Lemaster v. State

196 S.W. 829, 81 Tex. Crim. 577, 1917 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 208
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Texas
DecidedApril 18, 1917
DocketNo. 4163.
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 196 S.W. 829 (Lemaster v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lemaster v. State, 196 S.W. 829, 81 Tex. Crim. 577, 1917 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 208 (Tex. 1917).

Opinions

DAVIDSON, Presiding Judge.

Appellant was convicted of becoming indebted to a State bank, of which he was president, in the sum of $8000.

The first count in the indictment sets out the particulars of the. transaction relied upon by the State, but this count was discarded by the court in submitting the case to the jury, and he submitted only the second count, omitting the third count. The count submitted charged that appellant was duly elected, qualified and acting president, and a member of the board of directors of the First State Bank of Amarillo, a banking corporation theretofore incorporated and engaged in the business as a State bank in the City of Amarillo under the authority of the laws of the State, and as said officer he became indebted to the bank in the sum of $8000, without the consent of the majority of the board of directors, and without having the matter duly registered or inscribed upon the minutes of the bank.

The indictment is attacked in that it fails to apprise the'defendant of the nature and circumstances of the case and wherein he had violated the law. He invokes the statutory rule, which is settled, that everything necessary to be proved must be alleged in the indictment. We are of opinion this indictment is too general and does not specifically notify the defendant of the transaction for which he is to be tried, and that the only allegation in the submitted count is of a very general nature and to the effect that he became indebted to the bank in the sum of $8000 without proper authority from the board of directors. The writer is of opinion, without going into a discussion at any length of the matter, that the count submitted to the jury is not, within the contemplation of the law, sufficient. The general allegation that appellant had become indebted to the bank in the sum of $8000 is too *580 general. There is a want of particularity about it, and it does not inform the defendant of what transaction he is charged. There is nothing to describe the manner of indebtedness, or how it came about, so as to notify defendant of the matters and transactions that he was to meet by the proof. The first count set out particularly these- different matters and gave appellant notice of how and when and the circumstances attending the indebtedness, and how it came about, but the court did not submit this to the jury. This much is said in a general way.

It will be noticed upon investigation of the case that all the facts to he relied upon by the State were known at the time the indictment was presented, and as to how the indebtedness was created, if there was any. The facts in this connection, as relied upon by the State, were made through the testimony of an accomplice, MeSpadden. His testimony, substantially, is that Morris came to and notified him of the fact that he could buy an optional cattle contract, the cattle being in Arizona; that he thought this option could he bought at $5000, and if he had the money the trade could he made and profit made out of it by selling this contract for an enhanced value to other parties. His object in calling MeSpadden was that MeSpadden might enable him in some way to get the money. They discussed it, and MeSpadden not having the money suggested they see appellant, who was president of the State Amarillo Bank, and get him to furnish the money. Appellant was called, and McSpadden’s testimony is to the effect that after discussing it appellant agreed to furnish the money, Morris and MeSpadden signing the note at the bank for $5000. There was something said to the effect that it was not probable that the option could he bought at $5000; that it might take more money. MeSpadden further testified that appellant, Morris and himself agreed that Morris and MeSpadden were to sign a note to the bank and have the money transferred to their credit, and that appellant was to be a partner in the profits and maybe losses, but his name not to be known in the matter, and in this way that appellant became a partner in the purchase of the cattle option contract. He also testified that there was no other cattle contract in contemplation or discussed between them at the time. His language was: “Yes, sir; it was agreed that Mike C. LeMaster was to advance the money on the condition that I went along and used what influence I possessed to keep Morris from getting drunk and Gus agreed not to get drunk any more and straighten up. There was nothing said at that time about any other transaction. We were to do the best we could. We did not know exactly how much money it would take but we were to let Mr. LeMaster know. We wanted to get an option on the cattle for spring delivery and then sell the option. The agreement was that Mr. LeMaster was to advance the money to be paid as a forfeit on the cattle and Morris and myself were to go out there and get' a contract and purchase them and sell the contract.” This occurred on the 26th day of December, and on the 27th a note *581 was executed by Morris and McSpadden to the bank, appellant’s name not appearing in any of these matters. Upon signing the note Morris and McSpadden left Amarillo and went to El Paso. They there got in touch with the owners of the cattle and bought the option. The owners of the cattle, however, required eight thousand instead of five thousand dollars. By wire appellant was notified of that fact. He took the Morris and McSpadden note and wrote above the five thousand, three thousand. The intention it seems was to make the note for eight thousand dollars instead of five thousand dollars. The deal was made, and in three or four days the option was transferred at a profit of considerable amount and closed out, and Morris and McSpadden came back to- Amarillo and deposited the money in the State bank at Amarillo, and on the 6th of January took up and paid oS the note. Appellant was not in Amarillo at the time but was in Fort Worth. He knew nothing about the payment of the note until later information was conveyed to him. Morris testified in many respects as did Mc-Spadden, but he denied that LeMaster had or was to have any interest in the option contract, and was in no way connected with the profits or losses. In fact, he was in no sense, or in no way interested in the contract, nor was he to receive any profits, dividends or pay any losses. Appellant testified in his own behalf as did Morris. After returning to Amarillo and taking up the note McSpadden and Morris, without the knowledge of appellant, went to Hew Mexico with a view of purchasing other cattle. ■ Appellant had nothing to do with this and knew nothing of this matter. There were other subsequent cattle deals by McSpadden and Morris which the State undertook to connect appellant with by McSpadden’s testimony. Both Morris and appellant denied that there was any partnership. There was evidence introduced by the State to show these subsequent transactions, over the protest and objection of appellant. We are of opinion these objections were well taken. The court also failed to limit this testimony. Having admitted the testimony, the court should have limited it. It was not in reference to the original case and could not be, and if it was introduced for any purpose it was to show that by reason of the subsequent transactions between the parties that they were partners in the original transaction declared upon in the indictment. As before stated, we are of opinion these matters should not have gone before the jury, but having been permitted to be introduced, the court should have limited them to their proper office in 'his charge.

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Related

Claxton v. State
4 S.W.2d 542 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1927)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
196 S.W. 829, 81 Tex. Crim. 577, 1917 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 208, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lemaster-v-state-texcrimapp-1917.