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82 Tex. Crim. 343

199 S.W 1096

Renfro v. State

Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas

Decided December 5, 1917

Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas · decided 1917-12-05

<p>1. —Gaming—Dice—Statutes Construed.</p> <p>Article 557, P. C., makes it an offense for any person to bet at any game played with dice anywhere. Following Scott v. State, 59 Texas Crim. Rep., 15, and other cases.</p> <p>2. —Same—Remaining in Place of Gaming.</p> <p>Article 563, P. C., makes it an offense for any person to remain in any place where any such game with dice is played, and where defendant was charged with this offense and the evidence sustained a conviction, there was no reversible error.</p> <p>3. —Same—Evidence—Bill of Exceptions—Res Gestae.</p> <p>Where the bills of exception to the introduction of testimony were entirely insufficient, they can not be considered on appeal. However, if they are considered in the light of the record this testimony was admissible as res gestae. Following Best v. State, 72 Texas Crim. Rep., 201.</p> <p>4. —Same—Evidence—Witness—Disqualification—Harmless Error.</p> <p>Under article 791, C. C. P., persons charged as principals, accomplices or accessories, whether in the same or different indictments, can not be introduced as witnesses for one another; besides, the same testimony was introduced by other witnesses, and the error, if any, will be, at most, harmless.</p> <p>5.—iSame—-Statute Construed—Dice—Gaming.</p> <p>Under article 563, P. C., it is an offense for a person to go into and remain in any place where a game with dice is being played, and it is not necessary that the place be a gambling house, or is commonly resorted to for gaming. Distinguishing Walters v. State, 58 Texas Crim. Rep., 240, and other cases.</p>

Decided 1917-12-05

¶1 ON REHEARING.

¶2 December, 1917.

PRENDERGAST, Judge.

¶3 The sole ground of appellant’s contention in his motion for rehearing is, that under the statute (art. 563, P. C.), it is not made an offense to go into and remain in any place where a game with dice is being played unless such place is a gambling house or is commonly resorted to for gaming. He cites and relies upon Walters v. State, 58 Texas Crim. Rep., 240. The statutes applicable and prescribing this offense were cited and given in the original opinion. It is unnecessary to repeat them. As stated and shown by authorities there cited, it is an offense for any person to bet at any game played with dice anywhere, whether in a private residence occupied by a family or not, and article 563 makes it an offense for any person to remain in any place where any such game with dice is played. The Walters case is not in point herein. In that case the charge was that appellant remained in Matilda Hagen’s house, where a game of cards was being played by certain persons. The uncontradicted proof in that case was that said house was the private residence of the woman alleged and that it was not commonly resorted to for the purpose of gaming, that one game being the only game ever played therein so far as the testimony showed. It is not an offense to play cards and gamble in a game therewith at any private residence occupied by a family unless such private residence is commonly resorted to for that purpose.

¶4 In Purvis v. State, 62 Texas Crim. Rep., 302, this court expressly *347 overruled the cases of Singleton v. State, 53 Texas Crim. Rep., 625, and Purvis v. State, 52 Texas Crim. Rep., 342, wherein it was held by Judge Ramsey that it was an offense to bet at a game of cards played at a private residence even where not commonly resorted to for that purpose, this court holding that it was no offense under the statute to play a game with cards at a private residence occupied by a family and bet thereon, unless such private residence was commonly resorted to for that purpose.

¶5 What Judge Ramsey said was meant by “any place” in said article 56‘3 in said Walters case, is restricted to what was being decided in that case, that is, as to a game played with cards at a private residence occupied by a family which is not commonly resorted to for. that purpose. It is not applicable to any place where a game with dice is played and betting thereon. It was obiter dictum as to any place where gambling is done with dice.

¶6 The motion is overruled.

¶7 Overruled.

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