State v. Bayer
State v. Bayer
Opinion of the Court
The prosecuting attorney of Union county filed an information in the probate court of that county based upon an affidavit filed by one W. B. Mathews, charging the defendant, Harry Bayer, with the violation of Section 13216, General Code, in unlawfully and knowingly shipping and transporting into the village of Marysville intoxicating liquor under a false and fictitious name, to-wit, one paper box containing eight pint bottles of whiskey, said box marked and labeled “glass.” The case was heard in the probate court and the defendant was found guilty and was sentenced to pay a fine of $200 and costs. He prosecuted error to the court of appeals and the judgment of the probate -court was reversed and the defendant discharged for the reason, as shown by the journal entry, that the probate court erred in overruling the motion for a new trial on the ground that the judgment was contrary to law.
Counsel for defendant in error suggest several reasons why the judgment of reversal of the court of appeals should be affirmed. It is insisted if there was any violation of Section 13216, under which the prosecution was had, the offense was committed in Franklin county, Ohio, and the probate court of Union county had no jurisdiction to try the defendant.
The only evidence offered upon the trial of the case in the probate court was that offered' by the state and is contained in the bill of exceptions filed in this court. One M. C. Bump, an employe of W. B. Mathews, a secret-service officer for Union county, purchased from The Golden Hill Distilling
Section 13636, General Code, provides that all criminal cases shall be tried in the county where’ the offense was committed. The question for determination is whether the defendant committed an offense in violation of Section 13216 in Union county. In that section it is provided: “No railroad or common carrier, or agent thereof, dray-man or other person, corporation or firm, shall ship, receive, transport, carry or handle intoxicating liquor under a false or fictitious name or title.” It is to be observed that this statute makes it an offense to ship. It makes it an offense to receive. It makes it an offense to transport; also to carry or to handle. The one who transports is the express company or the carrier which carries the goods. It is not claimed that the defendant committed an offense as the transporter of the goods. But it is suggested by counsel for plaintiff in error that the person who ships the intoxicating liquor under a false or fictitious name or title is far more guilty than the man who transports, carries, handles or receives the same, and it is urged that the prosecution may be had anywhere along the line, including the county where it is received. In view of the language used in the statute, it seems .to us ft was not intended that the act of shipment should include the whole movement of the goods from the• time they leave the hands of the consignor until they reach the consignee. The legislature has treated the several acts which go to make up the entire movement separate offenses.
But it is claimed by counsel that .by the terms of the sale in the instant case the express company was the agent of the defendant. To determine this we are required to examine certain provisions of the uniform sales act passed by the general assembly of this state in 1908 and carried into the General Code, Sections 8381 to 8456, inclusive. This act establishes certain rules of law which apply to contracts to sell and to sales of goods and which must govern any case coming within its provisions. In the first paragraph of Section 8426 it is provided: “When in pursuance of a contract to sell or a sale, the seller is authorized or required to send the goods to the buyer, delivery of the goods to a carrier, whether named by the buyer or not, for the purpose of transmission to the buyer is deemed to be a delivery of the goods to the
We are of the opinion that the transaction in question comes clearly within the provisions of Section 8426, which we have quoted. The Golden Hill Distilling Company was authorized to send or ship the goods to Bump by express. The express company was the agent of Bump and delivery to it was, in legal contemplation, a delivery to him. Nothing further remained to be done on the part of the seller. It had no control or dominion over the goods. The right of stoppage in transitu did not exist, for the goods had been paid for. Counsel quote paragraphs two and three of Section 8426. These impose upon the seller the duty of providing for the safe carriage of the goods .and fix the liability in the event the goods are lost or damaged
We conclude then that the transaction, so far as the defendant was concerned either as a shipper or as a seller of the goods, began and ended in Franklin county, and the venue was. improperly laid in Union county.
In view of our holding on the question of venue it becomes unnecessary to consider the' other grounds suggested by counsel in support of the judgment of the court' of appeals.
Judgment affirmed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.