Johnson v. Watkins

298 S.W.2d 535, 1957 Mo. App. LEXIS 707
CourtMissouri Court of Appeals
DecidedFebruary 1, 1957
DocketNo. 22452
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 298 S.W.2d 535 (Johnson v. Watkins) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Missouri Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Johnson v. Watkins, 298 S.W.2d 535, 1957 Mo. App. LEXIS 707 (Mo. Ct. App. 1957).

Opinion

CAVE, Judge.

Under the ordinances of the City of St. Joseph, the council, after a hearing, revoked the liquor license of appellant. She filed a petition for review in the circuit court, and the transcript of proceedings before the council was transmitted to that court, and in due time, the order of the council was affirmed and appeal was perfected to this court.

Under Points and Authorities, appellant sets out seven alleged grounds of error, but in reality they present the following questions: (1) Did the council err in refusing to grant appellant a continuance because of illness at the first hearing; (2) is there substantial evidence to sustain the order of the council; (3) was the order of the council an abuse of discretion, arbitrary and capricious; and (4) did the trial court err in overruling appellant’s motion requesting corrections in the transcript certified to the circuit court by the council.

The appellant was the sole owner of the Brown Owl Tavern in St. Joseph, and for a number of years had had a license to sell liquor. On September 26, 1952, Police Officer Johnson filed complaint before the council charging that appellant had sold 5% beer to one Danny Stafford, a boy of 18 years of age; that the appellant or her employees on ten or twelve other occasions prior to that time had sold Stafford 5% beer; that Alberta Lee Pierce, age 13, had on numerous occasions prior to February 13, 1952, purchased beer of the appellant or her employees; that said employees well knew that Alberta Lee Pierce was a minor. The complaint requested that the council inquire into the matter and give notice of the time of the hearing to appellant. Notice that a hearing would be held at 7:30 p. m. on October 6, 1952, together with a copy of the complaint and attached exhibits, was served on the appellant on September 26th. On October 6th, appellant appeared by an attorney, who requested that the hearing be continued because the appellant was ill, and could not be present in person. He exhibited a statement from a doctor to that effect. After some discussion, the council decided to hear the testimony of certain witnesses who were then present, and to continue the cause to a later date for further hearing.

Officer Johnson testified that at about 8:30 p. m. on September 22, he was driving along a street near the Brown Owl Tavern, and saw a boy by the name of Jimmy White standing at the north entrance of the tavern; that he saw Stafford come out of the tavern with a quart bottle of Country Club beer; that White and Alberta Lee Pierce took a drink out of the bottle; that he arrested the three youths and took them to police headquarters; that he had gone to the tavern prior to this time and warned the appellant and her sister about selling beer to minors, and that appellant and her sister stated that the only time they recalled selling beer to Alberta Pierce was when she had a note from her parents. “I asked them whether it was her parents’ signature, and' they said they did not know whether the note was signed by the parents or not, but she did sell her a quart of beer”. Officer Beierle testified that he had received numerous complaints about the tavern selling-beer to minors and that he had warned appellant about doing so. He was present when the youths were interviewed at the police station and testified concerning what they stated to the police officers at that time about buying beer at the tavern.

Danny Stafford testified that he and Jimmy White, age 17, and Alberta Pierce, age 13, stopped outside of the tavern and he went in and purchased a quart of 5%-beer from a barmaid; that it was opened for him inside the tavern and he rejoined White and Pierce and they were in the act of consuming it when they were arrested by Officer Johnson; that he had purchased two quarts of beer there earlier in the evening; that he had purchased beer there on several occasions; that he was 18 years-of age; and that no one there had asked him his age, or for any identification.

[537]*537Jimmy White testified to the same occurrences on the evening of September 22, concerning the purchase of the beer; and stated that he was 17 years of age.

After the testimony of these three witnesses was heard, appellant’s attorney called witness Enos Simerly, who testified that he had “tended bar and helped my wife out who works at the tavern”; that he knew Danny Stafford; that in June, 1952, Danny Stafford had come into the tavern to purchase beer, and that Stafford told him he was 21 and “pulled out a driver’s license dated 1929”; that his wife and a barmaid by the name of Betty Dunn were standing near when Stafford exhibited his driver’s license.

Danny Stafford was recalled and denied that he had told this witness he was 21 years of age, or had shown him a driver’s license.

The cause was then continued until October 14th, at which time the appellant appeared in person and by attorney and further evidence was heard. She testified that she was the sole owner of the Brown Owl Tavern; that she had been ill for some time and that her sister was looking after the place, and that she had given instructions to her employees not to sell liquor to minors. She knew nothing of the occurrence on September 22d.

Appellant also produced several witnesses. Ivan Ball testified that he was 28 years of age; that he had worked at the Brown Transfer 'Company for a time with Danny Stafford, and that sometime in June, 1952, he saw Stafford come into the tavern and heard William Simerly say to Stafford, “You look a little young”, whereupon he saw Stafford take a card from his billfold and hand it to Simerly and “then he came back and began drinking beer”. He didn’t know what was on the card, and he didn’t know Stafford’s age, but thought he was older than 21 years.

Betty Dunn testified that she was a barmaid at the tavern and sold Stafford beer at different times, and particularly on September 22d; that in June, she saw Stafford present a card to Simerly and immediately after that Simerly sold him beer, and that she assumed he was of the proper age. She never asked Stafford his age or asked Simerly what was on the card. She was arrested for selling Stafford the beer on September 22d and entered a plea of guilty in the magistrate court and was sentenced to six months in jail, but given a stay. Stafford had testified that he purchased three quarts of beer on the evening of September 22d. This barmaid admitted that she had sold him three quarts of beer at different times that evening before he was apprehended.

Mrs. Simerly testified that she was working at the tavern in June, 1952, when Stafford came in and her husband told him that he looked a little young, and she saw Stafford give her husband his driver’s license, which showed his birth date to be 1929.

Mrs. Knowles testified that she was a sister of the appellant, and that she had been at the tavern at different times during the summer of 1952; that she had seen Stafford there at different times and had seen him buy beer; that she did not know his age, but thought he must be about 24.

Officer Beierle was recalled, and testified that Betty Dunn had told him that she had never heard anyone ask Stafford his age or to show any proof of his age.

Danny Stafford was recalled, and denied that he had ever shown a card of any kind or driver’s license to any one in the tavern, or had ever told any one that he was over 21 years of age.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
298 S.W.2d 535, 1957 Mo. App. LEXIS 707, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/johnson-v-watkins-moctapp-1957.