Brockway v. State

36 Ark. 629
CourtSupreme Court of Arkansas
DecidedNovember 15, 1880
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 36 Ark. 629 (Brockway v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Arkansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Brockway v. State, 36 Ark. 629 (Ark. 1880).

Opinion

English, C. J.

On the twenty-first of May, 1880, C. G-. Brockway was indicted in the circuit court of Jefferson county, for knowingly permitting gaming in his' house. The indictment charged, in substance:

a That said C. G. Brockway, on the tenth of January, 1880, in the county of Jefferson, etc., did, then and there, having a license under the laws of the state, etc., to keep a dram-shop, or grocery, in said county, knowingly and unlawfully permit one person, whose name is to the grand jurors unknown, to play at a certain gaming device, then and there exhibited and played at by him, the said person whose name, is to the grand jurors unknown, within the house of him the said C. G-. Brockway, which said gaming device is commonly called a faro-bank; contrary to the statute,” etc.

The defendant was tried at the July term, 1880, on plea of not guilty; the jury found him guilty, and assessed his punishment at a fine of $100. The court rendered judgment for the fine, and also revoking his license as a saloon-keeper. Defendant moved for a new trial, which the court refused, and he took a bill of exceptions, and appealed.

On the trial, William Carroll, witness for the state, testified, in substance, that he knew the building of defendant in which he was keeping a saloon, and had been for several years. He had seen a game of faro played in the building of defendant. The building in which his saloon is kept is on the south side of Barraque street (Pine Bluff), between. Main and Fayette, and runs back to the open alley.

Here the witness drew a diagram of the building, which was shown to the jury, and is copied in the bill of exceptions. From this diagram it appears that the saloon-building was divided into four apartments (taking no notice of the wholesale and retail liquor house on one of its sides), called the front or bar-room, the large room next to it, the room designated as- No. 1, and back of it room called No. 2. The bar-room was entered through the front door, from which there was a door into the large room, and from it two doors into room No. 1, and from it a door into room No. 2, which had a door opening on to the alley in the rear of the building.

After describing the four rooms of the building, and the doors opening from one room into another, as shown in the diagram, William Oarroll further testified, that within the last twelve months, and since the first of January, 1880, he had seen a game of faro played in room No. 2, and that defendant was in the large room at the time, but he had never seen him in the room where the game was exhibited.

That there was an open way from the bar to the faro-room, the doors of all the rooms being kept open while the game was being played.

James White also testified to the above facts (the bill of exceptions states); and, further, that he had seen defendant in the room where faro was played, when the game was going on. That during the month of January, 1880, he had seen a game of faro played in room No. 2, and defendant was present at the time. That the large room was used as a pico-room. That Leon Levy and Arthur O’Conner had used said room No. 2 for exhibiting a faro-bank since October, 1879, and it was part of defendant’s house. Witness talked to defendant about the game when it was being played, and he knew it was being played. There is an open doorway from the bar to the faro-room.

Leon Levy, witness for defendant, testified, that he leased room No. 2 from defendant, November 20, 1879, and produced the lease, which was read in evidence against the objection of the state.

The lease is dated the twentieth of November, 1879, and by it, defendant rented and let to Leon Levy, for six months, at $10 per month, to be paid on the first day of each month, the two rooms in the rear of his (defendant’s) place of business, on Barraque street, city of Pine Bluff, with a clause of forfeiture if the rent should not be paid as stipulated.

Leon Levy further testified, that under this lease he had full control of said room No. 2.. That defendant had nothing to do with it. That when he leased it he did not tell defendant that he wanted it for gaming purposes, nor what he wanted with it. When he rented the room, he did not know what he would do with it himself. JHe paid the rent regularly, and kept it until his lease expired. No faro-bank had been exhibited in said room in twelve months, ■except what was exhibited there by him while he had it leased. lie took it November 20, and kept it until his lease was out. Defendant had said to him that he could mot allow any gambling in the room, but witness had rented the room, and was going to do what he pleased with it. That the room was not under the same roof of the Brock-way saloon, but was an adjoining room to the saloon-building, connected by a door, and connected with the main building by said door, the roof intersecting the wall. That the main entrance was from the alley.

On cross-examination, he further testified, that defendant leased the large room to W. N. Portis, who during the fall and winter exhibited a keno bank in it, and defendant knew that it was being done, as he was frequently in said room. Defendant never tried to stop witness from running his faro bank in room No. 2 in the diagram. He simply remarked to witness one time that he did not want any gambling in this house. It was about that time Portis opened his keno bank in the large room, the same room in which he exhibited the game of pico, after he quit the keno bank exhibiting.

The above being all the evidence introduced, three instructions were moved for the state, to each of which defendant objected. The court refused the first, and gave the second and third, which follow :

“Second. If the jury believe from the evidence that Brockway did rent or lease the room to Levy, and that he knew that Levy was running a faro-bank in said room, and still knowingly permitted it to be run, if it was attached to his dram-shop, he can not successfully plead this defense.

“ Third. The jury may determine the guilt or innocence of the defendant from the circumstances in evidence, as well as from the observation of witnesses, as shown by the testimony.”

For defendant, five instructions were asked, all of which were given, except the first. They follow:

“ First. If the jury believe from the evidence that prior to the exhibition of the game of faro in the building disclosed by the testimony, defendant leased the same to Leon Levy for six months, and the game was only played there during that period, they may find the defendant not guilty.” Refused.

“Second. If the jury believe from the evidence that Leon Levy was the lessee of the building in which the' game of faro is charged to have been played during all the period the game was played there, and that Brockway had no control over the same, and that Leon Levy did not disclose to Brockway the use he intended to apply said building to, and that the uses to which he applied it were all after the execution, and before the expiration of the lease, they may acquit the defendant.

■ “ Third. Usual instruction giving defendant the benefit of doubts.

“Fourth.

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Related

Jones v. St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railway Co.
131 S.W. 958 (Supreme Court of Arkansas, 1910)
Whissen v. Furth
68 L.R.A. 161 (Supreme Court of Arkansas, 1904)

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Bluebook (online)
36 Ark. 629, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/brockway-v-state-ark-1880.