People v. James

59 N.W. 236, 100 Mich. 522, 1894 Mich. LEXIS 845
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedJune 2, 1894
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 59 N.W. 236 (People v. James) 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. James, 59 N.W. 236, 100 Mich. 522, 1894 Mich. LEXIS 845 (Mich. 1894).

Opinion

Long, J.

Respondent was convicted of keeping open his saloon after the hour of 11 o’clock in the evening.

The people’s testimony showed that the respondent kept a saloon where spirituous and malt liquors were sold. A policeman and the marshal and deputy marshal testified that on the evening charged, between 11 and 12 o’clock, they passed the place, and heard voices in the saloon, from which they judged that four or five persons were in there, and they heard the glasses rattling. The respondent’s case is stated in the record as follows:

The testimony of the defendant, taken at his request on the examination, was introduced in evidence, and is as follows:
“ ‘ Myself, barkeeper, and Dennis Oaples were in my saloon, scrubbing, from 11 o’clock until 12 o’clock, on the night in question. We left at 12 o’clock. Dennis Oaples was not in my employment. He stayed there with us. No one else was in. We had only, one drink at that time. We had a night cap when we left.’
“The defendant, being sworn, testified:
£££ The 22d of April was Saturday. I closed my saloon at 11 o’clock. My bartender’ and Dennis Oaples, I think his name is, stayed in my place with me after that time.
“ ‘ Q. What did you stay there for?
“£ A. Cleaning up the place, — scrubbing the floor, and cleaning the glasses, and fixing the things up all right for Monday morning. When we got through we went out the back door, and locked it up. N o one was admitted to the saloon from the time I closed it, at 11 o’clock, to the time I left. No liquor was sold there. I stopped there for the purpose of cleaning the place up, and not for the purpose of selling liquor.’
££ On cross-examination, the defendant testified:
£££We took one drink when we went away, as I told yon before. Dennis Oaples is a dealer in pop; you bet he is. He helped us scrub out.”’

The court below instructed the jury as follows:

[524]*524“In disposing of this case, in the opinion of the court, the testimony of the respondent shows that there was a violation of the law here, what may he termed somewhat technical, but it is a clear violation of the law, in my judgment. The law requires these places — saloons—to be closed after 11 o’clock; and it seems to me that where the public, or any part of the public, are permitted to stay in the saloon, if the doors are closed, and drinking takes place especially, that it cannot be said that the saloon is closed within the meaning of the statute.
“It appearing by the undisputed testimony of the respondent that Mr. Capíes was there in the saloon, and took a drink with him and his bartender, and that he and Capíes and the bartender were there for some time after 11 o’clock, then there was a clear violation of the statute. That is my judgment about it, gentlemen.
“You will go to your room, and see whether you find a verdict of guilty or not guilty.”

We think the charge was proper, under the evidence. The case is ruled by Kurtz v. People, 33 Mich. 279; People v. Cummerford, 58 Id. 328; People v. Waldvogel, 49 Id. 337; People v. Blake, 52 Id. 566; People v. Crowley, 90 Id. 366.

The conviction is affirmed.

The other Justices concurred.

■CLOSING OF SALOONS ON SUNDAY,' ON LEGAL HOLIDAYS, AND AFTER A DESIGNATED HOUR ON WEEIC-DAY NIGHTS.

The following note summarizes the legislation and collects the cases bearing upon the subject suggested in the above heading:

Summary of Legislation.

1. Act No. 231, Laws of 1875, taking effect August 3, 1875, provided that all saloons, restaurants, bars, bar-rooms, in taverns or elsewhere, and all places of public resort where intoxicating liquors were sold, either at wholesale or retail, should, unless otherwise determined and directed by the proper municipal authorities, be olosed on Sunday, and on week-day nights from and after the hour cf 11 o’clock until 6 o’clock of the following morning.

3. Act No. 193, Laws of 1877, taking effect May 22, 1877, provided that all saloons, restaurants, bars, in taverns or elsewhere, and all other places where malt, spirituous, or intoxicating liquors were sold, either at wholesale or retail, should be closed on Sunday, and on each week-day night from and after the hour of 10 o’clock until 6 o’clock of the morning of the succeeding day: Provided, that, in all cities and incorporated villages, the places named might remain open until not later than 11 o’clock of such week[525]*525day nights, unless ordered sooner closed by the proper municipal authorities.

3. Act No. 367, Laws of 1879, taking effect August 30, 1879, changed the 1877 law by adding, as days when saloons, etc., should be closed, “election days or legal holidays,” and by prohibiting the sale or gift of malt, spirituous, or intoxicating liquors at any time during such days, and by fixing the hour for closing at 9 o’clock at night, with the right to remain open until 10 o’clock, unless ordered sooner closed by the proper city or village authorities.

4. Act No. 359, Laws of 1881, taking effect September 10, 1881, provided that all saloons, etc., and all other places where any of the liquors mentioned in sections 1 and 3 of the act might be sold or kept for sale, either at wholesale or retail, should be closed on Sunday, on all election days, on all legal holidays, and until 7 o’clock of the following morning, and on each week-day night from and after 9 o’clock until 7 o’clock of the following morning; that the word “closed” should be construed to apply to the back door as well as to the front door; that in prosecutions for violations of said provisions it should not be necessary to prove that any liquor was sold; and that in all cities and incorporated villages the common council might, by ordinance, allow saloons and other places where said liquors should be sold to remain open not later than 10 o’clock on any such week-day night.

5. Act No. 313, Laws of 1887, taking effect September 38, 1887, and now in force (3 How. Stat. § 3383c4 et sea.), provides that all saloons, restaurants, bars, in taverns or elsewhere, and all other places, except drug-stores, where any of the liquors mentioned in said act are sold or kept for sale, either at wholesale or retail, shall be closed on Sunday, on all election days, on all- legal holidays, and until 7 o’clock of the following morning, and on each weekday night from and after the hour of 9 o’clock until 7 o’clock of the morning of-the succeeding day; that .the word “closed” shall be construed to apply to the back door or other entrance, as well as to the front door; that in prosecutions under this section it shall not be necessary to prove that any liquor was sold; and that the proper authorities in cities and incorporated villages may, by ordinance, allow the saloons and other places where said liquors shall be sold to open at 6 o’clock in the forenoon, and to remain open not later than 11 o’clock, and no longer, of any week-day night, except on election days and holidays.

6. Act No. 313, Laws of 1889; which attempted to repeal the 1887 law, was held unconstitutional in Rode v. Phelps, 80 Mich.

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111 N.W. 772 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1907)

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Bluebook (online)
59 N.W. 236, 100 Mich. 522, 1894 Mich. LEXIS 845, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-james-mich-1894.