Willard v. Henig
Willard v. Henig
Opinion of the Court
Appeal from a judgment of the district court for Lancaster county denying the relator a writ of habeas corpus.
It appears that on or about the 12th day of June, 1912. one J. P. Bland filed a complaint in due form before Charles Humphrey, a justice of the peace in and for
It is conceded that bat two questions are presented by the record for our determination: First, is the relator substantially charged with an offense against the laws of the state of Michigan? Second, is he a fugitive from the justice of that state?
Concerning the first of these questions, it ii? not contended that the complaint filed before the justice of the peace in Lenawee county, Michigan, is insufficient in form to charge the relator with the crime of embezzlement. No attack is made upon the form or sufficiency of the warrant issued by the justice of the peace upon that cum
Again, this question was first passed upon by the governor of the state of Michigan, who had before him the record of the judicial acts on which the warrant for. relator’s arrest was issued, and the statute of his state pertaining to and defining the crime of embezzlement. That statute, duly exemplified, appears in evidence in the bill of exceptions. It differs materially from the ordinary statutes of embezzlement found in most of the states. It makes it a crime to convert to one’s own use, not only property and money belonging to another, but also money or property “which is partly the property of another and partly the property of an officer, agent, clerk, servant, attorney at law, collector,” etc. The complaint charges, in substance, that William A. Maynard, in the county of Lenawee, in state of Michigan, being the agent, clerk, servant and employee of John P. Bland, did then and there take into his possession and receive the sum of $98 by virtue of his employment as such agent, clerk, servant and employee, said money being the property of said
Upon this showing it is argued that the relator was not guilty of the crime of embezzlement with which he was charged. It may be conceded that the relator’s act would not constitute the crime of embezzlement in this state; but the provisions of the criminal law of the state of Michigan found in this record are entirely different
Finally, it is contended that the relator is not a fugitive from justice. The testimony discloses that the public prosecutor of Lenawee county, in the state of Michigan, was acquainted with the relator personally; that he talked with him a number of times in' the city of Adrian, Michigan, during the months of April and May, 1912; that he knew relator was conducting a collection business there, and was informed and believed that relator upon leaving Adrian came to Lincoln, Nebraska, and engaged in the collection business similar to that conducted at Adrian, under the name of Charles W. Willard. The respondent Henig testified that he made diligent search for the relator, beginning about the 27th day of May, 1912, and continuing to the 17th of October of that year, when he located relator under the name of Charles W. Willard at Lincoln, Nebraska. It appears beyond question that the relator was a resident of the city of Adrian, in the state of Michigan, at the time of the commission of the offense with which he is charged. The testimony discloses that he left that city on or about the 26th day of May, 1912, stating that he Avas going to Buffalo for the purpose of bringing his household goods to Adrian; that, instead of -going to Buffalo, he went to the city of Detroit. He admits that he there assumed the name of Wilson, and gave as a reason therefor that his wife’s people were seeking him in order to procure his arrest for not supporting her. He admitted that he had communicated with his
From the testimony contained in the record, the conclusion is irresistible that when the relator left the city of Adrian he never intended to return; that he changed his name when in the city of Detroit, and there assumed the name of Wilson; that he fled from there to the state of Nebraska, and again changed his name to that of Charles W. Willard. After reading the entire record, we are of opinion that the district court of Lancaster county was justified in finding that the relator is a fugitive from the justice of the state of Michigan. Dennison v. Christian, 72 Neb. 703.
The trial judge having correctly resolved both of the questions presented by this record against the relator, and having properly refused to release him by the writ of habeas corpus, the judgment of the district court is
Affirmed.
Dissenting Opinion
dissenting.
