People v. Day

166 N.W. 970, 200 Mich. 636, 1918 Mich. LEXIS 881
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedMarch 27, 1918
DocketDocket No. 192
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 166 N.W. 970 (People v. Day) 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. Day, 166 N.W. 970, 200 Mich. 636, 1918 Mich. LEXIS 881 (Mich. 1918).

Opinion

Ostrander, C. J.

The information alleges that respondent did receive and come into the possession of $520, lawful money, of the personal property, goods and chattels of Edwin Becker, and afterwards, and while the said goods and chattels were in his possession, he feloniously and fraudulently embezzled and converted the same to his own use, and thereby he the said property did feloniously steal, take and carry away. There is also a count charging larceny of goods and chattels of the value of $520. The information was filed July 5, 1916. Respondent was convicted by [637]*637the verdict of a jury and reviews the proceeding upon exceptions before sentence.

There is no “statement of facts” in the brief for respondent, although various facts are stated, but it is said that the respondent is in the same situation here as he was in a former case reviewed by this court and reported 185 Mich. 68; that there is involved the same subject-matter and the same testimony: The brief in no respect complies with the rule of this court.

The brief for the people contains the statement:

“The case was before this court at the March term, 1915, and is reported in 185 Michigan, page 68. ' By reference to that case it will be seen that respondent was convicted of the charge of embezzlement, growing out of the same state of facts appearing in the record now before the court. It was there held that the respondent, who was acting in the capacity of an executor, should not have been charged under section 11591, of the Compiled Laws of 1897 (3 Comp. Laws 1915, § 15336), which relates to the conversion by agents and clerks of moneys entrusted to them, it being intimated that if any offense was committed, it should have been prosecuted under section 11610 (3 Comp. Laws 1915, § 15375), relating to embezzlement by executors and administrators.”

A reference to People v. Day, 185 Mich. 68, discovers the fact that in that ease respondent was charged with being the agent and clerk of Edwin Becker, a fact which the testimony absolutely disproved, and with receiving, while he was such clerk and agent, by virtue of his said employment, money belonging to Becker, which money he converted to his own use. The information in the case now before us is filed, it is assumed, under 3 Comp. Laws 1915, § 15315, which reads:

“If any person to whom any money, goods, or other property which may be the subject of larceny, shall have been delivered, shall embezzle or fraudulently convert to his own use, or shall secrete with the intent [638]*638to embezzle, or fraudulently use such goods, money, or other property, or any part thereof, he shall be deemed by so doing to have committed the crime of larceny.”

An examination of the record, which is made because the liberty of respondent is involved, discloses the following facts, not disputed: Alonzo F. Anscomb and his wife, Anna Anscomb, were owners of a farm and a house and lot, all of the property situated in Wayne county. (In what proportions the property was owned by each does not appear; nor what the estate of the wife in the property was.) They contracted to sell the farm to one Edwin Becker March 9, 1907, for $6,000, some, at least, of the payments being deferred and by agreement to be made from time to time. To February, 1911, when Mrs. Anscomb died, payments were made on the contract to the vendors. By her will, respondent was named the executor of her estate and qualified as executor. After her death, one payment of $540 was made to some one other than respondent, and thereafter payments were made to him. He executed receipts, signing the same as “Executor of Anna M.’ Anscomb estate,” and he so gave a receipt for $520 paid to him April 8, 1912, “to apply on land contract on the Anscomb farm.” This is the sum of money respondent is said to have stolen. Other sums paid to him on this contract were $530 and $510. The Anscombs also deeded the house and lot to Becker and of the purchase price he paid to respondent $1,570. Some time after the death of his wife, Mr. Anscomb was declared to be an incompetent, and one Boden, a brother-in-law, was appointed guardian. The guardian instituted an action to set aside these sales, and respondent was made a party defendant. Under date February 11, 1913, a decree was made in that action setting aside the sales, determining that Becker had paid $4,259.36, which ought to be repaid to him, and containing the provision that of [639]*639this sum $3,854.90 should, be paid to Becker by respondent. This was the sum, with interest, which it was found had been paid by Becker to respondent. Five days before the decree was signed, respondent filed in probate court his account as executor. In it he admitted total receipts of $4,825.91, claimed his disbursements and fees were $2,675.82, and stated the balance due the estate to be $2,150.09. On March 17, 1913, the probate court made an order in the matter of the estate of Anna M. Anscomb, deceased, which disallows most of the sums claimed to have been disbursed, which states no sum as due from the executor to the estate, and contains the provision:

“Executor is not charged with the various items of cash received upon Becker land contract, deed and bill of sale, said money not being a part of the estate of Anna M. Anscomb.”

Respondent, a witness in his own behalf, upon the trial of this case, testified that lie had received a total of $3,130 from Becker, that the balance he contends he ought to account for is $2,150, and that he would pay that amount to Becker when his attorney told him to do so. He testified further that he had used some of the money in his own business, and it appears that he deposited some or all of it to his own credit, and not in a special account. '

I have examined respondent’s exceptions. I do not find that he was prevented from presenting the facts upon which his theory depends. His contention was stated to the court in the absence of the jury, and was overruled. Whether this ruling was correct is, upon this record, the question presented for decision. The statement and motion made for him was:

“At this stage of the trial, if your honor please, the people having rested, and in consideration of the evidence therein adduced, it is clearly apparent that the money the respondent is charged with embezzling [640]*640came to his possession and control as executor of the estate of Anna M. Anscomb, deceased. Such money being one of the instalment payments under a land contract which came into the respondent’s control was part of her estate in personalty, — a contract executed by Mrs. Anscomb for the sale of her farm to Mr. Becker, the complaining witness, some four or five years beforé she died, — on the stipulated payments, as therein provided, till it. matured, as it did, during Mr. Day’s administration of her estate. The money he is charged with embezzling is $520, one of the instalments collected by Mr. Day on that contract; collected by him in his official capacity, precisely as he had collected all the others since Mrs. Anscomb’s decease, including, notably the instalment of $540 of which he was also charged with embezzling under 3 Comp. Laws, § 11591, and of which charge he was held not to be guilty by the Supreme Court, because not charged under section 11610, relating to executors, administrators, and others controlling money coming into their possession in a trust capacity.

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Related

People v. Romanski
182 N.W. 121 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1921)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
166 N.W. 970, 200 Mich. 636, 1918 Mich. LEXIS 881, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-day-mich-1918.