Commonwealth v. Certain Intoxicating Liquors
Commonwealth v. Certain Intoxicating Liquors
Opinion of the Court
The motion to quash the proceedings was properly overruled. The place to be searched was the basement numbered 195£ Washington Street, in Boston, and the complaint and warrant describe it with sufficient particularity to identify it. The court correctly ruled that proof that it was under a shop numbered 197 Washington Street did not create a variance.
As to the liquors seized in the room under the sidewalk, it was for the jury to say whether such room was attached to the basement as a part of it. If it was, the liquors found there were rightly seized under the warrant.
In the case at bar, therefore, the claimant had the right to submit to the jury the question whether the liquors seized, and which were before the court for adjudication, were kept in the premises described in the complaint. Unless they were thus kept by him as alleged in the complaint, they were not liable to forfeiture under these proceedings.
We are of opinion, therefore, that the learned judge who presided at the trial erred in refusing to modify the issue for the jury as requested by the claimant, and in refusing to rule that the jury must be satisfied that the liquors were kept by the claimant in the premises described in the complaint. For this reason the Exceptions are sustained.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Commonwealth v. Certain Intoxicating Liquors, Simon S. Rankin
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published