Public-domain · open source
OpenJurist

67 Miss. 328

Rucker v. State

Mississippi Supreme Court

Decided October 15, 1889

Mississippi Supreme Court · decided 1889-10-15

From the circuit court of the first district of Chichasaw county. Hon. Look E. Houston, Judge. The indictment in this case alleges that the appellant, “ did unlawfully play at cards and dice on Sunday.” A motion to quash the indictment on the ground that it charged no offense was overruled. The defendant was tried and convicted, and a motion to set aside the verdict was overruled. The evidence is not set out in the record.

Decided 1889-10-15

Woods, C. J.,

¶1delivered the opinion of the court.

¶2Tobe Rucker was indicted, convicted and sentenced for unlawfully playing at cards or dice on Sunday. The charge is not one of gaming. Nor is it embraced in the definition of offenses denounced in § 2951, code of 1880, in our opinion. That section, by its terms, is confined to farces or plays of any kind, or any games, tricks, juggling, sleight of hand, or feats of dexterity, agility of body, or any bear baiting, or any bull baiting, horse racing, cock fighting, or any such like show or exhibition, etc.” While the word “ games” is used, it is manifest from the entire section that it was intended to apply to such sports or contests as are exhibited as spectacles to the people, and not to such private diversions as card playing, chess playing and the like.

¶3The judgment of the court beloio is reversed, the indictment quashed, and the defendant discharged.

/67/miss/328 · .json · Public domain