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81 Mass. 408

Commonwealth v. Burke

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · decided 1860-04-15

Complaint on St. 1855, c. 215, § 15, for two sales of intoxicating liquors “in violation of the provisions of an act, approved on the twentieth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty five, entitled 1 an act concerning the manufacture and sale of spiritous and intoxicating liquors.’ ” The first count concluded “ against the form,” and the second “ against the forms of the statute in such case made and provided.” The defendant, having been…

Relies on People v. Schuyler

Decided 1860-04-15

Metcalf, J.

¶1As both counts in this complaint conclude “ against the form of the statute in such case made and provided,” and not against the form of “ the statute aforesaid,” we incline to the opinion that the previous setting forth of the title of St. 1855, c. 215, if correct, might be rejected as surplusage, and judgment be well entered on the verdict. See 2 Salk. (Evans’s ed.) 609, note; 1 Chit. Crim. Law, 279. We dq not, however, decide the case on that ground. For we are of opinion that if the rule of law, that a variance, between the recited and the true title of a statute is fatal to an indictment or complaint, (1 Stark. Crim. Pl. (2d ed.) 215, 216; 1 Gabbett Crim. *409Law, 47,48,) must be applied to the present case, yet that there is here no such variance. The only difference between the recited and the true title of St. 1855, c. 215, is in the spelling of a single word. The complaint recites, “ an act concerning the manufacture and sale of spiritous and intoxicating liquors.” The true title is, “ an act concerning the manufacture and sale of spirituous and intoxicating liquors.” In Worcester’s Dictionary, it is said that “spiritous” and “spirituous” have the same meaning. In Webster’s, it is said that “ spirituous ” might as well be written “ spiritous.” And so it is written throughout our revised statutes. The variance, therefore, on which the defendant relies, is immaterial. It does not alter the sense. See People v. Walbridge, 6 Cow. 572.

¶2The judge who reported this case supposed that the word “ spritous ” was in the recited title of the statute. In this he was misinformed. Judgment on the verdict.

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