Apollo Operating Corp. v. Anderson
Apollo Operating Corp. v. Anderson
Opinion of the Court
Appellant was the lessee and operator of the Apollo Theatre in New York City, at which a play was produced between June, 1926, and June, 1927. During this time the box office received $51,598 above established prices for the tickets sold. The Commissioner taxed this sum under the provision of section 500 (a) of the Revenue Act of 1926, subdivision 3, 26 USCA § 871 (a) (3), of which provides: “A tax equivalent to 50 per centum of the amount for which the proprietors, managers, or employees of any * * * theater, or other place of amusement sell or dispose of tickets or cards of admission in excess of the regular or established price or charge therefor, such tax to be returned' and paid, in the manner and subject to the interest provided in section 602, by the person selling such tickets.”
It is contended by the appellant that this sum of money was received in the form of gratuities or tips and was not received as an amount in addition to the established price of the tickets. And it is argued that it is therofore untaxable. It is said that such moneys were received by the box office employees and that appellant is not responsible for any tax thereon.
The trial court submitted two questions to the jury: First, whether the amount received was a gratuity or part of the purchase price of the tickets; second, whether the tickets were sold by the appellant or by the box office manager. The jury resolved both these questions against the appellant. The moneys received were divided 75 per cent, to the appellant and 25 per cent, to the box office manager.
The claim that it is violative of the Tenth Amendment of the Constitution was answered in the Alexander Case, where we held that the act imposing a tax on the selling of tickets away from the box office was not an unauthorized exercise by Congress of state powers. It is not any more a violation of the powers reserved to tho state to impose a tax upon tho excess price of tickets sold at the box office than to impose a tax on the exeess price of tickets sold away from the box office. Lambert v. Yellowley, 272 U. S. 581, 47 S. Ct. 210, 71 L. Ed. 422, 49 A. L. R. 575. The argument that the tax imposed, because of its amount, is drastic and confiscatory was also considered in the Alexander Case, and we said: “To be able to find fault with the law is not to adjudge its invalidity. It may be unjust and oppressive, and yet be free from judicial interference. Mere errors of government are not subject to judicial review; it is only its palpable arbitrary exercise which can be declared void under the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments.”
An argument is made that the statute imposes a tax fixed upon the price at which the employers, managers, or employees sell tickets and that the return is to be made and the tax paid by the person selling the tickets, and that here the tickets were sold by the box office treasurer of the theater, which was under lease to the appellant. It is contended that it is not the appellant who must pay the tax, but the box office treasurer who must make return and pay the tax. The jury found that the amount paid in excess of the established price was the property of the appellant. The box office treasurer did testify that under an agreement made with appellant he received 25 per cent, and appellant received 75 per cent. However, the jury found on the evidence that the additional sum was paid with regularity, dependent upon the number of tickets sold, and that in return therefor the appellant performed services in facilitating the sale and delivery of! the tickets. This justified the conclusion that the additional sums received were the property of appellant. The evidence presented a jury question. We find no error in the admission or exclusion of evidence, or in the charge to the jury.
The judgment is affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- APOLLO OPERATING CORPORATION v. ANDERSON
- Status
- Published