W. G. H. ROBERTS, APPELLANT,
v.
CYPRESS LAKE NAVAL STORES COMPANY, ET AL., APPELLEES

Fla. | 1909-06-01
Whitfield, C. J., and Cockrell, J., concur., Taylor, Hocker and Parkhill, JJ., concur in the opinion.
58 Fla. 514 Florida Supreme Court (1909) Positive Treatment
Cited by 12 cases

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Synopsis

This case concerns whether a foreman or superintendent performing labor at a distillery is entitled to a lien for that labor under Florida law. The appellate court reversed the lower court's decision to sustain the demurrer in part, finding that a demurrer to the entire bill should have been overruled if any part of the relief sought was valid.


Holding

No, a demurrer to the whole bill should be overruled if the complainant is entitled to any part of the relief sought. Therefore, the lower court erred in sustaining the demurrer in part.


Key Quotes

“Third, because said service alleged to have been performed by the complainant as alleged in his bill of complaint, were not the services of a laborer, but as alleged in said bill of complaint, were services performed as foreman or superintendent of other laborers, and are not such services as would create a lien in behalf of the person, performing same under the laws of the State of Florida.”

This quote states the primary ground for the demurrer, which the appellate court ultimately found to be improperly sustained in part.

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Facts & Procedural History

The appellant filed a bill in chancery seeking to enforce a lien for labor performed at a turpentine distillery. The appellees demurred to the bill, a…

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Opinion of the Court
Shackleford, J.

Shackleford, J.

The appellant filed a bill in chancery against the appellees wherein he sought to enforce a lien for labor alleged to have been performed by him for some of the appellees by subjecting to sale the turpentine distillery, fixtures and appurtenances of the appellees together with the tract of land upon which such property was situated. The appellees interposed a demurrer to the bill consisting of several grounds, but it is necessary to consider only the third ground thereof, which is as follows:

“Third, because said service alleged to have been performed by the complainant as alleged in his bill of complaint, were not the services of a laborer, but as alleged in said bill of complaint, were services performed as foreman or superintendent of other laborers, and are not such services as would create a lien in behalf of the person, performing same under the laws of the State of Florida.” Upon this demurrer the court made the following order:
“This cause was brought on for hearing upon the demurrer of the defendants to the bill of complain t and was argued by solicitors for both parties and upon consideration thereof, the court being advised in the premises, it is ordered that grounds 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, of said demurrer be overruled. It is further ordered that ground 3rd of said demurrer be sustained as to all parts of said labor claimed to have been performed except such as is claimed to have been performed, ‘in keeping check of rosin brought in from the woods to said distillery and of distilled turpentine and manufactured naval stores sent away therefrom to the market.’ * * * * * * * * * * ‘and doing other and general work as directed in and around and about the work of the said distillery as directed by said employers.’ And overruled as to such excepted parts of said bill. Done and ordered, this 15th day of July, 1909.”

This is the order from which the appellant has entered his appeal to this court.

The portion of the bill containing the allegations concerning the performance of the labor for which the alleged lien is claimed is as follows:

“That in the conducting of the said business, the said company had your orator employed as a laborer, and that beginning on the 28th day of April, 1908, and continuing to the 31st day of December, 1908, and covering the whole period between the said dates the said employment of your said orator with the said company and said labor performed for them continued; that under his said employment for the said business, your orator gave his whole time as such labor at the agreed wages of $40 per month; that his labor consisting of the general work and labor of said turpentine distillery, such as riding the woods, looking after the employees by the said company, in chipping boxes, scraping trees, keeping said hands or em ployees supplied with, barrels and other materials to enable them to keep at work in chipping such timber and gathering crude turpentine to be distilled at the said distillery, keeping check of rosin brought in from the woods to said distillery, and of distilled turpentine and manufactured naval stores sent away therefrom to the market, working in the commissary kept at the said distillery, and doing other and general work as directed in and around and about the work of the sqid distillery as directed by his said employers.”

The appellant bases his lien upon Section 2191 of the General Statutes of Florida, which reads as follows:

“2191. (1727.) For labor on railroads, telegraphs, etc. In favor of any person performing by himself or others any labor upon any railroad, canal, telegraph or telephone line, wharf, mill, distillery or other manufactory, whether in the construction, operation or repair thereof; upon such line, wharf, mill, distillery or other manufactory, any and all franchises, machinery and equipments connected therewith or thereon and on the land upon which they stand.”

The demurrer was interposed to the whole bill. In the order thereon, which we have copied above, it was held and, we think, properly, that the complainant was entitled to a part at least of the relief prayed. This being true, the whole demurrer should have been overruled, since a demurrer to the whole bill is bad, where the complainant is entitled to any part of the relief sought. See Durham v. Stephenson, 41 Fla. 112, 25 South. Rep. 284; Futch v. Adams, 47 Fla. 257, 36 South. Rep. 575; Lindsley v. McIver, 51 Fla. 463, 40 South. Rep. 619; 6 Ency. of Pl. & Pr. 418, and authorities cited in notes. It necessarily follows that the interlocutory order appealed from must be reversed and the case remanded with directions to overrule the demurrer. Haying reached this conclusion, we do not feel called upon to attempt any construction of the Statute upon which the alleged lien is based. The extent of such lien and the property subject thereto must necessarily rest largely upon the facts and circumstances of each particular case.

Interlocutory order reversed.

Whitfield, C. J., and Cockrell, J., concur. Taylor, Hocker and Parkhill, JJ., concur in the opinion.


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Citator

Cited By

  • …ohnson v. McKinnon, 45 Fla. 388, 34 South. Rep. 272; Hull v. Burr, 58 Fla. 432, 50 South. Rep. 754; Futch v. [*480] Adams, 47 Fla. 257, 36 South Rep. 575; Lindsley v. McIver, 51 Fla. 463, 40 South. Rep. 619; Roberts v. Cypress Lake Naval Stores Co., 58 Fla. 514, 50 South Rep. 678; Holt v. Hillman-Sutherland Co., 56 Fla. 801, 47 South. Rep. 934; City of Orlando v. Equitable Building & Loan Ass’n. 45 Fla. 507, 33 South Rep. 986. The complainant in this bill when she became the purchaser of the mortgaged pro…
  • City of Miami a Mun. Corp. v. Shutts, 59 Fla. 462 (Fla. 1910)
    …e overruled if the bill makes any case for equitable relief. Lindsley v. McIver, 51 Fla. 463, 40 South. Rep. 619, and authorities there cited; Holt v. Hillman-Sutherland Co., 56 Fla. 801, 47 South. Rep. 934; Roberts v. Cypress Lake Naval Stores Co., 58 Fla. 514, 50 South. Rep. 678. In Collins v. State, 33 Fla. 429, 15 South. Rep. we held: “Deposits by the customers or clients of a commercial bank therewith are of two classes, viz: special or specific, and general. When the identical money or other thing de…
  • Louisa Porter v. Taylor, 64 Fla. 100 (Fla. 1912)
    …52. A bill in equity should not be dismissed if the allegations of the bill state any case for equitable relief. See Futch v. Adams Bros., 47 Fla. 257, 36 South. Rep. 575; Thompson v. Maxwell, 16 Fla. 773; Roberts v. Cypress Lake Navals Stores Co., 58 Fla. 514, 50 South. Rep, 678. Under the Constitution and laws of Florida a married woman who has not been declared a free dealer as authorized by statute, cannot become a member of a partnership so as to make herself liable personally for the partnership de…

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