People v. Howard

15 N.W. 101, 50 Mich. 239, 1883 Mich. LEXIS 766
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedFebruary 27, 1883
StatusPublished
Cited by49 cases

This text of 15 N.W. 101 (People v. Howard) 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. Howard, 15 N.W. 101, 50 Mich. 239, 1883 Mich. LEXIS 766 (Mich. 1883).

Opinion

Marston, J.

This case comes up on exceptions after verdict and before judgment.

The prosecution was commenced for .an alleged violation of Act 148 of the Session Laws of 1881, p. 140, being entitled “ An Act to prevent the soliciting or issuing of unauthorized fire or inland marine insurance .policies in this State.”

The first count in the information charges the respondent with being an agent and solicitor of the "Western Manufacturers’ Insurance Company of Chicago, Illinois, and that he did, as such agent and solicitor, unlawfully transact and solicit business within the State of Michigan for said company, and did unlawfully solicit and take the application of William Harrison — the said company not having procured authority-according to tho laws of this State.

The second count charges the respondent with procuring insurance, and the third with unlawfully taking the application of Harrison, ifee.

Counsel for respondent admit it was proved that the insurance company referred to was and is a mutual insurance company, having no shares of capital stock; that it was incorporated by special charter granted by the General [242]*242Assembly of the State of Illinois; that neither the respondent nor the company had procured or received the certificate of authority required by Sec. 23 of the Act of 1869, and as required by said Act of 1881.

The several questions raised in the brief of counsel for the respondent will be considered in their order.

First. It was not proved that the company was, when that policy was issued, or ever had been, doing business in the State of Michigan, nor that it had ever or in any way or manner transacted or solicited business within the State of Michigan, and that the evidence did not sustain the charge made against respondent in either of the counts in the information.

The first part of the above proposition we may, for the purpose of the present case, fully admit; yet we do not see, nor has any attempt been made by counsel to point out, what favorable result to the respondent • can follow therefrom. Should the company hereafter make an application for leave to do business in this State, if such leave could be granted at all, then under other provisions of the statute the above question might become material.

As to whether the evidence introduced was sufficient to sustain the charge made, we need but say that if there was evidence tending to sustain the charge made in either of the counts, then this Court will not attempt to weigh the same and say whether the jury ought or not to have considered it sufficient. In testing this case we are not required to take that which respondent relies upon and that which would tend against him, and from a comparison thereof determine which was the stronger and better, or, deducting the one from the other, say what, if anything, was left. This would be but a weighing of the evidence and was entirely within the province of the jury. Nor are we to take the evidence in the order, question and answer, in which it was given, but finding it where we may, and putting what was most favorable to the prosecution together, and discarding all other, can this Court say it fairly tended to establish the charge made ? If so, then the verdict of the [243]*243jury in this Court- must be considered asfin'al. If, however, we find a total want of evidence upon any essential point, then it becomes a clear duty to sustain the exceptions taken.

We might content ourselves with saying that the evidence did, in our opinion, tend to establish the charge, but owing to the importance of this case, we will quote some portions of the evidence bearing upon this question.

It is not clear from the evidence from what source the printed blank form of application was obtained by Harrison ; it would seem to have been one in general use, not, issued by this company. Mr. Harrison, the person to whom the policy of insurance was issued, [was] examined and testified as follows:

Q. Ho you know Mr. Howard, the defendant %
A. I do; yes, sir.
Q. How long have you known him ?
A. Well, I think about the first acquaintance I had with Mr. Howard was last January: I saw him before that.
Q. What was his business with you last January ?
A. Well, as near as I can remember, he filled out a blank application.
Q, What was the application ?
A. An application for insurance.
Q. Whether or not upon that application any insurance was effected ?
A. It was. [The policy in question from this company.]
Q. Where did that conversation occur ?
A. At my office.
Q. Well, tell us what was said ?
A. Well, I could hardly tell what was said. The leading points, perhaps, were that I asked Mr. Howard the mode of operation of the company represented.
Q. What companies did he represent %
A. This one company there.
Q. What was it %
A. The Western Manufacturers’ Mutual.
Q. Go ahead.
A. Mr. Howard answered my questions. I cannot remember what these questions were.
Q. What was your question, — the substance of it ?
A. Well, I was very much interested in the protection that that company gave to the insured, and the amount it cost to insure.
[244]*244Q. What did he say as to the amount it cost to insure ?
A. About one-half per cent. * * * That application was filled out, as near as I can recollect, at that time in January when Mr. Howard was in my office.
Q- Tou say that this policy was issued to you in pursuance of that application ?
A. Tes sir. * * *
Q. Do you recollect what became of the application after it was signed ?
A. My recollection is it was handed to Mr. Howard.
Q. Was it for insurance in this same company ?
A. Tes sir.
Q. And this [policy] you received by mail shortly after-wards ?
A. Tes sir. * * *
Q. Did you give any premium note %
A. Tes sir.
Q. When was that given %
A. That was given at the time of the application.
Q. Tou signed it at the time you made the application ?
A. Tes sir.
Q. And they drew on you for the cash premium ?
A. For the cash premium; yes sir.

Section 23 of the Act of 1869, (1 Comp. L. § 298T),

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
15 N.W. 101, 50 Mich. 239, 1883 Mich. LEXIS 766, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-howard-mich-1883.