State v. Allen
State v. Allen
Opinion of the Court
The opinion 'of the Court was delivered by
This is an indictment for obstructing a public highway, to wit, a neighborhood road, and has been to this Court before. See 107 S. C. 132, 92 S. E. 193. The defendant was again convicted, and this appeal is from the second conviction.
“Under the evidence here the defendant cannot be convicted under the statutes of this State, but the indictment is under the common law.”
It seems, therefore, that the appellant was not misled, and there is no reversible error.
*281 3. The next assignment of error is that his Honor refused to direct a verdict in favor of the defendant. There was evidence sufficient to carry the case to the jury. The statute was not in question.
The same thing applies to the failure to explain the word “abandonment,” as complained of in the sixth exception.
There was no error here. The public has a right to two or more roads between two points.
7. The eighth exception complains that the charge as a whole is unintelligible. This cannot be sustained, as the charge appears to this Court to be clear.
8. The ninth exception complains of error in confusing a “neighborhood road” with a public “highway.” His Honor described a “neighborhood road,” and the charge was not misleading.
*282
The judgment is affirmed.
Reference
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- State v. Allen.
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- Syllabus
- 1. Criminal Law—Harmless Error.—Refusal of the Solicitor to state whether an indictment was founded on the common law or on a statute was not 'reversible error, where defendant was not misled. 2. Highways—Abandonment.-—The mere fact that county authorities agreed to give an old road for a new one which was constructed was not alone sufficient to show an abandonment of the old road. 3. Highways—Abandonment—Proof.—In prosecution for obstructing neighborhood road, objection to defendant’s question why witness had given land for a new road was properly sustained, where object was to show that it was the understanding that old road would be abandoned; mere understanding of individuals not destroying the rights of the general public. 4. Criminal Law — Instruction ■— Reciuest for Definition.—A party cannot complain that a word in an instruction was not defined, where he made no request. 5. Highways—Obstructions.—An opening- of a new road equally convenient is not a defense to an indictment for obstructing the old road. 6. Criminal Law—Review—Discretion—Trial.—Speeding the progress of a cause was not error, where no abuse of discretion, is shown, but it appears that much time was wasted. 7. Criminal Law-—Reiiuested Charges.—The Court is not bound to accept requests to charge, where not presented as required by rules of Court. 8. Criminal Law—Appeal—Exceptions.—An exception complaining of error in the whole case, as to both law and facts, is too general for consideration.