My sense of duty compels me to record a dissent from the majority opinion. The government is to protect the people in the enjoyment of their homes, their liberty, and their lives, and they should not be disturbed in such enjoyment because of criminal proceedings commenced against them in a foreign state, unless such enjoyment has been forfeited by a clear violation of written law, and
In the view that I take of this case, the petitioner entered into a contract with one Hr. Bland for the attempted collection of a lot of doctor bills, and the contract provides for mutual *accounts between the petitioner and Bland; that is, if the debtor paid an account to Bland, then Bland was to be indebted to the petitioner in the sum of 25 per cent, of the amount paid, and, if the petitioner collected a claim, he was to give 75 per cent, of it to Bland, and quarterly settlements were to be made between them, the contract looking to a final settlement at the end of one year. There was no guilt on the part of
Two affidavits by Bland were filed before the justice of the peace who issued the warrant. The first affidavit contains a formal charge of embezzlement without the details, and the other affidavit proceeds in detail to set up the facts which constitute the alleged offense. One of these affidavits charges the indebtedness of the relator on information and belief. Of course, the charge against the accused is no stronger than its weakest statement, and, if the weakest statement is on information and belief, then the whole charge stands on information and belief, and the result is that a man is arrested and taken away from his family and prosecuted when the charge against him is on information and belief. The affidavit setting forth the details recites that the accused entered into a contract with the complainant under the name of the “Mercantile Law Company,” and said he had a peculiar system of collecting; that he made personal calls on all debtors; that he would take statements of accounts and collect the same on a commission basis; that “he represented that he would take the accounts and collect the money due from the debtors and settle with me for all amounts collected on a certain date.” The affidavit then sets up the fact that the petitioner “was to collect as many of said accounts as possible for me, and that he was to retain 25 per cent, of the amount collected for his work; that 75 per cent, of the amount collected was to be held by him, as my agent, for a period of 90 days from the date the contract was entered into; * * * that this contract last mentioned was entered into on or about February 19,
“This agreement witnesseth: That J. P. Bland of Adrian, Mich., has become a subscriber to' Mercantile Law Co., of Cleveland, Ohio, and that said subscriber is entitled to the benefits herein set forth for the term of one year from above date. Mercantile Law Co. obligates itself to give prompt attention to all claims placed in its hands for collection and adjustment by said subscriber, and also agrees to apply such legal redress which will enforce collections. The subscriber hereby authorizes Mercantile Law Co. to commence actions at its discretion in the several courts of this state or of any other state on any of the claims placed in its hands, and agrees that, 'if such action be brought, he will in no manner interfere with the same, or cause the action to be discontinued until the case has been prosecuted to judgment, unless the consent of Mercantile Law Co. can be obtained. In consideration of the aforesaid services, J. P. Bland of Adrian, Mich., agrees to report to Mercantile Law Co. as soon as collected all payments received on claims filed for collection and to pay to said Mercantile Law Co. at once a commission of 25 per cent, on all collections and settlements made on the accounts placed in its hands, whether the money is paid by the debtor to Mercantile Law Co. or to the subscriber. It is mutually agreed that this contract shall remain in force for a period of one year from the above date, and that Mercantile Law Co. shall be entitled to its*309 commission on all claims settled by either party hereto, within the life of this contract. It is further agreed by Mercantile Law Co. that it shall make settlement for all moneys belonging to the subscriber once every 90 days from the date hereof. It is mutually agreed and understood by both parties herein -mentioned, that payment of the aforesaid commissions upon all collections and settlements shall constitute the full amount of liability of the subscriber.”
