Crabbs v. State

139 N.E. 180, 193 Ind. 248, 1923 Ind. LEXIS 73
CourtIndiana Supreme Court
DecidedApril 19, 1923
DocketNo. 24,126
StatusPublished
Cited by39 cases

This text of 139 N.E. 180 (Crabbs v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Crabbs v. State, 139 N.E. 180, 193 Ind. 248, 1923 Ind. LEXIS 73 (Ind. 1923).

Opinion

Willoughby, J.

This was a prosecution commenced by affidavit filed on October 22, 1921, in the Delaware Circuit Court charging that Robert Crabbs, “on or about the 22nd day of October, 1921, at and in the county of Delaware, State of Indiana, did then and [250]*250there unlawfully keep and have in his possession intoxicating liquor, in violation of the laws of the State of Indiana.”

The defendant made a motion to quash the affidavit, assigning two reasons: First, that the facts stated in the affidavit do not constitute a public offense; second, that the affidavit does not state the offense charged with sufficient certainty. The motion to quash was overruled and exceptions reserved. Defendant entered a plea of not guilty and a trial by jury resulted in a verdict of guilty. A motion for a new trial was overruled and judgment rendered on the verdict, and from such judgment this appeal is taken.

The first question presented is the sufficiency of the affidavit as against the motion to quash.

The affidavit is based on §4, of chapter 4, of the acts of 1917, §8356a et seq. Burns’ Supp. 1918, Acts 1917 p. 15, as amended by §1 of the acts of 1921, §8356d Burns’ Supp. 1921, Acts 1921 p. 736. The contention arises upon the first sentence of §4, of the acts of 1917, Acts 1917 p. 15, supra. In the act of 1917, supra, this sentence is as follows: “That after the 2nd day of April, 1918, it shall be unlawful for any person to manufacture,"sell, barter, exchange, give away, furnish or otherwise dispose of any intoxicating liquor, or to keep any intoxicating liquor with intent to sell, barter, exchange, give away, furnish or otherwise dispose of the same, except as in this act provided.” In the act of 1921, §8356d Burns’ Supp. 1921, supra, that sentence is amended to read as follows: “It shall be unlawful for any person to manufacture, transport [,] possess, sell, barter, exchange, give away, furnish or otherwise dispose of any intoxicating liquor, or to possess or to keep any intoxicating liquors with the intent to sell, barter, exchange, give away, furnish or otherwise dispose of the same, except as in this act provided.”

[251]*251The title to the act of 1917, §8356a et seq. Burns’ Supp. 1918, supra, is as follows: “An act prohibiting the manufacture, sale, gift, advertisement, or transportation of intoxicating liquor except for certain purposes and under certain conditions.” The act of 1921, §8356d Burns’ Supp. 1921, supra, did not amend this title.

Section 5, of the acts of 1917, §8356a et seq. Burns’ Supp. 1918, supra, provides as follows: “The provisions of this act shall not be construed to prohibit any person from manufacturing, for his own domestic consumption wine or cider; or to prohibit the manufacture of vinegar and nonintoxicating cider for use or sale.” It also contains the following provision: “Nor shall this act be construed to prohibit a person from giving intoxicating liquor to a guest in his own home which is not a place of public resort.” This section was amended by the acts of 1921, §8356e Burns’ Supp. 1921, Acts 1921 p. 736, by striking out the words, “for his own domestic consumption, wine,” and the clause “nor shall this act be construed to prohibit a person from giving intoxicating liquor to a guest in his own home which is not a place of public resort.” There were other changes in the section but none of them pertinent to the question here at issue.

Section 35 of the acts of 1917, §8356a et seq. Burns’ Supp. 1918, supra, was not amended by the act of 1921, Acts 1921 p. 736, and is as follows:

“Within ten (10) days after the date when this act has become operative, every person except licensed pharmacists, wholesale druggists, manufacturing chemists or public hospitals shall remove or cause to be removed all intoxicating liquors in his possession from the state and failure to do so shall be prima facie evidence that such liquor is kept therein for the purpose of being sold,, bartered, exchanged, given away, furnished or otherwise disposed of in violation of the pro[252]*252visions of this act: Provided, however, That this section shall not apply to alcohol kept for chemical or manufacturing purposes, or to one (1) gallon of intoxicating liquor, other than beer, or twelve (12) quarts of beer, or all wine manufactured for his own domestic consumption kept in his own home for domestic use, held by an individual; and provided further, That any licensed pharmacist, wholesale druggist, manufacturing chemist or public hospital shall report to the clerk of the circuit court within said ten (10) days period the kinds and amount of intoxicating liquor on hand.”

