34 homicide, theft,35 embezzlement,36 obtaining money or property by false pretenses,87 malicious injury to or destruction of property,38 infringements of trade-marks,39 the conversion of timber on public land,40 94. Kansas. Wiley v. Keokuk, 6 Kan. Kentucky. Loerhoefer V. Shewmaker, — Ky. —, 97 S. W. 7. Maine. Nowlan v. Griffin, 68 Me. 235, 28 Am. Rep. 45. Michigan. Elliott v. Van Buren, 33 Mich. 49, 20 Am. Rep. 668. Minnesota. Boetcher v. Staples, 27 Minn. 308, 7 N. W. 263, 38 Am. Rep. 295. Mississippi. Wagner v. Gibbs, 80 Miss. 53, 31 So. 434, 92 Am. St. Rep. 598. Missouri. McNamara v. St. Louis Transit Co., 182 Mo. 676, 81 S. W. 880, 66 L. R. A. 486. Nebraska. Boyer v. Barr, 8 Neb. 68, 30 Am. Rep. 814. New Hampshire. Fay v. Parker, 53 N. H. 342, 16 Am. Rep. 270. North Carolina. Saunders v. Gilbert, 156 N. C. 463, 72 S. E. 610, 38 L. R. A. (N. S.) 404; Smithwick v. Ward, 52 N. C. 64, 75 Am. Dec. 453. Pennsylvania. Wirsing v. Smith, 222 Pa. 8, 70 Atl. 906. Rhode Island. Harford v. Carroll, 21 R. I. 515, 45 Atl. 259. Texas. Hartman v. Logan, 203 S. W. 61. Tex. Civ. App. - Virginia. Com. v. Somerville, 1 Va. Cas. 164, 5 Am. Dec. 514. Wisconsin. Brown v. Swineford, 44 Wis. 282, 28 Am. Rep. 582, and see Higgins v. Minaghan, 76 Wis. 298, 45 N. W. 127, and Minaghan v. State, 77 Wis. 643, 46 N. W. 894, in the first of which the defendant was sued for damages and in the second was prosecuted criminally for the same assault. 34 Cross v. Guthery, 2 Root (Conn.) 90, 1 Am. Dec. 61; Shields v. Yonge, 15 Ga. 349, 60 Am. Dec. 698; Chiles v. Drake, 2 Metc. (Ky.) 146, 74 Am. Dec. 406; Matthews V. Warner's Adm'r, 29 Gratt. (Va.) 570, 26 Am. Rep. 396. 35 Iowa. Barton v. Faherty, 3 G. Greene 327, 54 Am. Dec. 503. Maine. Foster v. Tucker, 3 Greenl. 458, 14 Am. Dec. 243. New Hampshire. Pettingill v. Rideout, 6 N. H. 454, 25 Am. Dec. 473. Ohio. Howk v. Minnick, 19 Ohio St. 462, 2 Am. Rep. 413. Oregon. Saxon v. Conger, 6 Ore. 388. Pennsylvania. Hutchinson v. Merchants' & Mechanics' Bank of Wheeling, 41 Pa. St. 42. Conversion of money lost by the plaintiff and known by the defendant to be his. Quimby v. Blackey, 63 N. H. 77. 36 Knox County v. Hunolt, 110 Mo. 67, 19 S. W. 628; Gordon v. Hostetter, 37 N. Y. 99, 4 Abb. Pr. (N. S.) 263. 37 State v. Leonard, 73 Ore. 451, 144 Pac. 113, 681. 38 Respublica v. Teischer, 1 Dall. (U. S.) 335, 1 L. Ed. 163; Thayer v. Boyle, 30 Me. 475; Alt v. State, 88 Neb. 259, 129 N. W. 432, 35 L. R. A. (N. S.) 1212; Cole v. Tucker, 6 Tex. 266. 39 Lampert v. Judge & Dolph Drug Co., 238 Mo. 409, 141 S. W. 1095, 37 L. R. A. (N. S.) 533, Ann. Cas. 1913 A 351. 40 Stone v. United States, 167 U. S. 178, 42 L. Ed. 127, 17 Sup. Ct. 778. A statute may make trespass on state lands by cutting and removing timber therefrom a crime and also provide for the recovery of damages therefor by the state. State v. Shev libel,41 when a criminal offense by statute,42 and the commission of a public nuisance, resulting in special damage to an individual.43 Statutes also sometimes give a right of action for injuries resulting from the unlawful sale of intoxicating liquors, or permit the recovery of money paid for liquor sold in violation of law,45 or permit the recovery of damages by a person who sells his vote,46 or against a public officer who takes illegal fees,47 or against a man who abandons a woman whom he has married to escape a prosecution for seduction or bastardy,48 although the same acts are made criminal offenses. Damages may be recovered for personal injuries due to negligence although the negligent acts relied on are made a criminal offense.49 lin-Carpenter Co., 102 Minn. 470, 114 N. W. 738, 113 N. W. 634, aff'd 218 U. S. 57, 54 L. Ed. 930, 30 Sup. Ct. 663, s. c., 99 Minn. 158, 108 N. W. 935, 9 Ann. Cas. 634. 