It will be observed that the liability in this case is based upon a contract of (1) doubtful meaning, (2) uncertain “information and belief.” If the mere charge against the relator in a case of this kind is sufficient to enable him to be taken from his home to a foreign state there to be prosecuted, then liberty is not very secure in Nebraska. It is not the name by which an alleged criminal act is called that determines whether the thing done is done in violation of the law; it is the act done. It is unreasonable to suppose that the laws of-Michigan provide for the punishment of a collector who is not in default under a contract which he has made with his client or customer. To the writer it is time enough for Dr. Bland to insist upon his warrant for extradition when he has' demonstrated the fact under his doubtful contract that the relator owes him. The contract might receive one construction in Nebraska and another in Michigan. Dr. Bland became a subscriber to the “Mercantile Law Company,” and was “entitled to the benefits” set forth in the agreement “for the term of one year” from February 19, 1912, the date of the agreement. The second paragraph obligates the “Mercantile Law Company” to give prompt attention and adjustment by said subscriber, “and-also agrees to apply such legal redress which (as) will enforce collections.” The next paragraph authorizes the law company to commence actions in the courts of the state or of any other state, and obligates the doctor not to interfere with the same. The next paragragh provides the terms of compensation, and that the contract shall remain in force for the period of
Something of an examination of the embezzlement cases in Michigan shows that the relator should not be convicted. People v. Wadsworth, 63 Mich. 500. In the foregoing case funds were deposited in a bank that belonged to the city treasurer. They were put in there as ordinary deposits, and it was held that the banker was not guilty of embezzlement. See, also, 3 Howell, Ann. St. (Mich.) sec. 9263a, making it a felony for a public official to appropriate to his own use moneys received in his official capacity, and section 9263c, making the failure to pay over to his successor all moneys and property collected prima facie evidence of the offense. In this case it was held that' the accused might rebut a prima facie case made under the statute by proving that moneys were in fact
The law under which the relator is prosecuted reads: “Section 55. If any officer, agent, clerk, or servant of any-incorporated company, foreign or domestic, or if any clerk, agent, or servant of any private person, or of any co-partnership, except apprentices and other persons under age of sixteen years, or if any attorney at law, collector, or other person, who, in any manner, receives or collects money or any other property for the use of and belonging to another, embezzles or fraudulently converts to his own use, or takes and secretes with intent to embezzle and convert to his own use without the consent of his employer, master, or the owner of the money or goods collected or received, any money or property of another, or which is partly the property of another and partly the property of such officer, agent, clerk, servant, attorney at law, collector, or other person, which has come to his possession or under his care in any manner whatsoever, he shall be deemed to have committed larceny, and, in a prosecution for such crime, it shall be no defense that such officer, agent, clerk, servant, attorney at law, or other person, was entitled to a commission out of such money or property, as commission for collecting or receiving the same for and on behalf of the owner thereof; provided, that it shall be no embezzlement on the part of sunk agent, clerk, servant, attorney at law, collector, or other person, to retain his reasonable collection fee on the collection, or any other valid interest he may have in such money or property.” 3 Howell, Ann. St. (Mich.) sec. 9176a. The foregoing contemplates that the person making the collection shall retain his commission “or any other valid in
There can be no criminal intent so long as the agent or collector is making an honest contention for what he deems to be his own. Hamilton v. State, 46 Neb. 284. Nor can there be a conviction where there is an unsettled and unliquidated account between the parties. State v. Culver, 5 Neb. (Unof.) 238. And, where the defendant in a criminal prosecution has a.n interest in the property or money alleged to have been fraudulently converted to his or her own use, there can be no conviction of the crime of embezzlement. McElroy v. People, 202 Ill. 473.
I am unable from the record to see that the relator is guilty of anything; but, if he is guilty of anything, then he is guilty of false pretenses. If he drew a contract and did not intend to go ahead and collect the money, but intended to get hold of some small part of it and then to keep it, and he used the contract as a fraudulent inducement for the purpose, then the thing done was not embezzlement, but it was false pretenses, and he should be arrested and tried upon that charge. Hess v. Culver, 77 Mich. 598, 18 Am. St. Rep. 421, 6 L. R. A. 498; Pearl v. Waiter, 80 Mich. 317; Knight v. Linzey, 80 Mich. 396, 8 L. R. A. 476; Stoney Greek Woolen Co. v. Smalley, 111 Mich. 321; Getchell v. Dusenbury, 145 Mich. 197. Henig cannot lawfully return the relator to Van Burén county, because there is no charge pending against him there. There is no proof attached t<3 the extradition warrant that the relator committed an offense in Van Burén county. If the relator is to be deprived of his liberty, first let a new application be made to the governor of Nebraska by the governor of Michigan and an orderly procedure be had.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- In re Charles W. Willard. Charles W. Willard v. Charles E. Henig
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published