Fleming v. State

91 N.E. 1085, 174 Ind. 264, 1910 Ind. LEXIS 105
CourtIndiana Supreme Court
DecidedMay 24, 1910
DocketNo. 21,582
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 91 N.E. 1085 (Fleming 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
Fleming v. State, 91 N.E. 1085, 174 Ind. 264, 1910 Ind. LEXIS 105 (Ind. 1910).

Opinion

Jordan, J.

Appellant was prosecuted and convicted in the lower court upon an indictment containing two counts. The first charged that on the — day of April, 1908, in the [265]*265county of St. Joseph, State of Indiana, Charles E. Poster, John Barnes, John Hughes, John Murphy, William Blair, George Wilson and William Fleming (appellant herein) did then and there unlawfully, knowingly and feloniously, unite, conspire, confederate, etc., for the object and purpose, and with the unlawful and felonious intent, then and there unlawfully, and feloniously to take, steal and carry away $10,-000 in money of the personal goods and chattels of William J. Springborn. The second count is based upon §2269 Burns 1908, Acts 1905 p. 584, §377, being the grand larceny statute. It alleges that Charles E. Foster, John Barnes, John Hughes, John Murphy, William Blair, George Wilson and William Fleming “did then and there unlawfully and feloniously take, steal and carry away $10,000 in money, of the value then and there of $10,000, of the personal goods and chattels of William J. Spring-born.” Section 2269, supra, defines grand larceny as follows: “Whoever feloniously steals, takes and carries, leads or drives away the personal goods of another, of the value of $25 or upwards, is guilty of grand larceny, and, on conviction, shall be imprisoned in the state prison not less than one year nor more than fourteen years, fined not exceeding double the value of the goods stolen, and disfranchised and rendered incapable of holding any office of trust or profit for any determinate period. ’ ’

The statute defining what is termed “bunko-steering” (§2471 Burns 1908, Acts 1905 p. 584, §562) reads as follows: “Whoever allures, entices or persuades another to any place upon any pretense, and then and there, by fraud or duress, induces or compels such person to lose, advance or loan money, to part with anything of value, or to execute liis cheek, note, or other obligation either for money or for anything of value; or whoever, in like manner, allures, entices, or persuades another to any place and then and there induces or compels him to part with anything of value by means of any trick, device or artifice, or upon any game or wager, is [266]*266guilty of bunko-steering, and, on conviction, shall be imprisoned in the state prison not less than two years nor more than fourteen years; and all persons present at such place at such time, engaged therein, shall be prosecuted, tried and punished for such offense as principals.”

There was a trial by jury and a verdict returned finding appellant guilty of grand larceny, as charged in the indictment, and that he was over thirty years old. Over his motion for a new trial, the court rendered judgment that he be imprisoned in the Indiana state prison for a period of not less than one year nor more than fourteen years, and that he pay a fine to the State in the sum of $1.

It is insisted by appellant’s coxmsel that under the facts in this case the prosecution should have been under the statute defining “bunko-steering,” and that the conviction of appellant for larceny cannot bo xipheld. They concede that were it not for the “bunko-steering” statute he, under the evidence, would be guilty of larceny. The following is a summary of the evidence given on the trial by William J. Springborn, the prosecuting witness: lie resides at Cleveland, Ohio, and was a member of the board of public service. He first met Fleming (appellant) in 1906, in a business way. In March, 1908, Fleming sent a xnan to see him, bearing the information that if he could raise $10,000 there was a land deal in South Bend, Indiana, wherein he could make some money. This informant stated that he had a friend who knew all about the particulars. Soon after this, appellant came to see Springborn in Cleveland, Ohio, and informed him that he axxd his nephew, William Blair, were associated with four or five wealthy men connected with the United States Steel Company at Clary, Indiana. He further stated to Springborn that these men owned a tract of 2,600 acres of land in Louisiana, which they had purchased as a hunting resort, but that a son of one of these gentlemen had died while at this resort, and the owners had come to the conclusion that the land was too swampy Cor a health resort, [267]*267and they had authorized appellant’s nephew, William Blair, to sell this land very cheap — for $1 per acre. The land had been previously drained by a government ditch, but this fact was unknown to the owners thereof. Blair could sell the land through some Chicago broker at a very much higher price, and he wanted the money to buy the land. Appellant stated that his nephew had written to him for the money, under the impression that appellant was still quite wealthy, as he had formerly been, but he said that he had met with reverses and lost his money, and therefore was compelled to ask some one to furnish the amount — $10,240. He would, in return, divide the profits with the person who furnished the money. Fleming and Springborn talked the matter over at Cleveland, and talked about an abstract of title to the land, and it was finally arranged between them that the transfer of the land should be made to Blair, because Springborn did not want to guarantee the title as he knew nothing about the land. It was finally arranged between appellant and Springborn that they would go to South Bend, Indiana, on the following Tuesday, provided Springborn could secure the money. The latter drew from the bank $300, and borrowed $10,000, and having secured this money he and appellant came to South Bend as arranged. On the way to the latter place appellant informed Springborn that he had arranged with Blair, his nephew, to take the transfer of the property and divide the profits; that since the ditch had been constructed the land had very much increased in value; that his nephew had not been treated well by his associates, that he was a hard worker, and one who had been underpaid, that he had to do the dirty work of his employers, the owners of the land, and that he felt justified in not informing them that the land had increased in value since they had instructed him to sell it at $4 per acre.

On arriving at South Bend, Springborn was introduced by appellant to William Blair, the nephew, who was informed by appellant that Springborn was the man that had [268]*268come with, him from Cleveland, and that he had the money to purchase the real estate. Appellant stated that Mr. Pomeroy, the largest holder of the land, would come from Chicago the next morning, and then they would talk over the matter with him. Springborn informed appellant that he wished to deposit his money in some bank for the night, and they went to a bank in South Bend where Springborn deposited $10,270. The next morning Blair met appellant and Spring-born in the lobby of the Oliver hotel, where Springborn had registered as a guest, and produced a telegram which purported to be from Pomeroy, and which stated that Pomeroy had been called to Colorado, and could not reach South Bend for a few days. Springborn stated to appellant that while he was in South Bend he might as well see the other owners of the property and talk the matter over with them, and offered to go to their offices, which appellant said they had in that city, but Blair and appellant told him these men usually came to the Oliver hotel for lunch, and when they did come they would bring them to Spriugborn’s room. Be fore this, on the same morning, appellant told Springborn that his nephew had another transaction out of which he hoped to make considerable money.

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

Related

Miller v. State
535 N.E.2d 170 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1989)
Bonahoon v. State
178 N.E. 570 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1931)
Popovich v. State
177 N.E. 458 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1931)
Snitkin v. United States
265 F. 489 (Seventh Circuit, 1920)
Newby v. State
94 N.E. 817 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1911)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
91 N.E. 1085, 174 Ind. 264, 1910 Ind. LEXIS 105, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/fleming-v-state-ind-1910.