41 Wabash Prtg. & Pub. Co. V. Crumrine, 123 Ind. 89, 21 N. E. 904; Tracy v. Hacket, 19 Ind. App. 133, 49 N. E. 185, 65 Am. St. Rep. 398; Austin v. Wilson, 4 Cush. (Mass.) 273, 50 Am. Dec. 766; Barr v. Moore, 87 Pa. St. 385, 30 Am. Rep. 367. 42 Baldwin v. Fries, 46 Mo. App. 288; Sowers v. Sowers, 87 N. C. 303. 43 United States. Weightman v. Corporation of Washington, 1 Black 39, 17 L. Ed. 52. California. County of Yolo v. City of Sacramento, 36 Cal. 193. Massachusetts. Thayer v. City of Boston, 19 Pick. 511, 31 Am. Dec. 157; Stetson v. Faxon, 19 Pick. 147, 31 Am. Dec. 123. Turnpike Co., 22 Vt. 114, 52 Am. Virginia. Com. v. Webb, 6 Rand. 726. Indiana. Schafer v. Smith, 63 Ind. 226; Koerner v. Oberly, 56 Ind. 284, 26 Am. Rep. 34. Iowa. Welch v. Jugenheimer, 56 Iowa 11, 8 N. W. 673, 41 Am. Rep. 77. Kansas. Jockers v. Borgman, 29 Kan. 109, 44 Am. Rep. 625. New Hampshire. Hollis v. Davis, 56 N. H. 74. West Virginia. Mayer v. Frobe, 40 W. Va. 246, 22 S. E. 58. 45 United Breweries Co. v. Colby, 170 Fed. 1008. 46 State v. Schoonover, 135 Ind. 526, 36 N. E. 119, 21 L. R. A. 767. 47 State v. Stevens, 103 Ind. 55, 2 N. E. 214, 53 Am. Rep. 482. 48 Latshaw v. State, 156 Ind. 194, 59 N. E. 471. 49 Failure of railroad company to block a guardrail. New York, C. & St. L. R. Co. v. Lambright, 5 Ohio Cir. Ct. 433, aff'd 29 Cinc. L. Bul. 359. Operating an automobile negligently or at a speed in excess of that permitted by law, or without lights. Dortch v. Reichel Motor Co., Mo. App. - 223 S. W. 675; Walden v. Stone, Mo. App. 223 S. W. 136; And the legislature may subject any particular offense both to a penalty recoverable in a civil action and a criminal prosecution.50 § 4. Violations of municipal ordinances. By the weight of authority, the violation of a municipal ordinance, enacted by a city under legislative authority, is not a crime, in the proper sense of the term, for such ordinances are not public laws, and the punishment for their violation is imposed by the municipality, and not by the state.51 But some courts 52 hold that the violation of such an ordi 226 Flores v. Garcia, Tex. Cr. S. W. 743. 50 People v. Meakim, 133 N. Y. 214, 30 N. E. 828, aff'g 15 N. Y. Supp. 917; Austin v. Carswell, 67 Hun (N. Y.) 579, 22 N. Y. Supp. 478; People v. Stevens, 13 Wend. (N. Y.) 341. 51 Alabama. Withers v. State, 36 Ala. 252. Colorado. Kimmins V. City of Montrose, 59 Colo. 578, 151 Pac. 434, Ann. Cas. 1917 A 407; McInerney v. City of Denver, 17 Colo. 302, 29 Pac. 516; City of Greeley v. Hamman, 12 Colo. 94, 20 Pac. 1. Georgia. Williams v. City Council of Augusta, 4 Ga. 509. Illinois. Wiggins v. City of Chicago, 68 Ill. 372; Hoyer v. Town of Mascoutah, 59 Ill. 137; McLain v. City of Chicago, 127 Ill. App. 489. Indiana. Levy v. State, 6 Ind. 281. Louisiana. State v. Boneil, 42 La. Ann. 1110, 8 So. 298, 10 L. R. A. 60, 21 Am. St. Rep. 413; State v. Heuchert, 42 La. Ann. 270, 7 Sơ, 329. Michigan. Cooper v. People, 41 Mich. 403, 2 N. W. 51. Missouri. State v. Gustin, 152 Mo. 108, 53 S. W. 421; Kansas City v. Neal, 122 Mo. 232, 26 S. W. 695; Ex parte Hollwedell, 74 Mo. 395; Kansas City v. Clark, 68 Mo. 588. New York. Schmeider v. McLane, 36 Barb. 495, 4 Abb. Dec. 154. Ohio. State v. Rouch, 47 Ohio St. 478, 25 N. E. 59. Wisconsin. State v. Hamley, 137 