Hayes v. Smith

5 F.2d 684, 1925 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1057
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Michigan
DecidedMay 13, 1925
DocketNo. 7562
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 5 F.2d 684 (Hayes v. Smith) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Michigan primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hayes v. Smith, 5 F.2d 684, 1925 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1057 (E.D. Mich. 1925).

Opinion

TUTTLE, District Judge.

A petition has been filed herein in the name of the United States, on the relation of the above-named defendants, praying for a removal of the above-entitled cause from a state court to this court under section 33 of the Judicial Code, as amended (section 1015, West’s United States Compiled Statutes), on the ground •that said defendants have been sued in said state court on account of acts done by them in the performance of their duties as federal officers within the meaning of said section.

The petition states in substance.that for the past year the defendants have occupied [685]*685the following offices, respectively, defendant Smith, United States attorney for this district and an officer of this court, defendant Newton, United States marshal for this district and an officer of this court, defendant Beamer, deputy United States marshal and an officer of this court, defendant Yellowley, chief general prohibition agent of the United States, acting under the Secretary of the Treasury and the Commisisoner of Internal Revenue, and defendant Stone, divisional chief of the Tenth division of prohibition agents, acting under the Secretary of the Treasury and the Commissioner of Internal Revenue; that said cause was instituted by. the above-named plaintiff on April 30, 1925, in the circuit court for the county of Wayne, Mich., claiming damages in the sum of $100,000 against said defendants for the alleged false arrest and detention of said plaintiff while he was resorting at a certain specifically described saloon and restaurant ip. the city of Detroit in said county and state, and within the jurisdiction of this court, commonly known as “Paul’s Place,” maintained and conducted by one Paul Mirabile in violation of the federal prohibition law; that said saloon and restaurant had been maintained and conducted as a place for the sale of intoxicating liquor for three years and its character and reputation were well-known to all patrons who visited the same, and that nightly during every night in the year large numbers of patrons visited said saloon, which customarily during said period remained open all night and engaged in the business of selling intoxicating liquor and supplying music for dancing, and the furnishing of food was a subterfuge and constituted no real and substantial part of the business of said saloon and dance hall; that said saloon and dance hall for the past two years during every night constituted a common nuisance under the National Prohibition Law (Comp. St. Ann. Supp. 1923, § 10138% et seq.) and was known to all of its patrons, including the said plaintiff, to be such common nuisance; that at numerous times during the past year said place was entered and raided by police officers of- said city of Detroit for violation of the Michigan laws prohibiting the sale of intoxicating liquors; that on each of said raids patrons in large numbers, from 50 to 100 and upwards, were openly consuming intoxicating liquor which they had purchased in said place, and in spite of said raids said nuisance continued to be maintained down to the date set forth in plaintiff’s declaration, April 21, 1925; that on said date a federal search warrant was duly issued by a United States commissioner directing certain federal officers to search said place for intoxicating liquor unlawfully possessed by the proprietor; that defendant Beamer, in discharge of his duties under the federal laws, accompanied said officers and in their company entered said premises at about midnight and there saw 50 and upwards of patrons and employees, among whom was said plaintiff; that said plaintiff, in company with two ladies whom he had brought to said saloon, were seated at a table therein, and said parties had before them glasses containing beer, and that before each of said parties was a glass of partly consumed beer containing more than one-half of 1 per cent, of alcohol, and that said parties were under the influence of intoxicating liquor; that other parties, including said plaintiff, were there for the purpose of purchasing intoxicating liquor and had then and there purchased- such intoxicating liquor and had consumed the same, and that' plaintiff thereby violated the National Prohibition' Law and was also guilty of assisting to maintain a common nuisance; that thereupon said defendant Beamer arrested said plaintiff and his two companions and brought them to the office of the United States attorney, said defendant Smith, for disposition of the case; that said Smith then interrogated said plaintiff and other patrons, as he desired to have full and complete evidence of the violation of law by said proprietor in order that an indictment might be successfully prosecuted and said place be declared a common nuisance, and he then released said patrons, including said plaintiff and his companions, taking their names and addresses and advising them that they might be called as witnesses against the proprietor of said place, and thereupon directed said officers to set the said plaintiff and other patrons at liberty; that said plaintiff was subject to arrest and was lawfully taken into custody for the violation of the National Prohibition Law and for assisting in maintaining a nuisance, and that all 'of the acts of said defendants Beamer and Smith were in the exercise of good faith in the discharge of their duties, and aimed at the abatement and prosecution of a nuisance which had long been maintained and resorted to by plaintiff and other patrons on numerous occasions for the unlawful purchase of intoxicating liquor, and that they thereby became parties to violation of the federal laws; that said cause was in-stitutéd by said plaintiff for the recovery of damages for the acts and doings of said defendants in the premises aforesaid; an¡i that [686]*686on the application o£ said plaintiff in said circuit court a writ of capias was issued for said defendants Beamer and Smith, each of whom has, in compliance with said writ, furnished bail in said circuit court in the sum of $1,000, the bonds for which are now in the possession of the sheriff of said county, and said defendants are informed and believe that they will be required to furnish another bond in accordance with the laws of said state and the rules of said circuit court. The prayer of the petition is that said cause be removed from said circuit court to this court, and that writs of certiorari and habeas corpus cum causa be issued and served as provided by the federal statutes, to the end that said cause, proceedings, and records and jurisdiction over said defendants may be transferred to the jurisdiction of this court for trial and disposition. The petition is verified and accompanied by the certificate of counsel required by the statute hereinafter referred to.

Section 33 of the Judicial Code, as above cited, provides in full as follows:

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
5 F.2d 684, 1925 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1057, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hayes-v-smith-mied-1925.