Troup v. State
Troup v. State
Opinion of the Court
1. The only question raised and urged by counsel for the defendant in their brief on the general grounds is whether these transactions were cash transactions or credit
In order to constitute a sale of any kind there must be an agreement upon certain essentials; and, in order to constitute a cash sale, it must be understood between the parties that the sale is to be for cash; the agreement may be either express or implied from the circumstances of the transaction whether there be a direct statement to that effect or whether it be inferred from all the circumstances of the transaction that the sale was a cash sale. Hill v. Butler, Stevens & Co., 8 Ga. App. 669, 670 (70 S. E. 34). The auctioneer who conducted the public auction, at which there was competitive bidding, testified that the sales in question were for cash; that on the occasions referred to in the-three indictments under consideration, the defendant bought “them [the livestock] at auction. He did buy in the ring in competition with other buyers. . . Yes, sir, he bid with the other cash buyers in the same manner as they did. The auctioneer is not authorized to accept any bid other than a cash bid.” Mr. Perry, manager of the Farmers’ Livestock Auction Company testified that he was working in the ring, the arena in which the livestock is displayed, at the times here in question and that the sales of the cattle in question on the occasions in question were strictly for cash by the auctioneer, and the jury was authorized to so find. Thus the only question as to the character of the sales is whether any subsequent" stipulations or conditions changed the character of the sales from ones for cash to ones in which there entered as a part of the transactions, such an element of time as to make them credit sales instead of cash sales.
The jury was authorized to find that the defendant was the owner of a livestock auction business in Ocilla, Georgia, and
Code, Ann. Supp., § 5-9914, under which the indictments were drawn, provides: “Any person engaged, either on his own account or for others, in the business of buying cotton, corn, rice, crude turpentine, spirits of turpentine, rosin, pitch, tar, cattle, hogs, sheep, goats, horses, pecans, peaches, apples, watermelons, cantaloupes, and mules, or other products or chattels sold by planters and commission merchants on cash sale, who shall buy such articles on sale from a planter or commission merchant for cash, and shall fail or refuse to pay for, and shall make way with or dispose of the same before he shall have paid therefor, shall be imprisoned in the penitentiary for not less than one year nor more than five years.”
“The term ‘on sale . . for cash’ as stated in Code, § 5-9914, which makes it penal to .fail or refuse to pay for agricultural products, ‘is not confined to sales where the payment of actual money is to be made immediately, but includes all sales where it is expressly understood that the payment of actual money shall not be delayed for any longer period of time
We think the jury was authorized to find under the evidence that it was understood by both parties that the purchases of the livestock at such auction sales were for cash and while the physical possession of the livestock was to be delivered one day, and that, for the convenience of the defendant, the actual money was not to be paid immediately, but that it was understood that the payment of the actual money should not be delayed for any longer period of time than was necessary in the ordinary and usual course of business (Cornell v. State, supra); and, to find also that the seller (Farmers’ Livestock Auction Company) was
There was some evidence concerning a check dated March 27, 1950, which was Monday, six days after the sale on March 21, in the amount of $4122, and that this check was subsequently paid by the defendant’s bank, but the jury was authorized to find from the defendant’s statement and from the evidence, that this check of March 27, 1950, was not given for any of the livestock purchased on March 21, but was given for the payment of another check that the Farmers’ Livestock Auction Company held which had been given by the defendant to the company prior to March 21 and that prior check had been dishonored by the defendant’s bank, and that check did not constitute a payment for any of the. livestock purchased by the defendant on March 21, 1950; and, if the jury so found, this evidence would not change the situation with reference to the three transactions here in question.
There was also evidence that the defendant bought livestock at auction from Mr. Perry at a time when Mr. Perry was doing business for himself, and not as manager of the Farmers’ Livestock Auction Company, and that later when he became manager of the Farmers’ Livestock Auction Company, he sold “stuff” to the defendant nearly every week as manager of that company from the time he (Mr. Perry) started work for the company until the defendant failed to pay for the livestock purchased; that Mr. Perry had no authority to extend credit to purchasers at such sales made at auction for the company and that he did not to do so; but that he did allow the physical possession of the livestock to be surrendered to the defendant where it was understood that the payment of the actual money was not to be made immediately, but the payment of such actual money should not be delayed for any longer period of time than was necessary in the ordinary and usual course of business. There was evidence also that at one time, before the Farmers’ Livestock
The case of Hill v. Butler, Stevens & Co., 8 Ga. App. 669, supra, is the only Georgia case cited by counsel for the defendant on the general grounds and we think that when this case is read in its entirety, it is authority for what is here decided, rather than authority for the contention of the defendant.
