People v. Adler

135 N.W. 289, 169 Mich. 322, 1912 Mich. LEXIS 737
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedMarch 29, 1912
DocketDocket No. 189
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 135 N.W. 289 (People v. Adler) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Adler, 135 N.W. 289, 169 Mich. 322, 1912 Mich. LEXIS 737 (Mich. 1912).

Opinions

McAlvay, J.

Respondents were prosecuted and convicted upon an information charging a violation of the local-option law then in force in Jackson county, the material portion of which information is as follows:

[324]*324That on the first day of September, A. D. 1909, at the city of Jackson, and in the county aforesaid, and on divers days and times between that day and the 27th day of August, 1910, one Fred G. Adler and Gar. A. Adler * * * did in a certain building situated in the city of Jackson, etc., * * * keep a place where malt, brewed, fermented and intoxicating liquors were sold, stored for sale and furnished, * * * contrary,” etc.

This information contained three counts. Upon arraignment respondents stood mute, whereupon a plea of not guilty was entered by the court. A motion on their behalf was then made to quash the information, for the reason that it charged respondents with separate and distinct offenses. The people then elected to proceed to trial upon the first count of the information above quoted, striking out the words “ malt, brewed and fermented ” from the. last sentence of such quotation. The trial proceeded upon the information as amended, reading:

“ Did in a certain building situated in the city of Jackson and county aforesaid keep a place where intoxicating liquors were sold, stored for sale and furnished, contrary,” etc.

This trial was had in the November term of court, 1910, and resulted in a disagreement of the jury. In January, 1911, the case was brought on for a retrial by the present prosecutor, who had assumed the duties of the office on the first of that month. From the conviction obtained on that trial respondents ask a reversal upon exceptions before sentence. The fact that the local-option law was then in force in Jackson county is not in dispute.

The assignments of error relied upon and discussed by respondents are to certain portions of the charge of the court, and upon the admission of certain evidence, and the refusal to strike out testimony of a certain witness. Before proceeding to discuss the questions raised by the errors assigned, a statement of certain material facts will be necessary to a proper understanding of the case.

Respondents are father and son. The father, Fred G. Adler, had, for many years before local option was adopted [325]*325in Jackson county, been engaged at No. 117 East Pearl street, in tbe city of Jackson, in carrying on the business of bottling beer, soda, and mineral waters and soft drinks, and, in connection with the bottling business, sold barroom and bottlers’ supplies. This is the place which, it is claimed by the prosecution, was kept by the respondents “where intoxicating liquors were sold, stored for sale, and furnished.” Since local option was adopted Mr. Adler, Sr., has had the agency of “Peter Hand Beer” for five counties. The testimony shows that “this is a temperance beer.” After September 1, 1909, he has also been engaged at this place in taking orders to Koppitz-Melehers Brewing Company and the Voigt Brewing Company of Detroit for lager and other beer manufactured by them, and, it is claimed by respondents, for no other brewers. These order blanks were furnished by the elder Adler and signed by the individual desiring beer, and, with the price in cash and enough to pay the freight from Detroit, were handed to Mr. Adler, who sent them, less freight money, forward to be filled, and, when received at Detroit, were filled by the consignor (brewer) and shipped to Jackson, each case or package marked to the consignee. The money paid for freight was put into a receptacle to be paid later to the transportation companies. A sample of one of these orders does not appear in the record.

The connection of the respondent Gar. A. Adler, as he contends, was that of an expressman. He says that, for the purpose of complying strictly with the law, he procured and had printed a certain blank prepared by. a Mr. Hart, prosecuting attorney of Lenawee county. Respondent testified:

“He had studied the local-option question very thoroughly, and that was one of the points he brought out. It was also in conformity with the United States Penal Code, and that was the reason why I was acting to obey the law in Jackson county, so I had the blank printed.”

The following is a copy of this delivery order blank in actual use by this respondent:

[326]*326“Consignee’s standing order for delivery of intoxicating liquors.
“Jackson, Mich.,-, 190-.
“ On-Agent or Company.
“You are hereby notified that Gar. A. Adler is our regular and exclusively employed agent and authorized to take, deliver and receipt for all consignments of intoxicating liquors consigned to the undersigned and shipped under the provisions of Section 238 of the U. S. Penal Code of January 1, 1910.
“R. H. Baylbss,
“ Signature of Consignee.”

These orders are given by the persons ordering beer through Mr. Adler, Sr., for the delivery of the beer so ordered. When a shipment of beer was made from Detroit, respondent testified:

“ I get a notification sheet from the brewery with a list and go to the interurban station and check up the list with the man in charge, to know that the beer is there. Ifjfjthe beer is there, he delivers me the beer. * * * This is part of the business method of the brewery. * * * I have filed these orders for delivery of beer with the railroad companies.”

Relative to beer for which he had no delivery orders he testified:

“ Some of the people who have given the orders come down to my father’s place and get their beer. I transfer it from the place where it is unloaded over to my father’s place, and leave it there for them. It is left out on the sidewalk. At night, if they have not been there after it, it is taken inside. My father has never objected to, or never consented to, this. He knew about it.”

This respondent states that his father for taking orders received no compensation whatever. He says:

“ I do not know that he does that for fun. It is a matter of retaining trade which he has worked 30 years to secure. I think that is reason enough.”

He states that he gets nothing for delivering the beer, but is paid by the brewing companies 20 cents for each case of empties he returns. As to the payment of the freight on orders, he first says:

[327]*327“When a purchaser orders the beer, he leaves the money to pay the freight. * * * It is left at my father’s place. The freight office sends a man to come and get it. * * * I never paid any freight myself.”

Then he testifies:

“The entire amount that pays for freight is left for me. It is left at the place. There was a receptacle there in the place for the purpose of leaving their money. It is in the office. I go there after it. Freight on a case of beer would be 25 cents.”

He said that occasionally he had orders for beer handed to .him with the money, which he would hand over to his father as an accommodation to the purchaser. As to delivering the beer to the consignees, he testifies:

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Related

In re Adler
136 N.W. 1120 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1912)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
135 N.W. 289, 169 Mich. 322, 1912 Mich. LEXIS 737, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-adler-mich-1912.