Taylor v. Town of Wake Forest

• Decision Date: 10 December 1947
• Docket Number: 457
• Parties: TAYLOR et al. v. TOWN OF WAKE FOREST et al.
• Court: North Carolina Supreme Court

45 S.E.2d 387

228 N.C. 346

TAYLOR et al. v. TOWN OF WAKE FOREST et al.

No. 457

Supreme Court of North Carolina

December 10, 1947

Proceeding under North Carolina Workmen's Compensation Act to determine liability of defendant to claimant.

Before the Hearing Commissioner, Chairman T. A. Wilson, the Town of Wake Forest, self-insurer, and Board of Commissioners of Wake County, and its insurance carrier, each having denied liability, evidence was offered through witnesses called by claimant, and admissions were made by claimant and by respondents, substantially as follows:

John L Taylor, claimant's intestate, came to his death instantly on the night of 30 May, 1944, between the hours of seven and eight o'clock nearer eight than seven, from a gunshot wound administered by a person whom he was trying to arrest at a point more than one mile from limits of the Town of Wake Forest, but within the limits of Wake Forest Township. At the time of his death, and for several years prior thereto John L. Taylor was a duly elected constable of Wake Forest Township.

On Easter Monday, 10, April, 1944, the Board of Commissioners of the Town of Wake Forest met in special session to discuss the question of, and to take steps thought necessary to insure better law enforcement in the town. Prior thereto, two men of bad reputation, and with bad public records, had been coming down into the business section of the Town of Wake Forest, 'about three or four blocks long' and causing a great deal of trouble--a shot fired at one time, supposedly by one of them, and a fight in which the other took part, at another. All the trouble had taken place at night 'desperado style.' To get this situation in hand, and to stop 'these fights and this misbehavior,' the Board of Commissioners authorized Mayor Holding to employ a special officer to be present in the business section of the town at night. After the meeting the mayor went to see John L. Taylor. As to this the mayor testified: 'I * * * went to see Mr. Taylor, who was already a Township constable, and asked if he would serve in this capacity as a special officer to be in the business section at nights and on week ends to help keep order. ' Taylor said he was engaged in the plumbing business and he couldn't accept any police employment that would interfere with his work--said he often worked until 9 or 10 o'clock at night. However, it was then agreed that after he had finished his business, and had his supper, 8 or 9 o'clock, he would come on duty and stay until 11:30 or 12 o'clock, or as long as there was any disturbance. But if his plumbing business interfered, and he came on duty later, that would be all right with the Town. Taylor said he wasn't demanding any salary for the work. The mayor told him that 'we could not expect him to give up his time in helping us without some compensation,' and asked if $20 per week would be acceptable and 'he said, 'Perfectly.' ' 'His services were limited to the business section. ' He accepted the appointment upon condition that it not be known, saying he could be more effective in his work. It was his idea. The mayor had no objection.

Taylor took no oath of office as a special policeman or as a Town officer. 'He was already qualified as constable to do the work in the rest of the Township. ' And he started to work on next day or so, possibly on the 11th, and, on 30 May, 1944, was 'still employed' in the capacity described by the mayor.

The Town had a regular day policeman, Chief George R. Mitchell, who worked until bedtime each night, and a night policeman, W. O. Knuckles, who came on duty at 7 o'clock and worked all night, and they did not know that Taylor was on the Town's pay roll. He wore no uniform. Pay checks for his weekly salary carried stubs on which was written, among other things, 'For services as special officer.'

On night of 30 May, 1944, the night policeman, W. O. Knuckles, received a message between 7 and 8 o'clock, that an officer was wanted down about a mile from the town limits of Wake Forest, where a Negro man had taken a Negro girl off in the woods and a shot had been heard and it was feared the man had killed her. Chief Mitchell, the day policeman, having gone to supper, Knuckles who knew that Taylor was a constable, inquired as to the whereabouts of Taylor, and found him at work 'doing some plumbing' at a cafe on Main Street in the town. Knuckles asked Taylor, using his words, 'to come with me,' and Taylor said that 'as quick as he got up his tools he'd be glad to go with' Knuckles, and he did in 'ten minutes.' They went down to the scene from whence the report came, and in a short time Taylor was shot, and died there.

Knuckles knew that Taylor had been a constable for three or four years, and during that period of time, and while Knuckles was policeman, it was his usual custom when he had a call and couldn't get any other policeman, he would 'go by' or wherever he saw Taylor, and, quoting Knuckles, 'I'd ask him to go with me and he always went. ' And on this night, Knuckles said, 'I went down and told him the report I had and he said, 'I'll go as quick as I get my plumbing tools up.' He went back in the place and got them up and put them in his car and locked the door and went in my car.'

The charter of the Town of Wake Forest, PLL 1937, Chap. 550, Sec. 8, provides: 'That the police officers of the said Town of Wake Forest shall within the corporate limits thereof and also within Wake Forest Township, Barton's Creek Township, and New Light Township, Wake County, have and exercise all the authority, rights, and powers which are now or may hereafter be conferred by law on constables.' Neither of the respondents offered any evidence--except the Board of Commissioners of Wake County, by consent of all parties, offered a certificate of its chairman to the effect that John L. Taylor was not during the year 1944, and at the time of his death on the pay roll of Wake County, or any of its departments, and that he did not draw any compensation or remuneration from Wake County.

The Hearing Commissioner thereafter filed an opinion in which he set forth Findings of Fact, among others: '1. That the claimant's deceased, John L. Taylor, sustained an injury by accident arising out of and in the course of his employment as special office for the Town of Wake Forest and as constable of Wake Forest Township between 7:00 and 8:00 o'clock P. M. on the night of May 30, 1944, when he was shot; that the gunshot wound was administered by a person whom Taylor was trying to arrest at the time; and that the gunshot wound was the proximate cause of his immediate death. * * * 4. That at the time of the shooting the deceased, John L. Taylor, was acting in a dual capacity as constable of Wake Forest Township and special officer for the Town of Wake Forest. 5. That as constable searching for and attempting to arrest the law violator, Taylor was not acting in a 'purely administrative' capacity. ' And thereupon the Hearing Commissioner stated Conclusions of Law, and made an award against all defendants.

Thereupon defendants appeal to Full Commission. And, after hearing, the Full Commission ratified and affirmed the Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and award by the Hearing Commissioner. However, Commissioner Kimzey dissented as to award against the County Board. And upon appeal to Superior Court the Judge Presiding, being of opinion that there is sufficient evidence upon the record to support the award against defendant Town of Wake Forest, but that there is not sufficient evidence upon the record to support the award against defendant, Board of Commissioners of Wake County, and its insurance carrier, entered judgment accordingly.

Both plaintiff and Town of Wake Forest gave notice of appeal therefrom to Supreme Court. Town of Wake Forest perfected...