State v. Intoxicating Liquors
State v. Intoxicating Liquors
Opinion of the Court
Ón May 29, 1913, eleven barrels containing intoxicating liquors and three barrels containing “Allwanta” beer arrived in Eastport via Eastern Steamship Company from Boston. The eleven barrels were marked by tag “Louis Calder, Campobello, N. B.,” the three barrels of beer, “Michael J. Kerwin, Eastport, Maine.” All fourteen were marked with the letter “K” surrounded by a diamond. On June 5, 1913, the claimant, the owner of the boat “Alice M,” accompanied by the consignee, Louis Calder, took the eleven barrels from the Eastern Steamship Company wharf, loaded them into his boat and sailed away for Campobello, an island belonging to the province of New Brunswick and three miles distant from Eastport. Calder, whose home was in Campobello, accompanied him. On reaching Campobello Calder landed, but Cook returned with the liquors to Eastport, moored his boat nearly opposite his own house and went home to supper. While there, an officer seized the eleven barrels, and removed them from the boat, obtained a warrant next morning,, and libelled them. At the hearing in the lower Court Cook appeared as claimant, but the liquors were ordered forfeited, and after appeal the case was brought to the Law Court on report.
It is necessary to consider only two questions, were the liquors intended for illegal sale within this State, and was the claimant entitled to their custody? State v. Intoxicating Liquors, 112 Maine, 138.
The claimant, Cook, not only filed his claim, but appeared and testified in the case. He states that he was employed by Calder to transport these liquors to Campobello, that he started for that purpose, that on arriving at the island they found low water and could not land the liquors until the tide was up, and Calder told him to go back home for supper and return to Campobello on flood tide: This he proceeded to do, but the liquors were seized before he could return and complete his contract.
The second point is also established by the claimant. He had the liquors in his possession to be transported to Campobello. He was a bailee for hire and as such, like a common carrier, he had a special title which gave him a legal right to the custody as against one having no right. State v. Intoxicating Liquors, 83 Maine, 158.
The entry must be,
Claim, sustained; order to issue for the return of the liquors seized, to the claimant.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- State v. Intoxicating Liquors and Ambrose H. Cook
- Status
- Published