In re Seizure of 7 Barrels of Wine

83 So. 627, 79 Fla. 1, 1920 Fla. LEXIS 620
CourtSupreme Court of Florida
DecidedJanuary 14, 1920
StatusPublished
Cited by61 cases

This text of 83 So. 627 (In re Seizure of 7 Barrels of Wine) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Seizure of 7 Barrels of Wine, 83 So. 627, 79 Fla. 1, 1920 Fla. LEXIS 620 (Fla. 1920).

Opinion

Whitfield, J.

(After stating the facts) This statutory proceeding was begun by the seizure on January 28, 1919, of seven barrels of wine (said barrels containing about 300 gallons) which were in the possession of Antonie Marasse et at., followed by proceedings under Chapter 7736, Laws of Florida, approved December 7, 1918, by which the greater portion of the seven barrels of wine were ordered destroyed upon the theory that the possession of the wine in excess of certain small quantities is unlawful under Chapter 7736. Marasso v. Van Pelt, Sheriff, 77 Fla. 432, 81 South. Rep. 529. No question of unlawful sales of liquor is involved.

On an appeal provided for by the statute, it is contended that the action taken is a violation of property rights secured by the State and Federal Constriutions.

An amendment to Article XIX of the State Constitution, adopted at the General Election November 5, 1918, to “go into effect on the first day of January, A. D. 1919,” provides that “the manufacture, sale, barter or exchange of all alcoholic or intoxicating liquors and beverages, whether spirituous, vinous or malt, are hereby forever prohibited in the State of Florida, except alcohol for [10]*10medical, scientific or mechanical purposes, and wine for sacramental purposes, the sale of which alcohol and wine for the purposes aforesaid, shall be regulated by law. The Legislature shall enact suitable laws for the enforcement of the provisions of this article.”

On' December 7, 1918, at a special session of the Legislature convened by proclamation of the Governor there was approved by the Governor, a statute, Chapter 7736, Laws of Florida, “An Act to make effective the Nineteenth ArticTe of the Constitution of this State, as amended at the General Election held November 5th, nineteen hundred and eighteen,” etc., which statute contains the provisions under which this proceeding is had. The last section of the statute enacts “that this Act shall go into effect the first day of January, A. D. 1919.” See extracts from the statute in the statement.

In Marasso v. Van Pelt, 77 Fla. 432, 81 South. Rep. 529, the validity of the statute as applied to the facts then in issue, ivas sustained, but it was therein expressly stated that “the information does not allege that the liquors Avere in the possession of the defendants prior to the adoption of Amended Article 19, or the enactment of Chapter 7736, Acts of 1918, special session, or prior to January 1, 1919, Avhen Article 19 of the Constitution and 'the statute became effective. Whether that would present a material question is not considered here,” citing Barbour v. State, 249 U. S.

An agreed statement of facts on which the Circuit Court acted in ordering the destruction of the greater part of the seven barrels of wine, is as íoIIoavs :

[11]*11“IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF ESCAMBIA COUNTY, STATE OF FLORIDA, -FIRST JUDICIAL CIRCUIT.
IN RE
SEVEN BARRELS OF WINE.
“AQ-MEfflD 8ATFMFNT OF FACTS:
“It is agreed by the counsel for the claimants in the above styled cause and the State Attorney for the First Judicial Circuit of the State of Florida, as follows:
“(1). That the seven barrels of wine in question was found by the Sheriff in a building occupied by the claimants as a store building and a dwelling house, the upstairs being used as a dwelling house and the lower floor as a grocery, etc., store; that the wine was found by the Sheriff in that portion of the building used .as a store; that said building is located in Pensacola, Escambia County, State of Florida. That J. O. Van Pelt, Sheriff of Escambia County, took into his possession the said seven barrels of wine on the..................day of...................................., A. D. 1919.
“ (2). That the said seven barrels of wine in question came into the possession of the claimants under the following circumstances: That the Master of the Italian steamer Luchíano Manara, Phillipe Caffiero, (that said steamer was engaged in foreign commerce between ports of the United States and the Kingdom of Italy at all times in question in this suit) • directed one of the claimants to purchase twenty-seven (27) barrels of wine for the account of the said Master of said vessel. The laws of the country requiring the furnishing to the members of the crew of said ship certain quantities of wine per man per day. That said vessel was at that time under [12]*12the control of the Italian Government; that said wine was to be used for ship stores in said ship and no other, and though opportunity offered, no attempt was made to deliver any of said wine to a boat other than, or party other than, the Luebiano Manara, or its Master. That pursuant to the instructions of the Master and acting for him and under his directions, claimant purchased twenty-seven (27) barrels of wine at New Orleans, Louisiana, and paid for same out of the moneys belonging to claimant. The said wine was shipped to Pensacola, Florida, and reached Pensacola about the middle of October, 1918; that the said Steamer on its first trip after the arrival of said wine took on board only twenty (20) of said barrels of wine on said trip. That the claimant, directed, paid for the seven (7) remaining barrels of wine, (the purchase price being 95c per gallon for all of said twenty-seven (27) barrels, and that the claimants never charged, or received, or intended to receive any profit upon same or any of it.
“That the claimants were engaged as ship chandlers, and it is customary for ship chandlers in order to secure the business of a ship for the sales of those wares which are carried in stock by them, to act under the instructions and directions of the Master of 'the vessel, to purchase as his representative and hold for him any article lie may direct which they do not carry in trade, same being held by them as the ship’s property until called for and taken by the ship.
“(3). That before the ship returned to get the remaining seven (7) barrels of wine now in question, the prohibition law went into effect, and claimants were unable to deliver same because thereof, and therefore the Mas[13]*13ter lias not refunded or paid for said seven barrels of Avine yet.
“This the 20th day of June, A. D. 1919.
R, A. McGEACHY,
State Attorney.
PHILIP D. BEALL and JOHN S. BEARD,
Counsel for Claimant.”

Prior to the adoption of the Amendment of Article 19 of the Constitution,, November 5, 1918, and prior to the enactment of Chapter 7736, approved December 7, 1918, alcoholic or intoxicating liquors and beverages Avere property that could be lawfully acquired, possessed and protected in this State. See Ex parte Francis, 76 Fla. 304, 79 South. Rep. 753.

Under the agreed statement of facts It is assumed here that the seven barrels of wine are alcoholic or intoxicating liquors or beverages and as such came into the possession of the claimants “about the middle of October, 1918,” which was prior to the adoption of the amendment to Article 19 of the State Constitution and prior to the enactment of Chapter 7736 for the enforcement of the prohibitions of the organic amendment, and that the possession of the wine was not for unlawful purposes.

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Bluebook (online)
83 So. 627, 79 Fla. 1, 1920 Fla. LEXIS 620, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-seizure-of-7-barrels-of-wine-fla-1920.