116 Mo. App. 175 | Mo. Ct. App. | 1906
(after stating the facts.) —
It is a cause of much regret among the members of this court that we are unable to accept those views and so hold, inasmuch as the very great respect we entertain -for the learned judge was so held, renders it not only a painful, but a difficult task as well to announce views not wholly concurrent therewith. In the proper and conscientious exercise of the constitutional office of the court, it is incumbent and imperative on us, however, to adjudicate such matters as are submitted for investigation, ascertainment and decision and to which the jurisdiction of the court attaches, in accordance with the law on the subject as it reveals itself to our senses on careful, candid and conscientious research and reflection, restrained only by the constitutional mandate to be found in section six of the amendment to the Constitution of Missouri, abopted November, 1884, which provides that “the last previous rulings of the Supreme Court on any question of law or equity shall in all cases be controlling authority in such courts of appeals.” Under this constitutional provision, had the views expressed in the opinion referred to, been concurred.in by a majority of the members of that court in a case properly within its jurisdiction, or rather, in a case in which the court assumed to proceed as having jurisdiction, then its binding force and effect should not and would
The legal phase of the situation presents no difficulty. It is obvious that it is the duty of this court to determine the case at bar on the principles of law as in due diligence and good conscience we ascertain them to be, and when those principles or any phases of them are adjudicated by the constitutional Supreme Court of Missouri, i. e., concurred in by a majority of the judges, to obediently follow the last previous ruling of such court. But the situation is not free from embarrassment. We here,' earnestly endeavoring to' discharge the constitutional functions of the court and summoning our best efforts and conscience to a faithful discharge of that duty, are called upon now to either follow this extra-judicial utterance of two of the learned judges of the superior court of the State or disagree therewith and decline so to do. To follow it might be opposed to our conscientious convictions on the subject and, if not having authority under the constitution of a decision of the Supreme Court, our duty would point clearly the way to decide the questions involved upon our understanding of the law. On the other hand, to disagree with those views expressed and decline to follow them, might be interpreted as a lack of proper respect on our part as well as a departure from what may seem proper decorum or judicial propriety. Th’is, however, we desire here and now to disaffirm and to say that with entire respect for the great learning and ability of the learned judge who expressed the views mentioned, as well as his learned associate who concurred therein, and with the very fullest measure of esteem for our judicial superiors, we are unable to accept the views in- toto as ad
But it is said that both the Supreme Court in State ex rel. v. Gravel Road Company, supra, and this court, in the same case, 37 Mo. App. 505, were in error; thq Supreme Court in entertaining the injunction proceeding, and this court in denying the writ of quo warranto, and that in this case, the common law quo< warranto and not injunction is the proper proceeding on the first issue asserted to have been tendered by the petition. It is true, as said- by Judge Marshall,, that quo warranto is the proper legal proceeding to determine the rights to an office or franchises or to oust defendant therefrom if his title is found to be defective. [23 Amer. & Eng. Ency. Law (2 Ed.), 596.] And it is the law that a corporation may be ousted by quo warranto from the enjoyment and exercise of powers not conferred by law, but unlawfully assumed by it and this may be done without affecting the corporation in regard to' its proper franchises. But where the unlawful acts are grounds for forfeiture, it is proper to oust the corporation of all of its franchises by quo warranto. [23 Amer. & Eng. Ency. Law (2 Ed.), 640; State ex inf. v. Equitable Loan, etc., Co., 142 Mo. 341.] It is likewise true and under the adjudications in this State as well as generally, the rule is well settled to the effect that if quo warranto be prayed to oust a corporation on the grounds that it is not a corporation or has no legal existence as such, it
It seems, therefore, that if the respondent had de
Our statutory provision is to he found in section 3649, Revised Statutes 1899, as follows: “The remedy by writ of injunction or prohibition, shall exist in all cases ... to prevent the doing of any legal wrong whatever, whenever, in the opinion of the court, an adequate remedy cannot be afforded by an action for damages.”
It is unnecessary to comment that damages could not be awarded in quo warranto. This statute may be considered as more particularly applicable in a case where an individual or private parties are seeking relief for some private injury as it contemplates the right of recovery in damages being a necessary element of the remedy at law which would preclude injunction, and such proceeding is out of the ordinary when the State is complaining. Be that as it may, however, it evidences the policy of the jurisprudence of this jurisdiction on the question as manifested by legislative enactment, and seems to be in accord with the announcement of the doctrine of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania above quoted. Turner v. Stewart, 78 Mo. 480, a case wherein the owners of a steamboat were in the constant habit of discharging freight at a private wharf against the protest of the owners of the wharf, thereby seriously interfering with his business of sawing, receiving and delivering ties, and they threatened to continue this practice, the court said that the wharf owner might maintain injunction. This was clearly a case in trespass where damages might have been awarded in an action at law therefor. The court predicated the decision on the theory that the plaintiff would be compelled to sue “for every time the defendants landed, and the burden of carrying on such a multiplicity of suits would make his remedy about as grievous as the injury,” and therefore held that the suit at law would not be an ade
The Supreme Court of the United States in City of Georgetown v. Alexandria Canal Co., 12 Peters 91-98, in treating this subject in reference to a public nuisance, said: “Besides this remedy at law, it is now settled that a court of equity may take jurisdiction in cases of public nuisances by information filed by the attorney-general. . . . The jurisdiction has been finally sustained upon the principle that equity can give more adequate and complete relief than can be obtained at law.” [See also In Re Debs, 158 U. S. 565; Attorney-General v. Jamaica Pond, etc., Co., 133 Mass. 361; Columbian Athletic Club v. State ex rel. McMahon, 143 Ind. 98, and authorities cited in the several cases.]