From what has been said, it follows that the evidence authorized each of the verdicts of guilty.
2. In special ground 1 of the motion for a new trial error is assigned upon the following charge of the court: “I charge you further in this connection, now, gentlemen, that'the term ‘cash sale’ and ‘for cash’, as stated in the section of the Code that I have just read to you which makes it penal to fail or refuse to pay for agricultural products, is not confined to sale where the payment of actual money is to be made immediately, but includes all sales where it is expressly understood that the pay
3. The following portion of the court’s charge is material to a consideration of several of the following special grounds and in an effort to eliminate needless repetition, we shall set it out here and refer to it as the occasion arises: “Now, I charge you, gentlemen, in this case that any person engaged either on his own account or for others in the business of buying cotton, corn, rice, crude turpentine, spirits of turpentine, rosin, pitch, tar, cattle, hogs, sheep, goats, horses, pecans, peaches, apples, watermelons, cantaloupes, and mules, or other products or chattels sold by planters and commission merchants on cash sale, who shall buy such articles on sale from a planter or commission merchant for cash, and shall fail or refuse to pay for it, and shall make away with or dispose of the same before he shall have paid therefor, shall be imprisoned in the penitentiary for not less than one year nor more than five years.
“Now, gentlemen of the jury, I charge you further in this case that in order to convict the defendant it is necessary that the State prove, as I have said, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the defendant, as charged and alleged and set out in these indictments, did, as alleged and set 'out in the indictments, buy these cattle and hogs at a cash sale, and for cash; that he disposed of the cattle and hogs, and that he failed to pay therefor; and it is also necessary, gentlemen, for them to show that the cattle were delivered to him in Berrien County, Georgia, as alleged and set out in the bills of indictment.
“I charge you further, gentlemen, that in order to convict the defendant of buying cattle and hogs referred to in the indictments you must find that there was a sale; that the sale was for cash and not credit; and if you do find that the State has proved these facts beyond a reasonable doubt, then—I will withdraw
“I charge you further, gentlemen of the jury, that under the laws of Georgia, a man cannot be prosecuted or convicted criminally merely because he owes a debt. However, géntlemen, I charge you in that connection that if he purchased this property such as described in the bills of indictment, and you find, gentlemen, that he bought it at a cash sale, and for cash, and that he disposed of it without paying for it, and you believe that beyond a reasonable doubt, then I charge you, gentlemen of the jury, that it would not be a credit transaction, but would be a cash transaction, and the defendant, if you believe that beyond a reasonable doubt, would be guilty of a felony as charged and set out in the bills of indictment.
“On the other hand, gentlemen, if you do not believe, as I said to you, that it was on a cash sale, and for cash, and you do not believe that he disposed of the property before he paid for the same, or if there is a reasonable doubt in your minds as to that, of course, it would be your duty to acquit the defendant.
“I charge you further in this connection, now, gentlemen, that the term ‘cash sale’ and ‘for sale’ as stated in the section of the Code that I have just read to you which makes it penal to fail or refuse to pay for agricultural products, is not confined to sales where the payment of actual money is to be made immediately but includes all sales where it is expressly understood that the payment of actual money shall not be delayed for any longer period of time than is necessary in the ordinary and usual course of business.”
