Wynn v. Pig Stand Co.

16 S.W.2d 961, 1929 Tex. App. LEXIS 542
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedApril 3, 1929
DocketNo. 3176.
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 16 S.W.2d 961 (Wynn v. Pig Stand Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Wynn v. Pig Stand Co., 16 S.W.2d 961, 1929 Tex. App. LEXIS 542 (Tex. Ct. App. 1929).

Opinion

RANDOLPH, J.

This is an appeal from an order of court granting a temporary injunction in the suit of appellee against appellant, restraining the appellant from the use, in his business, of a trade-name and a trademark. The trial court, having sustained a general demurrer to the defendant Wynn’s answer, nevertheless went into a hearing of the questions presented and thereupon ordered the issuance of a temporary injunction, from which order the defendant Wynn has appealed.

*962 Tlie trade-name “Rig Stand” and tlie trademark “Pig Sandwich” are here given:

Trade-Name.

Trade-Mark.

One Jesse G. Kirby had adopted the trade-name and trade-mark in his business of preparing and selling sandwiches; this business' prospered, and Kirby thereupon promoted the appellee corporation, and, .after its organization, sold said business, its good will, and the trade-name and trade-mark to that corporation.

Appellee’s (plaintiff’s) petition alleges that Kirby established his business in Dallas county, Tex., about April 15, 1922, by erecting and operating a sandwich stand, using large tin signs cut in the shape of a pig, with the words “Pig Stand” across same as a trade-name for his business, and called his sandwiches “Pig Sandwiches,” which is illustrated by the above emblem and signs; that on August 25, 1922, Kirby filed with the secretary of state of the state of Texas his sworn statement that he was operating his business under the assumed name of Pig Stand for the purpose, evidently, of complying with the “assumed name” statute; that his business grew; he added other sandwich stands in other states, as well as in Texas; that under date of November 10, 1923, he filed with the United States Patent Office his application for registration of the Pig Sandwich sign as a trade-mark, which application was granted and such trade-mark registered; that on the 1st of December, 1923, Kirby filed his application wtih said Patent Office for registration of the Pig Stand sign as a trade-name, and this was granted and registered in that office; that Kirby assigned all his right, title, and interest in such trade-name and trademark, along with his sale of the business, good will, etc., to the appellee herein. Ap-pellee further alleged that one Harry Seymour operated a sandwich stand about three miles, west of the city limits of Dallas, Tex., on the Fort Worth pike, advertising same as Pig Stand, and the sandwiches sold thereat as Pig Sandwiches. After his death, the appellant herein, having been willed said stand, took over that property, continuing its operation, and he is now operating same without any right under said trade-name as a Pig Stand, and is advertising the sandwiches sold by him as Pig Sandwiches, and that such conduct is an infringement upon the appellee’s trade-name and trade-m'ark and constituted unfair competition in that the public was being led to believe that the sandwiches purchased of appellant’s stand are the same as those prepared by appellee; and that suth conduct had injured appellee’s business, and that unless appellant was restrained, appel-lee would suffer irreparable injury.

The appellant filed his answer, consisting of general demurrer, special demurrers, general denial, and special answers not necessary to set out here.

The evidence substantially sustains the allegations in appellee’s petition, but in some respects will be presented in our discussion of the questions which we shall hereafter discuss.

Kirby and one Jackson (who had become interested with Kirby in the Pig Stand business) on September 10, 1923, sold said business to D. O. Hamilton and D. H. Zachman, as same was then situated on the Port Worth pike. The same became effective by virtue of the following instrument and the acceptance thereof:

“Offer and Acceptance of Sale.
“The State of Texas, County of Dallas:
“Sellers, J. G. Kirby and Dr. R. W. Jackson, offer for sale, for a period of fifteen (15) days from date hereof, the following described property:
“The entire building, leasehold, business, good will, furniture, fixtures, utensils and stock on hand, all known as the business property constituting Pig Stand No. 1, located on the S. W. Corner of Port Worth Pike and Cockrell Hill Road, in the N. E. Corner of the I. L. Schwedtman farm, in Dallas County, Texas, same being 150 feet on the Port Worth Pike and 90 feet on the Cockrell Hill Road.
“Terms of Sale.
“Consideration Two Thousand ($2,000.00) Dollars, payable as follows:
“$500.00 cash to be paid upon consummation of this trade-and delivery of bill of sale; balance of $1,500.00 to be paid at the rate of $150.00 per month for the first two months after the date of this sale, the first payment thereof being due and payable thirty (30) days after the date of the consummation of sale, then $100.00 per month for the next succeeding four months, and balance then due at the rate of $133.33 each succeeding month, said note bearing interest at the rate of 8% per annum, payable monthly as it accrues.
*963 “As a further part of this offer the sellers agree to furnish buyers a lease on said Pig Stand above mentioned, for a period of from one to two years, at a monthly rental of $25.-00 per month, said rent payable monthly in advance of J. G. Kirby and Dr. R. W. Jackson.
“As a further part of this offer, sellers agree that the buyers are to have the right to use the trade-mark, to wit: Pig Sandwiches. These rights are to continue as long as stand is operated outside of the city limits in Dallas County, Texas, and on the Fort Worth Pike.
“The buyers agree not to use the words “Pig Stand” on the above mentioned property after January 1, 1924.
(Pig Sandwich)
(Trade-Mark)
(Registered)
“This offer is made subject to a lease on part of the premises above described, whereon J. O. Curry owns and operates an oil and gas station with a lease which expires Jan. 1, 1924, with the understanding that the proceeds from said lease up to that date shall be paid to sellers.
“It is obligatory upon the purchasers to uphold the good will of said business known as Pig Stand No. 1 and ito preserve the present standard and quality of goods sold and dispensed from said stand and in this connection the sellers reserve the right to inspect the products being sold by said Pig Stand to determine whether this pant of said offer is being complied with.
“The sellers are to prorate the rental on said premises for the current month up to the date of closing.

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Bluebook (online)
16 S.W.2d 961, 1929 Tex. App. LEXIS 542, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/wynn-v-pig-stand-co-texapp-1929.