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1 Wheel. Cr. Cas. 397

People v. Ward

New York Court of Common Pleas

Decided June 15, 1823

New York Court of Common Pleas · decided 1823-06-15

Grand Larceny. The facts of the case appeared as follows: Mr. Peters, who kept a store at No. 48 Washington street, on the day laid in the indictment, had stepped’ out for a leaving the bills upon the counter, and leaving Mr. Warner Spencer and the prisoner (who it appeared liyed in the neighborhood, and who was in the habit occasionally of stepping into the store,) in the store. Mr. Peters returned in a few minutes, and missed the money.

Decided 1823-06-15

By the Court.

¶1The prisoner is charged with a grand *399larceny of three ten dollar notes, the property of Mr. Peters ;"the testimony is, that he took the notes ; but he took them with intention to steal them, is the question. now for the jury to decide. The intent of the prisoner .can only be made out by an impartial view of all the cumstances, in reference to the particular case now before the Court. The evidence was, that the prosecutor left his store for a moment or two, leaving the prisoner and Mr. Spencer in the store, and the money on the counter; that when he returned the money was gone, and Mr. Spencer denied having or knowing any thing about it, the prisoner all the time remaining in the store; and that the contention between Peters and Spencer had arisen to some violence, yet the prisoner said nothing; and when the proposition was made by Spencer to go up stairs tobe searched, he acceded to it, and even there did not voluntarily offer to give up the money, but it was found upon him, and forced from his possession.

¶2The jury found the prisoner guilty of Grand Larceny. .

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