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44 S.C.L. 145

State v. Porter

Court of Appeals of South Carolina

Decided December 15, 1856

Court of Appeals of South Carolina · decided 1856-12-15

<p>Indictment for hog stealing charged, that the offence was committed in January, 1851. General issue pleaded, and evidence offered, that the offence was committed in January, 1856: — Held, that such evidence was receivable; that it was not necessary to prove the time, as laid, and that the prosecution was not barred by the statute of limitations.</p>

Decided 1856-12-15

¶1*148Tbe opinion of tbe Court was delivered by

O’Neall, J.

¶2I suppose after tbe case of. The State vs. Youngblood, 2 McC. 241, it must be held that tbe statute of limitations (six months) applies to tbe offence of bog-stealing. If, however, it were res integra, I should hesitate much about so deciding. "N"

¶3In this case it cannot help the prisoners. It is possible that by pleading it specially to the indictment, it might have been difficult for the State to have avoided the bar.

¶4But pleading the general issue, and going to trial, made the case one which turned upon the facts, and when it was shown that the offence was committed 8th January, 1856,'there was no ground for the statute, and the whole case was resolved into the question whether the proof was receivable, as the indictment laid the offence on the 8th January, 1851.

¶5There can be no plainer proposition in law, than that “ it is in no case necessary to prove the precise day or even year laid in the indictment, except when the time enters into the nature of the offence.” 1 C. 0. L. 224. It is plain that here time has nothing to do with the nature of the offence.

¶6The other grounds in the case require no comment.

¶7The motion is dismissed.

Wardlaw, Withees, WhitNer, MüNro, and G-lover, JJ., concurred.

¶8 Motion dismissed.

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