Lennon v. United States

20 F.2d 490, 1927 U.S. App. LEXIS 2564
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
DecidedJune 8, 1927
Docket7497
StatusPublished
Cited by51 cases

This text of 20 F.2d 490 (Lennon v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lennon v. United States, 20 F.2d 490, 1927 U.S. App. LEXIS 2564 (8th Cir. 1927).

Opinion

DAYIS, District Judge.

Ambrose L. Lennon was convicted in the district court of Minnesota of maintaining a nuisance, in violation of section 21, tit. 2, of the National Prohibition Act (Comp. St. § 10138%jj). He brings the case here on writ of error. (The parties will be designated as in the trial court.)

The local lodge of the Fraternal Order of Eagles, in the early part of 1925, completed the construction of a building containing three stories and a basement at 117 Fourth Street Southeast, in the city of Minneapolis. The third floor was a large auditorium, the second floor was arranged as offices for professional men, the first floor was designated as the quarters of the officers of the lodge, and the basement contained a general club room, a kitchen, and a bar.

The lodge had several thousand members, and to gain admission to the club room it was required that membership cards be exhibited. *491 Three prohibition agents sought and were admitted to membership in the order. Sheldon P. Medbnry became a member on February 20, 1925; Isaac L. McCoun, on March 16, 1925; Halsey L. Hearshman, on April 9, 1925. These agents collected evidence which resulted in a search warrant being issued, and on Sunday, May 3,1925, a raid was made oí the premises of the lodge. The evidence was submitted to the constituted authorities and ■resulted in the indictment of the defendant, jointly with 36 other persons. Eight of th& indictees, including the defendant here, were officers of the lodge, and nine were bartenders. Seven of the defendants entered pleas of guilty and were sentenced to serve eight months in jail. One of the parties was not in court, and nine of the defendants entered pleas of not guilty. The indictment was dismissed as to three of the defendants during, and as to one of the defendants at the close of, the government’s ease. The cause was submitted to the jury as to the remaining five defendants, including Ambrose L. Lennon. The verdict was guilty, and the sentence was one year in jail as to each of these defendants.

I. The evidence in this ease clearly shows that a nuisance, as that term is understood, was maintained on the premises with which we are concerned. Counsel for defendant in his brief virtually conceded that to bo true, and, with commendable frankness, in his oral argument stated that the existence of the nuisance was an admitted fact. But it is asserted that the evidence does not show that defendant was guilty of knowingly participating in the maintenance of the nuisance. The error most vigorously urged is that the motion for a directed verdict should have been sustained on the ground of the insufficiency of the evidence.

The defendant was one of three trustees of the lodge. The trustees had general charge of the building and other property of the local organization. It was the duty of the said officers to exercise supervision over property and handle the renting and leasing of such portion of the building as were set aside for that purpose. The proceeds of the bar were placed in a special fund, and after deducting the expense of maintaining that service the balance was turned over to the lodge. There was paid to the lodge $5,000 from this fund during the month of April, 1925. The evidence does not show that this money was delivered to the trustees, but that checks in the above amount were deposited in the East Hennepin State Bank to the credit of the building fund of the lodge. The operating expense of the bar for the same month was approximately $1,900.

The evidence was to the effect that the members of the lodge visited the premises in considerable numbers on Sundays and holidays. The witness Medbury related an occurrence at the weekly meeting of the lodge on Sunday, March 2,1925, and his testimony, in part, was to this effect:

“Q. You were present during the entire meeting? A. Yes, sir.

“Q. Did you hear all of the proceedings of that meeting? A. I did.

“Q. Was anything said there with reference to the conduct of the business of the buffet or barroom? A. There was.

“Q. By whom was it said? A. Mr. Lennon.

“Q. You mean the defendant, present here? A. Yes, sir.

“Q. What did he say? A. Made a recommendation to the meeting that the front doors of the building be kept open from 12 noon to 6 at night on Sundays and holidays, so that the men going and coming in the alley to the back room — the back door — would not cause too much attention drawn to that door, saying further that would cause no further publicity, and something would happen wo didn’t all of us want. That was passed on without a dissenting vote.”

The cross-examination of the witness on this subject reveals the following question and answer (reading):

“(5) That the main entrance be kept open on Sundays 'and holidays from 12 to 6 p. m., and that arrangements be made so that some one will be in attendance to take care of visitors and general supervision. Was that not the motion made at that time?

“The Witness: It was a section of it; yes, sir.”

The witness Medbury further testified that he had seen the defendant in the barroom while liquor was being dispensed. His evidence on that matter was as follows:

“Q. During your numerous visits to this barroom, 4id you ever see Mr. Lennon there? A. I have.

“Q. Can you refer to your diary, and refresh your memory, and tell us when it was? A. It was on March 2d. After the meeting he came down with a national organizer that was there, building up the membership all over the country.

“Q. Was that the evening on which the resolution that you have referred to and testified to was passed? A. Yes, sir.

*492 “Q. And on that evening you saw Mr. Lennon down there in the barroom? A. Yes, sir.

“Q. What, if anything, did you see take place there, with reference to Mr. Lennon? A. They were standing there, talking at the bar. That is all I can testify to.

“Q. At the time they were standing there talking at the bar, were many people being sold over the bar? A. Yes, sir.

“Q. And was that the occasion when there was quite a large crowd there? A. There was'a large crowd of men in the room.

“Q. And was there much, or little, selling of liquor taking place at the time Mr. Lennon was in the room? A. Much-.

“Q. Do you recall how many bartenders were on duty there? A. Two.

“Q. Did you see or hear Mr. Lennon make any remonstrance as to what was occurring there? A. No, sir.

“Q. Did you, on any other occasion, see Mr. Lennon in the barroom?' A. I don’t have reference to the dates these other times he was there.

“Q. But did you see him on other occasions? A. Yes, sir.

“Q. Did you ever see him consume any drinks? A. No, sir.

“Q. Did you ever see him buy any drinks there? A. No, sir.”

Prohibition Agent McCoun was a witness, and testified to having seen the defendant in the barroom. We quote from the transcript of the evidence:

“Q. Did you ever see Mr. Lennon in there? A. Yes, sir.

“Q. When, if you recall, did you see Mr. Lennon? A. On different occasions.

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Bluebook (online)
20 F.2d 490, 1927 U.S. App. LEXIS 2564, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lennon-v-united-states-ca8-1927.