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67 Miss. 332

Ragan v. State

Mississippi Supreme Court

Decided October 15, 1889

Mississippi Supreme Court · decided 1889-10-15

From the circuit court of Monroe county. Hon. Lock E. Houston, Judge. The appellants, Eagan and Campbell, were indicted for selling malt liquors at the town of Nettleton, in Monroe county, in violation of a special statute, approved February 1, 1888, entitled “an act to incorporate Providence College, in Lee county, and for other purposes.” This act makes it a misdemeanor to sell liquors within three miles of said college.

Decided 1889-10-15

Cooper, J.,

¶1delivered tbe opinion of the court.

¶2The indictment is fatally defective, and should have been quashed upon the motion of the defendants. It charges no offense. Its averments are that the defendants on the 22d day of April, 1889, did, “unlawfully sell malt liquors at Nettleton, in violation of an act of the legislature, approved February 1st, 1888, entitled an act to incorporate Providence College, in Lee county, and for other purposes.”

¶3Looking to the act referred to, it appears that it is not thereby made unlawful to sell such liquors at Nettleton. The prohibition is against the sale of such liquors “at or within three miles of Providence College, situated in the county of Lee, and in the state of Mississippi.” Place is made of the essence of the offense, and, being so, it is necessary to be alleged. Bishop on Crim. Pro. § 372, and authorities in note.

¶4Judgment reversed and indictment quashed.

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