In special grounds 2 and 6 the following requests to charge were made and error is assigned upon the court’s refusal to so charge: (Special ground 2) “I charge you in order to convict the defendant you must find that Farmers’ Livestock Auction Company Inc. sold to the defendant the cattle and hogs referred to in the indictment with the understanding that the same would be paid for in cash at the time of delivery, and if you find there was any understanding or agreement that time would be given for defendant to pay for the same, then you should acquit the defendant and the form of your verdict would be, ‘We, the jury, find the
In Cornell v. State, supra, and in many other cases, this court has uniformly held that an understanding that the articles purchased would be paid for in cash at the time of the delivery was not necessary to make the sale a cash sale in the contemplation of the law. It follows, therefore, that since these requests to charge are not entirely correct statements of the law on the subject, the refusal of the trial court to give them in charge was not error. “Written requests to charge may be refused where they have been fully covered by the general charge, or where they are not pertinent to the case, or where they are not wholly correct in stating the law.” Loeb v. State, 6 Ga. App. 23 (3) (64 S. E. 338). Special grounds 2 and 6 are without merit, as these requests to charge were not wholly correct in stating the law with regard to cash sales as embodied in Code § 5-9914, under which the defendant was indicted. Alexander v. State, 66 Ga. App. 708, 713 (6) (19 S. E. 2d, 353).
4. In special grounds 3, 4, and 5, error is assigned upon the court’s refusal to give the following requests to charge: (Special ground 3) “I charge you, gentlemen of the jury, that if you find there was a sale of the cattle and hogs referred to in the indictment for which at the time said sale was made to the defendant credit was extended, then defendant would not be guilty of the crime charged in the indictment and you should acquit him.” (Special ground 4) “I charge you that under the Constitution of Georgia a man can not be prosecuted for debt, and the failure of a defendant to pay a debt would not authorize his conviction even if it should be for any of the products referred to and described in the bill of indictment, and the gist of the offense under investigation is whether or not there was a cash sale and whether or not the defendant failed to pay, and disposed of the products without paying for the same after buying the same
The court’s charge on the subjects contained in these requests has been set forth at the beginning of division 3 of this opinion. The court’s charge, as shown by that quotation, is more specific in its application of the law (as embodied in Code § 5-9914, under which the defendant was indicted) and the evidence in the case than, are the requests to charge. The court is not bound to charge in the exact language of a request, and a new trial will not be granted for refusing to charge as requested, when the charge given substantially covers the request. Brown v. State, 195 Ga. 430, 432 (24 S. E. 2d, 312), and citations. These grounds of the motion for a new trial disclose no reversible error.
5. In special ground 7, numbered VIII, error is assigned upon the following charge of the court: “I charge you further, gentlemen, that if you find -the defendant guilty, you would have a right, in either or all of the cases, to recommend to the court that the defendant be punished as for a misdemeanor. If you find the defendant guilty and recommend that he be punished as for a misdemeanor, then the court would impose sentence on the defendant as for a misdemeanor. And if you find the defendant guilty and desire, gentlemen, to recommend that he be punished as for a misdemeanor, the form of that kind of verdict would be, ‘We, the jury, find the defendant guilty, and fix his punishment at not less than (so many years) nor more than (so many years) ’ but simply add to your verdict, ‘and we recommend that he be punished as for a misdemeanor.’ ” To this ground of the motion for a new trial the trial court added the following notation: “The recital of facts contained in the foregoing amendment to and of the original motion for a new trial is hereby approved as true and correct, with the following correction as to ground VIII of the amended motion: In addition to the facts set forth in said amended motion, the court certifies as follows: That immediately after the completion of the charge to> the jury and the retirement of the jury to begin consideration of said case, the court of its own motion recalled the jury and
“A proper instruction to the jury may cure an improper one, where the correct one explains away the defect in the improper one; but when two instructions, one proper and the. other improper, are in direct conflict, a correct statement of the law in one does not cure the error in the other.” Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Co. v. Morgan, 35 App. D. C. 195. “Although an excerpt from a charge standing alone might seem to give an erroneous rule, yet if, taken with its context, it is clear that the correct rule was given, and that the jury were not likely to have been misled, no new trial should be granted. Material error will cause a new trial; but substantial correctness, rather than mathematical accuracy, is required of the trial judge in instructing the jury.” Sutton v. Ford, 144 Ga. 587, 591 (87 S. E. 799). If we concede the rale of law, that contradictory instructions raise a prima facie presumption of error, we do not think the principle applicable here. Doubtless the reason for the presumption is that the jury is confused rather than enlightened, and is as liable to follow the wrong instruction as the right one; but the instructions here do not seem to be contradictory. On the contrary, the last instruction instead of contradicting the first, was intended to explain the first, and the two should be read and considered together as virtually one instruction. Gray v. Washington Water Power Co., 30 Wash. 665 (71 Pac. 206); Lake Erie & W. R. Co. v. Douglas, 71 Ind. App. 567 (125 N. E.
