United States v. One Rectifying Establishment

27 F. Cas. 313, 11 Int. Rev. Rec. 45
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Mississippi
DecidedDecember 15, 1869
StatusPublished

This text of 27 F. Cas. 313 (United States v. One Rectifying Establishment) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Mississippi primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. One Rectifying Establishment, 27 F. Cas. 313, 11 Int. Rev. Rec. 45 (N.D. Miss. 1869).

Opinion

HILL. District Judge.

After a most careful examination of the question raised upon the first ground of demurrer, I am satisfied that the law does impose a duty upon the rectifier or wholesale liquor dealer in the 25th section, the knowingly and wilfully omitting and neglecting of which, under section 96, does forfeit all the spirituous liquors owned by such party. The second clause in section 25 provides that whenever any cask or package of rectified spirits shall be filled for shipment, sale, or delivery, on the premises of any [314]*314rectifier who shall have paid the special tax required by law, it shall be the duty of the United States gauger to gauge, inspect, and stamp the same as therein directed. The third clause makes the same provisions in relation to wholesale dealers. It is true that the gauging, inspecting, and stamping is to be done by the United States gauger, but it is equally true that the rectifier or dealer, when he does have his casks filled, is to call upon the gauger to perform his duty, and he is not permitted to fill his casks without causing the same to be gauged, inspected, and stamped, as required by law. The object of the law is that the revenue officers, upon an inspection of the casks in such establishments, may know whether or not the law has been complied with. This section does not impose any penalty on the rectifier or dealer; lienee the application of the 96th section. The case provided for in section 47 is where distilled spirits are drawn from one cask and placed in another cask, containing not less than ten gallons, intended for sale, no matter by whom done, or where done, the spirits filled shall be again inspected and gauged, and the cask into which they are placed shall be marked or branded, etc. Section 25 is confined to rectifiers and wholesale dealers, and is not limited to the quantity, as in section 47. Wholesale liquor dealers are those who sell in a quantity not less than five gallons; consequently all sales of five gallons or more must be inspected, gauged, and stamped; and, as to rectifiers, all casks filled by them for shipment, sale, or delivery, no matter in what quantities, must be inspected, gauged, and stamped. But to render the party liable to the penalties under section 96, the filling of the casks, and the omission to cause the same to be so inspected, gauged,- and stamped, must be alleged and proved to be knowingly and wilfully done, or neglected to be done, as the case may be; all of which is averred in this count, so that this ground' of demurrer is not well taken. The second, third, and fourth causes of demurrer are substantially the same; the allegations as to quantity are sufficient. There is however a cause of demurrer, which in argument was not insisted on. or set down as a cause of demurrer, but which as a general demurrer does apply to this count; and that is, it contains two distinct offences, for which a different penalty is imposed by way of forfeiture. First, it is charged that the spirits were removed from a distillery warehouse. without having been inspected, gauged, and stamped, as required by law; this is in substance a charge that they were so removed without having been removed according to law. The spirits so removed, and only such spirits, became, under section 36, forfeited. The forfeiture under section 96, as above stated, forfeits not only the spirits filled up, but all the spirits owned by the rectifier or dealer. These two charges, therefore, should have been embraced in separate counts, and for this cause the demurrer to this count is sustained. The second count avers that said spirits so seized were removed from a distillery warehouse without being removed according to law. The cause of demurrer thereto is that neither the quality nor number of casks is designated. This is unnecessary. The demurrer to this count is therefore overruled.

The third count avers that claimants knowingly and wilfully omitted to make the entries required by section 45 in relation to the spirits seized. The forfeiture under this count is claimed under section 96 of the act of 1868. It is insisted for claimants that section 96 does not apply to this offence, the penalty for the omission stated being fixed in section 45. Thus a construction of the true intent and meaning of section 96 becomes important, not only in this case, but in numerous others of like character. Upon the original argument of this question, in this and other cases of a similar character, the district attorney, with both zeal and ability, insisted that the penalties imposed by this section apply to acts or omissions knowingly and wilfully done or omitted to be done, which were forbidden or required by any other section of the act, although there is a penalty specifically imposed for the mere act or omission without more. The converse of this proposition was also-zealously and ably argued by counsel for the respective claimants. The question was then a new one,, without any judicial construction upon it, so far as I knew. After a most laborious examination of the question I came to the conclusion that the construction claimed by the district attorney was not the correct one, but that congress only intended this section to apply to violations by commission or omission for which no specific penalties were imposed by any other section of the act, and not then unless the thing forbidden was both knowingly and wilfully done, or if the offence was by omission, that it was both knowingly and wil-fully omitted. And with this conclusion I was satisfied, until I met with Judge Blatch-ford’s opinion in which he maintains fully the position claimed by the district attorney. Quantity of Distilled Spirits [Case No. 11,495]. Finding myself opposed in my construction by so able a jurist, and one for whose judicial opinions I entertain the highest regard, I at once questioned the correctness of my own conclusions, and requested a re-argument, with such additional light as might be thrown upon the question by the opinion of the learned judge. I have listened with deep interest to the able re-argument, and have examined, closely the opinion mentioned, and with these aids have re-examined the questions, with a desire to at least satisfy my own mind as to a correct construction of the intention of congress in reference to this section, and also desirous to agree, as far as possible, with the distinguished jurist who had already given it his construction, and thereby preserve uniformity in the enforcement of this law; but instead of coming to that agreement in opin[315]*315ion, I find myself unable to change the conclusions to which I had before arrived. In many of the conclusions of the learned judge in the case mentioned I fully concur; the only point of difference is that he believes the act throughout makes a distinction between an act knowingly and wilfully done or omitted, and one in which such knowledge and intention is wanting; that to the former the 96th section applies, and to the latter the specific penalties enumerated. In this I cannot concur. It is clear to my mind that when a specific penalty is imposed, whether the act or omission was a knowing or wilful one or not, such specified penalties alone are imposed, and that the 96th section was only intended to apply to such acts or omissions mentioned in the different sections, for which no specific penalties are imposed, and only then when such act or omission was both knowing and wilful. By reference to sections 9, 11, 15, 16, 17, 23, 25, 48, and other sections, it will be found that many things are required or forbidden, for which no specific penalty is imposed; and when omitted or done knowingly and wilfully, the penalties imposed by this important section will be enforced.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
27 F. Cas. 313, 11 Int. Rev. Rec. 45, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-one-rectifying-establishment-msnd-1869.