An examination of sections 4, 5, and 35 of chapter 4, of the act of 1917, §8356a et seq. Burns’ Supp. 1918, supra, is convincing that it was not the intention of the legislature by that act to make the mere possession of intoxicating liquor unlawful and that such possession was not made unlawful.

In Kocher v. State (1920), 189 Ind. 578, the court holds that the mere possession of -less than one gallon of intoxicating liquor is not unlawful. The court in that case says: “It is true that the mere possession of less than one gallon of intoxicating liquor is not unlawful, but it may be unlawful if kept with the intent of disposition contrary to law.” See, also, Burzo v. State (1921), 191 Ind. 319, 130 N. E. 796; Ward v. State (1919), 188 Ind. 606; Reed v. State (1920), 189 Ind. 98; Callender v. State (1923), ante 91.

The state contends that, if the act of 1917 did not make the mere possession of intoxicating liquor unlawful, the amendment of 1921 of said act does make such possession unlawful. This the defendant denies and claims that §4 of said act (Act 1917 p. 15, supra) as amended cannot be construed as making the mere possession of intoxicating liquor unlawful.

[253]*253[252]*252In Clare v. State (1879), 68 Ind. 17, it is stated that the true rule in the construction of statutes as recog[253]*253nized in many decisions of this court is to make the legislative intention in the enactment of particular statutes the chief guide of the court in the interpretation, and construction. But it must be borne in mind that, if an act of the legislature violates a provision of the constitution of this state or is in conflict with it, the act is void, no matter what the intention of the legislature may have been in passing it.

In Moore-Mansfield, etc., Co. v. Indianapolis, etc., R. Co. (1913), 179 Ind. 356, 367, (44 L. R. A. [N. S.] 816, Ann. Cas. 1915D 917) on page 367, the court says: “The legislative intention, once ascertained, must be given effect if not violative of the constitution.”

In construing the act of 1921, Acts 1921 p. 736, we are required to examine the act of 1917, §8356a el seq. Burns’ Supp. 1918, supra, which it amends. The title to that act must be taken into account in construing the act. The constitution of the State of Indiana, (Article 4, §19 Constitution) contains the following provision, viz.- “Every act shall embrace but one subject and matters properly connected therewith, which subject shall be expressed in the title.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Indiana Personnel Board v. Parkman
223 N.E.2d 352 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1969)
State Ex Rel. Indiana Real Estate Commission v. Meier
190 N.E.2d 191 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1963)
STATE, PRR CO. v. Iroq. Cons. Dist. Ct.
133 N.E.2d 848 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1956)
Hanley v. STATE, DEPT. OF CONSERVATION
123 N.E.2d 452 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1954)
State v. Coleman State v. Piercy
84 N.E.2d 709 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1949)
State v. Griffin
79 N.E.2d 537 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1948)
State Ex Rel. Taylor v. Greene Circuit Court
63 N.E.2d 287 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1945)
Fehl v. Martin
64 P.2d 631 (Oregon Supreme Court, 1936)
Albert v. Milk Control Board of Indiana
200 N.E. 688 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1936)
Kleihege v. State
188 N.E. 786 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1934)
Sarlls, City Clerk v. State, Ex Rel.
166 N.E. 270 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1929)
Thomas v. State
166 N.E. 154 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1929)
Large v. State
164 N.E. 263 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1928)
Hanger v. State
160 N.E. 289 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1928)
Rutherford v. State
156 N.E. 559 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1927)
Torphy v. State
156 N.E. 925 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1927)
Campion v. State
154 N.E. 802 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1927)
Hudson v. State
154 N.E. 7 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1926)
Slick v. State
150 N.E. 762 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1926)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
139 N.E. 180, 193 Ind. 248, 1923 Ind. LEXIS 73, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/crabbs-v-state-ind-1923.