The trial court did not err in overruling the motions for new trials for any of the reasons assigned.
Pursuant to the act of the General Assembly approved March 8, 1945 (Ga. L. 1945, p. 232; Code, Ann. Supp., § 24-3501), requiring that the whole court consider any case in which one of the judges of a division dissents, this case was considered and decided by the court as a whole.
Judgment affirmed.
Dissenting Opinion
dissenting. The evidence is undisputed that W. D. Perry, agent of Farmers’ Livestock Auction Co. Inc. had formerly engaged in the business of selling livestock on his own behalf; that he sold to this defendant under much the same circumstances as he made the sales to the defendant now under consideration; that in this manner the defendant became indebted to W. D. Perry in the sum of $15,000 or $20,000, which sum was paid up prior to any of the transactions here under consideration; that on March 27, 1950, six days after the sale of March 21, the defendant paid by check in the sum of $4,122.90, which check was subsequently paid by the defendant’s bank, for livestock which W. D. Perry, as agent of the Farmers’ Livestock Auction Co. Inc. had sold to the defendant on March 7 and 14, fourteen and seven days respectively before the transaction involved in the first indictment, and for which payment was not made until thirteen or twenty days after the livestock was delivered to the defendant; that on March 21, 1950, at a time when the defendant was already indebted to the auction company in the sum of $4122.90, the sale involved in the first indictment in which the defendant incurred an additional indebtedness of $2976.61 was consummated, making a total indebtedness on this date of $7099.51; that the payment of March 27 reduced this indebtedness to $2976.61, but on March 28, the day following this pay
A cash sale as contemplated under the provisions of Code § 5-9914, under which the indictments were drawn) is defined in Cornell v. State, 64 Ga. App. 202 (1) in which Gardner, J., dissented, and based on Skinner v. Hillis, 25 Ga. App. 711, as follows: “ ‘[it] includes all sales where it is expressly understood that the payment of actual money shall not be delayed for any longer period of time than is necessary, in the ordinary and usual course of business.’ ” And in Hill v. Butler, Stevens & Co., 8 Ga. App. 669, 672, it is held as follows: “It has several times been held that although time is required in order to procure the actual money in which the payment is to be made, the transaction would still be construed to be a cash sale, or a sale for cash, if this was the understanding of the parties; and on the other hand, if there was no understanding on the part of the parties as to the terms of the sale, the transaction has been held to be on credit, though only a brief time was to elapse between delivery and payment.”
Since the rule laid down in the Cornell case is less favorable to the defendant than that in the Hill case, it will be treated here as the prevailing rule of law in this State with reference to the proper construction of Code § 5-9914, supra. So viewed, the evidence demands a finding that in the ordinary and usual course of business the livestock was invoiced on the premises at the time
I am authorized to say that Felton, J., joins me in this dissent.
070rehearing
On motion for rehearing.
The defendant in one ground of his motion for a rehearing, relative to his contention that the evidence did not authorize the verdict, states that we have overlooked the testimony of witnesses on cross-examination and the inconsistencies and self-contradictions of certain witnesses. “ ‘A jury in arriving at a conclusion upon disputed issues of fact may believe a part of the testimony of a witness or witnesses, and reject another part theref, it being their duty to ascertain the truth of the case from the opinion they entertain of all the evidence submitted for their consideration.’ (citing)—the jury could reject such testimony of these witnesses delivered under their cross-examination, and accept the testimony of such witnesses delivered under their direct examination, and could consider such testimony along with the circumstantial evidence, and if they did so, would be authorized to find the defendants guilty.” Peeler v. State, 83 Ga. App. 102, 105 (62 S. E. 2d, 750). It seems to us that the defendant in his motion for a rehearing ignored or overlooked the rule that jurors are the sole judges of the credibility of witnesses, and that the jury may select what parts or part of the evidence they will in arriving at a conclusion upon disputed
This and all other matters in the motion having been considered, the motion for rehearing is denied.
Rehearing denied.
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