr. Jesse Cutrer. Many of the merchants in Bogalusa had met with the mayor and city counsel [sic] concerning racial incidents which had taken place in Bogalusa. Mr. Landry called the mayor to advise him of what was going on. Landry told the mayor that a number of Negroes had just entered his restaurant. He advised the mayor that, as the mayor knew, he had served Negroes at his restaurant during the previous week and the following day he was picketed by white persons with the result that he had to close his restaurant. Mr. Landry asked the mayor what he should do. Mr. Cutrer advised Landry that he was unable to do anything for him. Cutrer told Landry that he understood his problem, but was unable to solve the problem for him, or give him any advice.”

From February 16, 1965, through March 31, 1965, no Negroes sought service at Landry’s Fine Foods Restaurant. Gilbert W. Landry discontinued the op *373 eration of Landry’s Fine Foods Restaurant after the close of business on March 31, 1965.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
302 F. Supp. 370, 8 A.L.R. Fed. 619, 1969 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9392, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-jordan-laed-1969.