United States v. Ashworth

7 Alaska 64
CourtDistrict Court, D. Alaska
DecidedJune 23, 1923
DocketNo. 1105-C
StatusPublished

This text of 7 Alaska 64 (United States v. Ashworth) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Alaska primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Ashworth, 7 Alaska 64 (D. Alaska 1923).

Opinion

DOMEN, District Judge.

The motion and petition were heard pending the trial of the criminal action, and were argued together. The grounds of the motion were: (a) Indefiniteness in description of the premises searched; (b) want of probable cause for the warrant; (c) that the facts stated in'the petition were false; (d) that the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution had, immediately before the issuance of the warrant, been violated by an illegal search.

The petition, so far as material, alleges that on the 30th day of April, 1923, while the defendant was “ill” in her residence, one W. W. Getchell, a deputy United States marshal, “acting as such deputy marshal,” together with one B. W. Neilly, who was then and there a police "officer of the fcity of Nome, and “acting as such officer,” unlawfully and without warrant or authority so to do, “broke open” the door to defendant’s said “home” and seized certain property in said home (describing the property), and that said property is now held by the United State attorney, the United States marshal, and the United States commissioner, for the purpose of using the same in evidence on the trial of the criminal action. The petition asks for a return of the property seized.

The answer to the petition denies the material allegations of the petition and claims the liquors and containers as contraband goods forfeited to the United States. Omitting the formal parts, the affidavit, on which the search warrant issued, was as follows:

“W. W. Getcliell, being first duly sworn, on oath, deposes and says: That he is a deputy United States marshal in and for the Second division, territory of Alaska; that as such deputy United States marshal he did on the 30th day of April, 1923, at the request of one B. Neeley, a police officer of the city of Nome, accompany the said B. Neeley to a certain building, in the restricted district of the city of Nome, occupied by one Kitty Doe, whose real name is unknown to this affiant, which said building backs on Second avenue, between Lane’s [66]*66Way and Hunter Way, in the said city of Nome, territory of Alaska, for the purpose of assisting the said B. Neeley in the execution of a certain warrant in the hands of the said Neeley; that while in said house of the said Kitty Doe, whose real name is unknown to this affiant, he noticed a liquor keg, which, from the odor emanating from the same, contained intoxicating liquor. Wherefore affiant makes application for the issuance of a search warrant for the search of the said premises, and its appurtenances, above described, directed to the United States marshal of the Second judicial division, territory of Alaska, or any of his deputies, commanding them to search the said premises for intoxicating liquors of whatever nature, and to bring the same to this court to be disposed of and dealt with according to law.”

.Attached to the warrant issued on said affidavit was a copy of said affidavit, and also of a note from Fred Harrison, United States attorney, directed to C. W. Thornton, United States commissioner, stating:

“One or more persons, who are competent witnesses, having charged on oath or affirmation before me that the facts set forth in the herein annexed affidavit are true, and being satisfied that there is probable cause to believe that the grounds set forth in said affidavit are true, said affidavit is hereby approved, and you are respectfully requested to issue a search warrant, as therein requested.”

The search warrant issued by the commissioner on said affidavit and direction of the United States attorney recites:

“Information on oath having this day been laid before me by one W. W. Getehell, United States deputy marshal, in the form of a sworn complaint, of which the annexed is a true copy: You are therefore hereby commanded, at any time in the day or night, to make immediate search of that certain building situate in the restricted district of the town of Nome, occupied by the said Kittie Doe, whose true name is unknown, which said building backs on Second avenue, between Lane’s Way and Hunter Way, in the said town of Nome, territory of Alaska, and its appurtenances, for the following: Intoxicating liquors, and, if you find any intoxicating liquors, to bring the same forthwith to me at Nome, Alaska, to be disposed of and dealt with according to law.”

Thereafter, and on the same day, said United States commissioner also, on the complaint of said W. W. Getehell, issued a warrant for the arrest of said defendant.

On the hearing of the petition herein, W. W. Getehell and B. W. Neilly were each called as witnesses for the petitioner. They testified in effect that on the 30th day of April, 1923, one Geissler accosted said Getehell and informed him that he had [67]*67lost his pocketbook, containing valuable papers and money, but did not know the circumstances of the loss or the place where he had lost his property. Said Geissler expressed the belief that it might be found in the possession of the defendant, who conducts a bawdyhouse in the so-called “restricted district” in Nome, and he requested Mr. Getchell to assist him in the recovery of his property. Mr. Getchell, regarding the matter as one of local municipal concern, rather than a matter for federal intervention, proceeded with said Geissler to Chief of Po-ice Haughey, who called Mr. Neilly, also a police officer, and Mr. Neilly undertook to investigate the matter, if Mr. Getchell would accompany him. They proceeded to the bawdyhouse referred to, found the outside or shed door open, and walked in. The door to the adjoining room, a kitchen, was also found open, and they entered said room. The door leading from the kitchen was found closed, or nearly so. Mr. Neilly turned the knob and opened the door, and they walked into what appeared to be a bedroom. A second door leading from said bedroom was found locked. Mr. Neilly knocked on the latter door. The defendant answered from the adjoining room and inquired, “Who is there?” Neilly answered, “Neilly, the police officer.” She said, “Who else is there?” he said, “A deputy marshal.” Then she opened the door. Mr. Getchell stepped back into the bedroom, which smelled of liquor, and there saw a keg, the contents of which he and Neilly later tasted and found to be whisky. Getchell then told Neilly that he “had gone as far as he could; that he was going to get a search warrant to search the place for liquor.”

Getchell testified that he was not there in his official capacity, but that he told Mr. Neilly to see that nothing was disturbed in the house until he got back with the search warrant. It appears, further, that the defendant was at the time “in a beastly state of intoxication.” Being informed of their errand, she stated to the officers that she did not have the pocketbook.and knew nothing about it. When Neilly suggested a search for the lost property, she said, “Go as far as you like.” Neilly and Getchell thereupon made a search for the pocketbook. In the presence of the defendant they opened some drawers of a bureau and rummaged about, and looked through the rooms. It was then that they tasted of the contents of the keg, and Getchell said he would get a warrant.

[68]*68No property right is claimed by the defendant in the liquors. The evident purpose of the motion and petition is to prevent their use in evidence.

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Bluebook (online)
7 Alaska 64, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-ashworth-akd-1923.