Washington v. State
Washington v. State
Opinion of the Court
I. There are two grounds of error assigned to the judgment of the Court below in this case. First, that the County-Court, before which the defendant was tried, for having and carrying about his person a pistol concealed, in violation of the 4413th section of the Code, committed error in ruling out the evidence of Samuel Polfus and others, “that the defendant always had, and did on the day charged, carry his pistol openly and fully exposed to view, and that if it was concealed at any time, it was not intentional.” The offence consists in having or carrying about the person a concealed weapon. Did the defendant have the pistol upon his person concealed at the time charged ? The evidence shows that the defendant had a quarrel in Dr. Paris’ dining-room at the time he is charged with having the pistol concealed, and the question was, whether it was concealed upon his person at that time, within the true intent and meaning of the statute, not whether he was in the habit of carrying it openly exposed to view at other times. Was the pistol intentionally concealed upon his person at the time charged ? This question must be answered by the facts proved at that time, by the witnesses who saw them, and not by the general habits of the defendant in carrying his pistol at other times. There was no error in the rejection of the testimony offered.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- George Washington, (negro,) in error v. The State of Georgia, in error
- Status
- Published