Wis. 458, 119 N. W. 114; Koch v. State, 126 Wis. 470, 106 N. W. 531, 3 L. R. A. (N. S.) 1086, 5 Ann. Cas. 389; Stoltman v. Lake, 124 Wis. 462, 102 N. W. 920; City of Oshkosh v. Schwartz, 55 Wis. 483, 13 N. W. 552. While a prosecution for the violation of such an ordinance is a civil action, it is penal in its nature. City of Chicago v. Gall, 195 Ill. App. 41. They do not strictly come within the definition of criminal cases because they are not for offenses against the state in its sovereign capacity. Barron v. City of Anniston, 157 Ala. 399, 48 So. 58. 52 California. In re Clark, 24 Cal. App. 389, 141 Pac. 831. Iowa. State v. Vail, 57 Iowa 103, 10 N. W. 297; Jaquith v. Royce, 42 Iowa 406. Michigan. People v. Hanrahan, 75 Mich. 611, 42 N. W. 1124, 4 L. R. A. 751. Minnesota. State v. West, 42 Minn. 147, 43 N. W. 845. Texas. Bautsch v. State, 27 Tex. App. 342, 11 S. W. 414. A person violating a valid ordinance commits an offense, and in one sense a crime. People v. Hanrahan, 75 Mich. 611, 42 N. W. 1124, 4 L. R. A. 751. nance is a crime. And proceedings for the violation of such ordinances are often said to be quasi criminal.53 § 5. Necessity for criminal act-In general. To constitute a crime there must be a criminal act or omission. A mere criminal intent unaccompanied by an overt act 54 is not a crime or punishable It is a crime in the broad sense of that term as comprehending all penal offenses. Pearson v. Wimbish, 124 Ga. 701, 52 S. E. 751, 4 Ann. Cas. 501. It is expressly made a misdemeanor by statute in some states. State v. Razook, 179 N. C. 708, 103 S. E. 67. Carrying on a business without a license required by a municipal ordinance is a crime, under a statute making it a misdemeanor to carry on any business, etc., for which a license is required by any law of the state without a license. Ex parte Bagshaw, 152 Cal. 701, 93 Pac. 864; In re Miller, 13 Cal. App. 564, 110 Pac. 139. 53 Barron v. City of Anniston, 157 Ala. 399, 48 So. 58; City of Selma v. Shivers, 150 Ala. 502, 43 So. 565; Withers v. State, 36 Ala. 252; City of Birmingham v. Baranco, 4 Ala. App. 279, 58 So. 944; Wiggins v. City of Chicago, 68 Ill. 372; Naylor v. City of Galesburg, 56 Ill. 285; Town of Scranton v. Hensen, 151 Iowa 221, 130 N. W. 1079; State v. Hamley, 137 Wis. 458, 119 N. W. 114; Koch v. State, 126 Wis. 470, 106 N. W. 531, 3 L. R. A. (N. S.) 1086, 5 Ann. Cas. 389; City of Oshkosh v. Schwartz, 55 Wis. 483, 13 N. W. 552. They partake so far of the nature of criminal proceedings that they are subject to the same rules of evidence. Barron v. City of Anniston, 157 Ala. 399, 48 So. 58. 54 United States. United States v. Riddle, 5 Cranch 311, 3 L. Ed. 110; Respublica v. Malin, 1 Dall. 33, 1 L. Ed. 25. Arkansas. State v. Asher, 50 Ark. 427, 8 S. W. 177; Yoes v. State, 9 Ark. 42. Indiana. Chandler v. State, 141 Ind. 106, 39 N. E. 444; Stephens v State, 107 Ind. 185, 8 N. E. 94; Parm lee v. Sloan, 37 Ind. 469. Kentucky. Levering v. Com., 132 Ky. 666, 117 S. W. 253, 136 Am. St. Rep. 192, 19 Ann. Cas. 140. Mississippi. Stokes v. State, 92 Miss. 415, 46 So. 627, 21 L. R. A. (N. S.) 898; Cunningham v. State, 49 Miss. 685. Missouri. Ex parte Smith, 135 Mo. 283, 36 S. W. 628, 33 L. R. A. 606, 58 Am. St. Rep. 576; State v. Rider, 90 Mo. 54, 1 S. W. 825; Howell v. Stewart, 54 Mo. 400. New York. People v. Sullivan, 173 N. Y. 122, 65 N. E. 989, 63 L. R. A. 353, 93 Am. St. Rep. 582; People v. Pisano, 142 App. Div. 524, 127 N. Y. Supp. 204. North Carolina. State v. Sykes, 180 N. C. 679, 104 S. E. 83; State V. Penny, 4 N. C. 130. Oklahoma. Proctor v. State, 15 Okla. Cr. 338, 176 Pac. 771. Pennsylvania. Smith v. Com., 54 Pa. St. 209, 93 Am. Dec. 686; Kelly v. Com., 1 Grant 484. South Carolina. State v. Kelly, 114 S. C. 336, 103 S. E. 511. England. Rex v. Sutton, Cas. t. Hardw. 