It seems that the principle recognized by the courts in making this seeming exception to the rule that equity will not interfere by injunction where an adequate remedy at law exists, is such that it is not an exception to the rule at all, but on the contrary, is treated as one requiring the remedy to be full, adequate and complete and in such case, where there may be a remedy at law, but it is not full, comprehensive, adequate and complete, so as to be an adequate remedy, a court of chancery will intervene by injunction on the ground that it can afford a more complete and adequate remedy than -a court of law can furnish, bound and tied down as our courts of law are, to certain forms of remedies and procedure, which they are not capable of molding and adapting to the necessities of the particular case. This seems to be the controlling principle recognized by our Supreme Court in Turner v. Stewart, 78 Mo. 480, supra, the steamboat landing case referred to, for it is obvious that it was one of trespass; and that a remedy at law for damages existed which brought it within the pale of the statute noted above. Notwithstanding this fact, however, the court proceeded to administer the re
We are persuaded, on the principle that equity could afford a more ample and complete remedy in the case at bar, that this proceeding by injunction is proper and is not precluded by the existence of the remedy by quo warranto. If the collection of the tolls was a nuisance, maintained in the public highway, then it was the right of the public to have such nuisance abated or restrained forthwith and it was the duty of the State 'in its sovereign capacity to institute such proceeding in that behalf as would render to its citizen immediate reinstatement of a free and unincumbered highway. A proceeding by quo warranto would have been of a tedious nature where the relief sought could only be adjusted upon a final determination of the cause, whereas a ^proceeding by injunction would afford immediate and
Entertaining the views- hereinbefore expressed, it becomes our duty to examine and dispose of the merits of the controversy as found in the record before us.
Mr. Broadhead and his associates, after having obtained the conveyance mentioned, applied to the county court and obtained the permission for themselves or a corporation to be thereafter organized, contained in the statement supra, to construct an electric railway over and along the right of way of the old gravel road. This electric road was never constructed, nor was a company for that purpose ever organized so far as the record discloses. Afterwards, however, Broadhead and his associates did organize the defendant corporation under the provisions of the general statutes of 1898, now art. 5, chap. 12, R. S. 1899, for the purpose of constructing, owning and controlling a gravel road along the line of the old gravel road between Louisiana and Ashley, via Bowling Green, and by deed conveyed to the new company whatever rights they had obtained from the Bank and True under the deed heretofore mentioned, which as before stated, was of no force so far as the roadbed and franchises were concerned. Having organized the new company for the purposes mentioned, inasmuch as the old road had reverted to the county March 20, 1892, on the expiration of the charter of the old company, the next step' incumbent on the new company and its promoters was to apply for and obtain the consent of the county court to locate their proposed road over or upon the State or county road or highway, as was provided by the then sec. 2697, R. S. 1889, now sec. 1227, R. S. 1899, art. 5, chap. 12 supra, for “thereupon” it is said by said section, “such State or county road or highway or such portion thereof as may be occupied and appropriated by
The appellants, however, argue that the consent of the county court to Mr. Broadhead and his associates and to the corporation to be organized by them toi construct the road mentioned, was first, a sufficient grant of right to operate the gravel road in question. This position cannot be maintained on reason or authority and will therefore not be discussed. Second, it is argued that inasmuch as the county court in the order authorizing the partial occupation of the gravel road by the proposed railroad employed the following words: “provided that the same shall be in all respects so constructed and operated as to obstruct and interfere as little as possible with the use of the present road, as now constructed, subject to the rights and interests of the person or corporation who now or hereafter may own and operate said gravel or macadamized road,” that this was a recognition of the right of these appellants to the road and a disaffirmance by the county of rights therein. The wording of this order was no doubt predicated upon the then prevalent notion that the words “continued succession” contained in the acts of 1851 and 1852, supra, together with the decision of the Supreme Court in Fairchild v. Masonic Assn., supra, conferred upon the successive companies perpetual succession and rights in' the road and franchises. Whatever the notion was, the grant contained in the order of the county court was to build a railroad in the highway, and the county court,
Our conclusion is that' the case was well and carefully tried and the learned trial judge committed no error in decreeing perpetual injunction. The judgment will therefore be affirmed. It is so ordered.