Backues v. Woods

218 S.W.2d 892, 1949 Tex. App. LEXIS 1622
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMarch 4, 1949
DocketNo. 2711
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 218 S.W.2d 892 (Backues v. Woods) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Backues v. Woods, 218 S.W.2d 892, 1949 Tex. App. LEXIS 1622 (Tex. Ct. App. 1949).

Opinion

COLLINGS, Justice.

This is a suit brought by James F. Woods, individually and for the use and benefit of the members of the Hamlin V.F.W. Post No. 6014, Hamlin, Texas, against the Texas Liquor Control Board and three of its agents, seeking a mandatory injunction to require the return of approximately 9,483 bottles of beer seized by appellants. The appellants, by cross action, sought a declaration of forfeiture of the beer to the State of Texas. Upon a triad before a jury which found that neither Woods nor the Veterans of Foreign Wars-of Hamlin, Texas, possessed the beer in question for the purpose of sale, the trial court rendered judgment ordering the return of the beer and denying its forfeiture. It is from such judgment that this appeal is brought.

Appellants contend that as a matter of law, from the undisputed evidence, the beer is contraband and subject to seizure and forfeiture under the Texas Liquor Control Act, because it was transported to Fisher County by Woods and another, at the instance of the members and officers of the V.F.W. Post in violation of the Texas Liquor Control Act, Vernon’s Ann.P.C. art. 666 — 1 et seq., and was at the time of seizure and theretofore, stored, distributed, warehoused and possessed for the purpose of sale by Woods and the members of the Post in violation of the Liquor Control Act.

The evidence relied upon by appellees in support of the judgment and by appellants in support of their contention, is as follows:

Appellee Woods testified in substance that, as a charter member, he was employed by the V.F.W. Post as the sole custodian of the clubhouse, located about a mile and a half or two miles west of Ham[893]*893lin; that as custodian and manager, he took care of everything; saw that only members came in, took care of their beer, kept it iced, and served it to them; that he had a room at the club where he stayed and took care of the property * * *; that he did not own the beer himself, except one case; that he kept records of the beer. Appellee testified that each member signed an agreement before he put up money for beer, reciting as follows:

“To: Post Quartermaster and/or Any Person of His Selection

“Veterans Of Foreign Wars, Post No. 6014, “Hamlin, Texas, March 18, 1948.

“We, the undersigned members of Post No. 6014, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Hamlin, Texas, and we hereby certify that we are qualified members of said Post No. 6014, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Hamlin, Texas.

“We hereby (on the date above written) deposit with you our Post Quartermaster, the sum of Five ($5.00) Dollars, for the purchase of a case of beer, and hereby designate said Post Quartermaster and/or any person of his selection, in the same capacity, to purchase said case of beer for us (Individually) wherever same might be legally procured, and to transport said case of beer for us (individually) and in our stead, from the point of origin where same was purchased, to us (individually) at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Club House of Post No. 6014, Hamlin, Texas, and to be used solely for our own individual personal consumption and being one individual case for each member whose name appears below.

“We also authorize and instruct said Quartermaster to use said Five ($5.00) for the actual purchase price of said beer, also for each of our pro rata share of the actual cost of transporting said beer, which transportation is to be accomplished by said Quartermaster and/or any person of his selection, and the person transporting said beer is to receive only the actual transportation cost incurred by virtue of such transportation, and he is to receive no profit or wages, or any other monetary remuneration for such transportation. And said sum of money so deposited should have deducted therefrom each of our pro rata share of the actual cost of the ice necessary to cool our individual case of beer. If there should be any portion of said deposit remaining, after the foregoing cost and expenses are deducted therefrom, said Quartermaster is authorized by each of us (individually) to deliver said remaining portion, if any, to a worthy charitable organization, as an individual donation from each of the undersigned.

It is hereby specifically understood and hereby stated by each of us (individually) and we hereby instruct said Quartermaster that neither he, the said Quartermaster and/or any person of his selection, nor the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post No. 6014, shall receive any profit or monetary benefit whatsoever, directly or indirectly, from this transaction or any future transaction of like character, and that any operational costs of the Veterans of Foreign Wars shall be paid from other funds belonging to said organization.

“These are the wishes and instructions of the undersigned members who hereby sign in an individual capacity the day and year above written.”

Appellee Woods testified that he had brought the beer from Breckenridge; that he purchased it there at the Falstaff warehouse; that he, with another member, made two trips, transporting the beer in a truck on a public highway to Fisher County; that at the time of transportation he did not intend to drink the beer himself, except one case, which belonged to him; that he did not own the rest; that the member who owned the truck was reimbursed actual expenses for the trip by the Quartermaster; that he paid various prices for the beer, ranging from $2.20 to $3.65; that no case, bottle or kind of beer was identified as belonging to any particular member; that the officers 'seized 391 cases and there were 180 to 185 members.

Appellee testified that the beer was drunk by the members; that they put up $5 and received a card with 24 numbers, one of which was punched for each bottle of beer received by the member; that after a card was used up, the member could receive no more beer unless he had ordered another [894]*894case and had a card for it; that the beer was not sold to the members; that no one but members were permitted at the club; that he kept the tickets available at the club house and issued them; that no beer was served to a member until after he had ordered it, received a ticket and the beer had been actually received at the club, but that a member might obtain more than one ticket; that records were kept on expenses and what he took in, which he delivered to the Quartermaster; that the beer was purchased by check drawn on the Post from money taken up for beer and deposited in the name of the Post in a special account and drawn on by checks signed by the Quartermaster; that the beer was stored in the cellar which opened into the building; and in another store room in the building; that the building was 32 x 32, with the bar room 16 x 16; that the bar room had a bar and beer boxes where the beer was iced; and that occasionally he employed helpers at the club; that he was paid as custodian of the club and the members’ beer; that appellants, by authority of a search warrant, seized the beer May 12, 1948, at the club house without his consent

It was further testified by the commanding officer of the Post that the Post had voted to donate any profits on beer to charity and had so donated $1,479.

He further testified that all receipts at the club, including proceeds from the music machine and the sale of potato chips, Fritos, candy, cigarettes, coca cola, and such things, go into a common fund called the club fund which is the same as the beer fund; that receipts of money put up for beer go into the club fund; and when the wholesaler is paid for the beer, it comes out of the club fund; that Mr.

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Bluebook (online)
218 S.W.2d 892, 1949 Tex. App. LEXIS 1622, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/backues-v-woods-texapp-1949.