370, 1 East P. C. 172, 2 Str. 1074; Rex v. Heath, R. & R. 184. An intent harbored in the mind is not punishable, nor is it punishable as such, and the legislature cannot make it so.55 So "the mere fact of going to a place with the intention of doing an unlawful act will not of itself subject the party to the punishment denounced against such act, unless he also carries his intention into effect." 56 And "one may arm himself with the purpose of seeking and killing an adversary, and may seek and find him, yet, if guilty of no overt act, commits no crime." 57 Nor will a bystander's mere passive acquiescence in,58 or mere mental approval of,59 a crime committed by another in his presence, make him guilty of a crime. But crimes may be committed by written or spoken words, although not accompanied by any overt acts of injury to persons or property.60 And it is frequently made an offense to have possession of articles which may be used, or with intent to use them, in the commission of crimes.61 even if expressed, unless the words uttered are libelous, seditious, obscene, or provocative of breaches of the peace. State v. Staples, 110 Me. 264, 85 Atl. 1063. "To constitute one either a principal, an accessary, an aider and abettor, or an accomplice he must do something; must take some part; must perform some act or owe some duty to the person in danger that makes it incumbent upon him to prevent the commission of the crime." Levering v. Com., 132 Ky. 666, 117 S. W. 253, 136 Am. St. Rep. 192, 19 Ann. Cas. 140. 55 A statute making it an offense to "keep a place with the intention of or for the purpose of manufacturing, selling," etc., intoxicating liquor, is void. Proctor v. State, 15 Okla. Cr. 338, 176 Pac. 771. And so is an ordinance making it an offense to knowingly associate with thieves, etc. "for the purpose or with the intent to agree, conspire, combine or confederate to commit any offense," etc. Ex parte Smith, 135 Mo. 223, 36 S. W. 628, 33 L. R. A. 606, 58 Am. St. Rep. 576. 56 Yoes v. State, 9 Ark. 42, where defendant went to a meetinghouse and called prosecutor out for the purpose of having a difficulty with him. A person who goes to a distillery for the purpose of buying illegally manufactured whisky does not thereby become guilty of aiding and abetting in the unlawful manufacture of the same if he does not actually buy any. State v. Sykes, 180 N. C. 679, 104 S. E. 83. 57 State v. Rider, 90 Mo. 54, 1 S. W. 825. 58 Wright v. State, 14 Ga. App. 185, 80 S. E. 544, and see § 233, infra. 59 State v. Cox, 65 Mo. 99, and see § 233, infra. 60 People v. Most, 36 N. Y. Misc. 139, 73 N. Y. Supp. 220, aff'd 71 N. Y. App. Div. 160, 75 N. Y. Supp. 591, aff'd 171 N. Y. 423, 64 N. E. 175, 58 L. R. A. 509. As in the case of libel or slander (see § 803 et seq., infra), seditions or treasonable utterances or writings (see § 946 et seq., infra), threats (see § 394, infra), and other words writings tending to produce a breach of the peace (see § 959, infra). or 61 Such as counterfeit money or securities or dies or implements for making the same (see § 598, infra), burglar's tools (see § 481, infra), gambling apparatus or devices (see § 1090, infra), obscene publications (see § 1116, infra), and the like. |