State v. Woodland
State v. Woodland
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the court was delivered by
The appellant was arrested under a warrant issued upon an information filed in the district court of Montgomery county which charged him with maintaining a common nuisance in violation of section 4387 of the General Statutes of 1909. It was charged that the nuisance was maintained in “a certain four-wheeled transfer wagon located on Maple street (in Coifeyville, Montgomery county, Kansas), between the Missouri Pacific Railway Company’s right of way and 14th street.” The defendant was arrested on a warrant and a quantity of liquor was seized thereunder. Notice was given and a hearing had under the provisions of section 4391 of the General Statutes of 1909. The appellant appeared and filed his verified answer, in which he alleged, in substance, that the barrels and cases of beer in question were by him, at South Coifey-ville, Okla., ordered from a brewing company at Milwaukee, Wis., that said brewing company shipped the same by interstate commerce from Milwaukee to the appellant at Coifeyville, Kansas, from which point it was- his intention to transfer the beer from the car, in which it was shipped, by wagons and drays across the
Several objections are urged to the introduction of evidence and other trial errors on the hearing which it is unnecessary to consider. Upon the hearing the court, in its opinion and judgment, made an extended finding of the facts of the case, among which are the following:
“(2) That the said Geo. Woodland, was not engaged in the sale of intoxicating liquors in the State of Kansas nor maintaining a common nuisance in violation of the prohibitory liquor laws of Kansas, but intended and was attempting to transport the said intoxicating liquors from Coffeyville, Kansas,.to his place of business at South Coffeyville, in the State of Oklahoma, with a view of there disposing of the same unlawfully in violation of the laws of the State of Oklahoma.”
Thereupon the court decided:
“(7) That the defendant is not entitled to any protection or relief from this court in the furtherance of his unlawful business; that the intoxicating liquors herein seized and complained of are not entitled to the protection of the court, and that the defendant has no property rights therein entitled to the consideration and protection of this court.”
The statute, providing what judgment should be rendered in such a hearing, reads as follows:
“If the court shall find that said intoxicating liquors or other property, or any part thereof, were at the time the complaint or information was filed being used in maintaining a common nuisance, he shall adjudge forfeited so much thereof as he shall find was being so used, and he shall order the officer in whose custody it is to publicly destroy the same; so much of said intoxicating liquor or other property as the court shall not find to have been used in maintaining a common nuisance he shall order returned by the officer in whose custody it is to the place, as nearly as may be, from which it was taken, or delivered to the person establishing his claim to the same.” (Gen. Stat. 1909, § 4392.)
However commendable, from a moral standpoint, the judgment of the court may be in assisting to maintain the laws of the United States and of the sister state, the section of our statutes above quoted compels, under the findings of the court, the discharge and return of the liquors to the appellant.
The judgment is'reversed and the case is remanded with instructions to render judgment in favor of the appellant as provided by the statute, and to enter of record an order in accordance with the judgment.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- The State of Kansas v. George Woodland
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- SYLLABUS BY THE COURT. Disposition — Of Liquors Wrongfully Seized Under Prohibitory Law. In a hearing under the provisions of section 4391 of the General Statutes of 1909 to determine what disposition should be made of the intoxicating liquors or other property seized under a warrant issued in a criminal action for maintaining a common nuisance in violation of the prohibitory liquor law, if the court shall find that any portion or all of such liquors or property were not used in maintaining a common nuisance in the county where the action is brought, it is the duty of the court to order the liquors or property not so used to be returned to the place from which they were taken or -delivered to the person establishing his claim to the same, as provided in section 4392 of the General Statutes of 1909.