State v. Robison
State v. Robison
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the Court was delivered by
The defendant was tried and convicted under an indictment, containing three counts, charging him with violations of what is known as the dispensary law of this State, and he has appealed after judgment upon the following grounds:
“The 'Circuit Judge erred:
“I. In allowing J. J. Bishop to- testify on the part of the State, over the defendant’s objection, that the said witness’ name did not appear on the indictment, for the reason that it was incompetent and irrelevant to allow said witness to testify without his name appearing on the indictment, thereby advising the defendant fully as to the crime with which he was charged.
“II. In allowing a witness, Oliver Byers, to testify on the part of the State, that he had bought whiskey from the defendant, over the objection of the defendant’s attorney, upon the ground that the said witness’ name did not appear in the indictment.
“III. In allowing said witness, 'Oliver Byers, to testify, over defendant’s objection, that he drank about one-half pint of cider which witness claimed, to have bought from the defendant.
“IV. In charging the jury as follows : £A man may have alcoholic liquors, whiskey, brandy and the like, which he has legally purchased from the dispensary, or from some person outside of the State, and it will be unlawful for him to store and keep in possession, if he has them for an unlawful purpose, for it is not inconceivable, nor is it unusual, as our experience in Court shows us, for people to purchase liquors from the dispensary and then sell them unlawfully; but it is not unlawful for a citizen to keep in possession liquors law *108 fully purchased and for a lawful purpose — and by lawful purpose I mean their personal use, or family use, or for purposes of hospitality, social purposes or medicinal use and the like' — and he may keep liquors in any quantity if he purchases them in a lawful way, either from á dispenser or from some person outside of the State, and he has a right in law to make a legal purchase outside of the State and import liquors in the State for legal or lawful use, for personal use or medicinally, and the dispensary law endeavors to protect the citizens in that right, and provides that where a man does have in his possession for lawful purposes any quantity of liquor, he may apply to the State commissioner for badges, for tags or labels, which can be placed upon the vessel, barrel or kegs, or jugs or bottles that keep such liquor, showing that they are for personal use, lawful use, and not for unlawful purposes/ For the reason that it is submitted the jury may have been misled from the above charge to believe that it was necessary under the law to have badges, labels or tags placed upon any whiskey that may have been purchased other than from the dispensary, respectfully submit the law does not require that any label shall be placed upon such liquors.”
As to the second exception. It was not error for the Circuit Judge to admit this testimony of Byers, when he forbade the jury to apply the same to the first count. It was competent to- prove the fact of the sale of liquors by the defendant to this witness with reference to the second count of the indictment, which charged defendant with maintaining a nuisance. This exception is overruled.
It is the judgment of this Court, that the judgment of the Circuit Court be affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- State v. Robison.
- Cited By
- 3 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- 1. Pleading — Indictment—Witnesses—-Evidence.—It is not necessary to enable a witness for prosecution to testify, that his name appear on back of indictment. 2. Ibid. — Ibid.—Evidence—Liquors—Nuisance.—A Witness whose name does not appear in the first count of an indictment as one to whom defendant has sold liquors, may testify to facts going to support the allegations in the second count charging defendant with maintaining a nuisance by keeping liquors for unlawful sale. 3. Evidence — Nuisance—Cider.—Upon charge of maintaining a nuisance by keeping liquors for unlawful sale, it is competent to prove that defendant sold witness cider which made him “foolish.” 4. Charge — Dispensary—Tags—Liquors.—Judge did not charge that law required that dispensary tags be kept on whiskey kept for personal or lawful use.