State v. Simonian

66 N.E.2d 260, 77 Ohio App. 201, 45 Ohio Law. Abs. 97
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedNovember 13, 1945
Docket6568 and 6569
StatusPublished

This text of 66 N.E.2d 260 (State v. Simonian) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Simonian, 66 N.E.2d 260, 77 Ohio App. 201, 45 Ohio Law. Abs. 97 (Ohio Ct. App. 1945).

Opinion

OPINION

By ROSS, J.

These cases were heard together, being appeals upon questions of law from the Municipal Court of Cincinnati. The facts involved are the same in each case, except that two separate offenses involving separate gambling devices or machines were involved. The trials in the Municipal Court resulted in convictions and sentences, from which these appeals are taken. Both prosecutions were predicated on affidavits charging specifically violations of §13066, GC, in that it is stated that the defendant did “unlawfully, knowingly, wilfully keep and exhibit for gain a certain gaming device, commonly known as “Pin-Ball” called “5-10-20,” in one case and “Arizona” in the other.”

From the bill of exceptions it appears that the defendant *98 ■was a cook employed in a cafe known as Yacht Club, by one Lincoln Rice (sometime referred to as Jack). The defendant among' other duties was required to “pay off” the machines in question, when players thereon succeeded in manipulating the same in such a manner as to cause them to register winning signals (hits). Police officers entered the cafe, operated the machines, and were paid off by the defendant for their winnings or “hits”. The nickels used in paying off such winners were kept in a glass bowl, from which the defendant secured the nickels, all of this she did under direct instructions from her employer. The machines were introduced in evidence and have been brought before the court. They consist of rectangular boxes supported by legs, slightly longer in the rear than in the front, thus causing a slight fall in the box from the back to front.

The machines are operated partly by electricity and partly mechanically. Upon inserting a coin, five steel ballg are released into a pocket from which the player may cause them severally to enter a groove. By pulling back a plunger which is controlled by a spring, and releasing the same, the steel ball being thus struck by the plunger is projected up the groove, and by force of gravity, or the force of impact with the rear wall of the box, caused to roll down toward the front of the box. A number of plugs or knobs are placed at various Intervals in the box and the ball as it rolls down the box may strike any number of these plugs or knobs, causing an electrical contact. The action of the steel ball is affected to a certain extent by the distance to which the plunger is withdrawn. However, the element of chance is also present.

The score of the player is affected by the number of plugs or knobs which the ball contacts in its path from the back to the front of the box. By electrical connections, certain numerals are illuminated upon a panel rising from the rear of the box, showing the extent of the player’s score. Premiums are paid for certain totals or “hits” caused by the operation of the steel balls coming in contact with the plugs or knobs. The player is able to “shoot” five balls and is entitled to the total score produced by their use.

It is admitted that the machines are gaming devices and were operated, kept, and exhibited by the defendant.

The sole defense urged is that neither she nor her employer made any personal profit from the operation of the machines, but, on the contrary, that her employer gave all profit. from same to a charitable institution. The evidence upon this point is that the proprietor of the cafe — Lincoln Rice— leased the machines from one Ray Bigner, who calléd from *99 time to time and withdrew the coins deposited by players therein. That the owner would take 50% of such deposits as his rent for the. use of the machines. Rice then deducted from his half of the deposit, amounts paid out to players as premiums, the differences being set aside until he had accumulated the sum of $50.00, when such sum was paid to Bigner, who sent a check to the charity designated by Rice. In the bill of exceptions it is stated:

“Q. (By Mr. Hopkins) What was your arrangement? In other words, what were you to get for rent?

A. Take 50 per cent of the gross amount of money that was in the machine.

Q. How often would you settle with Mr. Rice?

A. Every week.

Q. Every week. Directing your attention to on or about November 14, 1944, did you have a conversation with Mr. Rice?

A. I did.
Q. And as a result of that conversation, did you send a check any place?

A. I sent a check to the United State — Jack gave me $50 and asked me to send a check in to the Veterans—

Mr. Meiers: I will object to that testimony and ask it be stricken from the record.

The Court: Overruled.

Mr. Meiers: Exception.

Q. (By Mr. Hopkins) Did you give him a receipt?
A. I think I scribbled out a receipt on a piece of paper.”

There is no evidence in the record that the defendant received anything directly from the operation of such gaming devices. The sole revenue received by her for services in the cafe was from her employer, in the shape of wages. The services rendered by the defendant in connection with the operation of the machines was purely incidental to her main occupation as cook in the cafe. The defendant testified:

“Q. As part of your employment, do you handle payoffs of this machine?

A. No, my job is cooking.
Q. You would pay off on this machine — you did on this particular day?
A. Yes. I was instructed by Mr. Rice to do that.
Q. You were instructed to do that by your employer?
A. That’s right.

*100 Q. And you are paid for that as being part of your employment?

A. No.”

Rice testified:

“Q. Miss Simonian, the defendant in these cases, is an employee of yours?

Q. How much do you pay her?
A. Thirty dollars a week.
Q. And what are her duties?
A. Well, she cooks, that’s her job.

Q. And were you present the day the detectives came in and were paid off, and arrested Miss Simonian?

A. Yes, sir.
Q. And you saw her pay off these detectives?
A. No, sir, I did not.
Q. Isn’t that part of her regular work when—
A. It is not her regular work, but I was upstairs.
Q. She does it quite frequently?
A. I couldn’t say who pays them off.
Q. You are the owner of that place; why don’t you know?
A.

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Bluebook (online)
66 N.E.2d 260, 77 Ohio App. 201, 45 Ohio Law. Abs. 97, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-simonian-ohioctapp-1945.