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81 Ark. 314

Cooper v. DeVall

Supreme Court of Arkansas

Decided December 17, 1906

Supreme Court of Arkansas · decided 1906-12-17

E. DeVall sued Cooper Bros., the Little Rock & Hot Springs Western Railroad Company, and George R. Belding, as mayor of Hot Springs, alleging that plaintiff and defendants Cooper Bros, were engaged in the livery and transfer business at Hot Springs and in hauling passengers to and from defendant’s depot; that the railroad company entered into an agreement with the Coopers whereby they obtained the exclusive right to approach the depot at a certain ’ point and to solicit…

reversed and dismissed · Decided 1906-12-17

Hill, C. J.

¶1The Reporter will state the facts, and it will be seen therefrom that this suit is an effort by one hackman to prevent by injunction a rival hackman from alleged preferential stational facilities. The contention of appellee is that the law as thus stated controls the rights of this hackman, towit: “By the weight of authority in this country, a railroad company can not legally give to one hack and omnibus company the right to the use and occupancy of a portion of its depot grounds, to the exclusion of, others engaged in the like business of the carriage of freight .and passengers from its depot.” 1 Fetter on Carriers of Passengers, § 245.

¶2Concede that this is a sound principle and applicable to the facts, oand it is at once apparent that an injunction will not lie. The gravámen of the complaint and the evidence under it is that the railroad company has given Cooper a preference which he was not entitled to under the law as thus stated, and that it unlawfully discriminated in favor of Cooper and against him, DeVall, to his damage, for which judgment was prayed as well as injunctive relief to prevent further damage. If Devall had a case under the law and facts, it was a plain and simple suit at law for damages against a public carrier for denying him equal privilege with a rival hackman.

¶3The common law and the statutes cover such actions completely, and there was 'no allegation of the insolvency of the railroad company preventing the adequacy of his legal remedy or any other showing of cause for equitable jurisdiction, or relief.

¶4If appellee’s facts entitled him to anything, it was to a judgment for damages; and as this was not brought in a law court, and is not an appeal therefrom, it would be obiter to discuss whether -he has a suit at law. Certainly he has no cause for an injunction.

¶5Reversed and dismissed.

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