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37 Me. 244

State v. Day

Supreme Judicial Court of Maine

Decided July 1, 1854

Supreme Judicial Court of Maine · decided 1854-07-01

On Exceptions from Nisi Prim, Howard, J., presiding. Indictment for the common selling of spirituous and intoxicating liquors, in the town of Saco, between October 1, 1853, and April 1, 1854, under the Act of June 2d, -1851. After the evidence for the State was introduced, the defendant requested the Judge to give the following instructions : — 1.

Cited by 2 later decisions — most recently January 1911

1 district · 1 state decisions

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1854-07-01

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Shepley, C. J.

¶1— The indictment charges upon the defendant a violation of the provisions of the Act of June 2, 1851, c. 211, § 8, by being a common seller of spirituous liquors without license.

¶2It has been decided, that an indictment charging a person with being a common seller and with the actual sale of such liquors, did not charge more than one offence. State v. Cottle, 15 Maine, 473; State v. Stinson, 17 Maine, 154; State v. Churchill, 25 Maine, 306. The result is, that a charge of being a common seller includes a charge of making actual sales.

¶3• By the Act approved on March 31, 1853, c. 49, § 9, it is provided, whenever an unlawful sale is alleged and a delivery is proved, it shall not be necessary to prove a payment, but such delivery shall be sufficient evidence of sale.” This provision is applicable, when proof of actual sales are required to convict one of the offence of being a common seller.

¶4The Legislature may make changes in the rules of evidence, without a violation of any provision of the constitution. Oriental Bank v. Freese, 18 Maine, 109.

¶5It has been decided, that three different sales would be sufficient to authorize a conyiction for being a common seller. Commonwealth v. Odlin, 23 Pick. 275. And that all the *246sales may be made on the same day. Commonwealth v. Perley, 2 Cush. 559.

¶6All the requested instructions were properly refused.

¶7Exceptions overruled.

Rice, Hathaway and Cutting, J. J., concurred.
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