State v. Arthur

109 N.W. 1083, 135 Iowa 48
Supreme Court of Iowa·Decided December 14, 1906·Published·Cited by 11 cases

Opinion

Deemer, J.

This is the second time the case has been before us. The opinion on the former appeal is to be found in 129 Iowa, 235. After remand to the district court the case was again tried, resulting in a verdict of conviction. Several questions are presented on this appeal which did not arise on the former trial, and to these we shall first direct attention.

1. Criminal evidence waiver of notice discretion. I. When the case was called for trial, the county attorney made application for postponement in order that he might use the testimony of certain witnesses who were not before the grand jury and of whose testimony he had not given the requisite notice as provided in section 5373 of the Code. The court indicated that it would grant the application, whereupon defendant consented to the use of the witnesses without waiting for the expiration of the four days. Of this complaint is made. This matter was so largely in the discretion of the trial court that we should not interfere in the absence of a showing as to abuse of that discretion. Defendant is seeking to take advantage of a mere technicality, and not to advantage himself of any substantial right. • No prejudice resulted to defendant, and the court did not abuse its discretion.

[50] 2. Burglary-Evidence. [49] II. The building which was broken and entered was a [50] bank in a small unincorporated town, known as Traynor, in Pottawattamie county. The next morning after the bur-S’^aiT was committed certain tools were found fa ^e bank building which were taken by breaking and entering from a nearby blacksmith shop. The State was permitted to show these facts over defendant’s objections. This was a part of the history of the case, and was properly admitted. State v. Richards, 126 Iowa, 497; State v. Gray, 116 Iowa, 231.

3. Same. III. That same night a team was taken from a stable close at hand, hitched to a spring wagon, and driven in the direction which defendant must have gone had he been one of the guilty parties. The wagon when found had broken down in a Snowdrift and the animals Avere loose. Near where the wagon was abandoned was a footprint in the snow which was made as by one jumping from the wagon. One of defendant’s shoes was fitted into this footprint and was found to exactly correspond therewith. This evidence was all objected to but we think it was both relevant and material.

4. Same. A man by the name of Bernstein was undoubtedly one of the parties who broke and entered the bank building. Indeed he pleaded guilty and was sentenced therefor. Defendant was in company with Bernstein on the evening of the day before the breaking occurred and was also Avith him next morning and until arrested for the commission of the crime. Shortly after the arrest defendant declared that he did not know Bernstein and had never met him until the ■ day before the arrest. The State showed by many witnesses that this Avas untrue; that defendant and Bernstein, were together some two years before in Colorado; that they were frequently together shortly before the crime was committed in Omaha, Council Bluffs, and at a little town named Minden, which is not many miles from Traynor. Complaint is made of the admission of all of this testimony. We think it Avas proper to be received. State v. [51] Arthur, 129 Iowa, 235; State v. Stevens, 67 Iowa, 557; People v. Childs, 127 Cal. 363 (59 Pac. 768); State v. Gadbois, 89 Iowa, 25; Scott v. State, 30 Ala. 503; Reinhold v. State, 130 Ind. 467 (30 N. E. 306).

Even without defendant’s statement after arrest, much of this testimony showing that defendant and Bernstein were recently before the burglary frequently together was admissible as tending to prove a conspiracy. Utter strangers are not likely to conspire to commit crime. Recognizing that many of the circumstances were against him, defendant sought to exculpate himself when arrested by saying that he had never met Bernstein until the day before. This denial of acquaintance is very significant, and adds much to the testimony showing that for some days just previous to the burglary these parties were seen frequently together. The cases we have cited fully sustain the ruling of the trial court.

5. Same. Evidence was adduced regarding statements made by Bernstein in defendant’s presence. This was properly received for obvious reasons. After the arrest defendant admitted that he was with Bernstein the day and night before his arrest. The State was permitted to show over defendant’s objections, by a witness living two miles east of Traynor, that at about eleven o’clock of the night of the breaking and entering Bernstein inquired of him as to the road to Traynor. This testimony was manifestly competent.

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State v. Arthur, 109 N.W. 1083, 135 Iowa 48 (iowa 1906).

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