Tedesco v. United States

• Decision Date: 13 May 1941
• Docket Number: No. 9597.,9597.
• Citation: 118 F.2d 737
• Parties: TEDESCO v. UNITED STATES.
• Court: U.S. Court of Appeals — Ninth Circuit

118 F.2d 737 (1941)

TEDESCO v. UNITED STATES.

No. 9597.

Circuit Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit.

March 26, 1941.

Rehearing Denied May 13, 1941.

George Mowry and John Mowry, both of Portland, Or., for appellant.

Carl C. Donaugh, U. S. Atty., and J. Mason Dillard, Asst. U. S. Atty., both of Portland, Or., for appellee.

Before GARRECHT, HANEY, and STEPHENS, Circuit Judges.

GARRECHT, Circuit Judge.

At about the hour of 6:45 p.m. on April 11, 1940, the appellant, a resident in the Palace Hotel in Portland, Oregon, accepted a "collect" telephone call originating in Seattle, Washington, from a person named "Kay," identified as Miss Anne Baker, who was the principal witness in this case. Miss Baker, twenty years of age and a prostitute of more or less experience, after imbibing a "few drinks," telephoned Tedesco from an establishment in Seattle known as the Music Hall. She first became acquainted with the appellant more than two years before, while both were staying at the Palace Hotel in Portland, but had left that city and had not seen nor had communication with Tedesco for approximately two years prior to telephoning him. During the interval Miss Baker had resided in Seattle and Alaska and was plying her profession in Everett, Washington, at the time of the telephone call. They conversed for a period of five minutes, in the course of which she told appellant she had just returned from Alaska, desired to return to Portland, and asked him to come to Seattle or Everett to get her, giving him the address and the times at which she would be found in either place, being in Seattle merely on a visit. Tedesco replied that he would either call for her or send someone to do so.

Shortly thereafter, Tedesco telephoned one Frank Petrone, who was not at home, and Tedesco requested that Petrone be asked to return the call, leaving his telephone number. Petrone's sister took the message and relayed it to Frank, who was visiting with a friend. The Petrone and Tedesco families had been next-door neighbors in the east side of Portland for many years, and both appellant and Frank stayed at the same hotel for a time. Petrone telephoned Tedesco and they agreed to meet at a street intersection in the east side of Portland. Each drove his automobile to the appointed place; each was accompanied by a female friend; each alighted from his automobile, met on the sidewalk, walked a short distance and engaged in conversation. According to the Petrone testimony, which is uncontradicted, Tedesco advised him Anne Baker, who was also known to Petrone, had called him from Seattle, saying she was "broke" and wanted to come to Portland, and Tedesco asked him if he (Petrone) would drive to Seattle to get her. Petrone advised Tedesco that he, too, was "broke," and Tedesco authorized him to go to a certain gasoline service station to fill the tank of his car, get $5 from the service station attendant and charge Tedesco's account. Tedesco also furnished Petrone with the addresses which had been given him by the girl. Petrone induced a friend to go with him, filled the gasoline tank of his car at the service station designated, procured the $5 from the attendant and told the latter to charge the amounts to Tedesco. The attendant did not, however, charge Tedesco's account, but charged Petrone instead, and Petrone paid the bill a few days later. After securing the gasoline and the money, at about 11:00 p.m. Frank Petrone, accompanied by the friend, started to drive to Seattle, at which city they arrived some time after 2:00 a.m. the following day. The Music Hall was closed; so they drove on to Everett, about thirty miles distant, arriving there at about 3:00 a.m. Petrone drove into a service station, inquired for the "Joyce Hotel," which address had been given him by Tedesco, and was informed there was no such hotel in Everett. Across the street was the George Hotel; so Petrone and his companion entered, registered for a room to spend the remainder of the night, and then inquired of the clerk if a girl named Anne Baker resided there. Upon receiving an affirmative answer, the girl was called; shortly thereafter she came to the lobby; she and Petrone recognized one another and engaged in friendly conversation, and he told her Tedesco had sent him. The three left Everett at about 7:30 a.m., and Miss Baker and Petrone arrived in Portland at about 1:30 or 2:00 p.m. and went directly to the Palace Hotel and to Tedesco's room. Petrone's friend, the other passenger, left the automobile at Chehalis, Washington, and did not continue on to Portland with them. Petrone remained in Portland for the remainder of that day and night, but did not see the appellant again until the following morning. At the first meeting, the girl conversed with appellant, who said "he would make the arrangements." Three or four hours later she talked with Tedesco again, and then she did not see him until the following morning. She stayed at the Palace for the night. In the morning, when she next saw Tedesco, he told her arrangements had been made for her to go to The Dalles, Oregon. At about 2:00 p.m. that day Petrone saw appellant and the Baker girl in a hallway of the hotel and was told by the appellant to drive her to The Dalles, to a place known as the Crescent Rooms, a house of prostitution, referred to in the record as a "sporting house." Petrone and the girl then drove to the named town, about 100 miles east of Portland, in Petrone's automobile. When they reached their destination, the girl left the car and entered the Crescent Rooms, while Petrone remained outside in his automobile. After several minutes Miss Baker reappeared, instructed Frank to drive around to the rear of the building, where they brought in her luggage. Petrone entered the house with her and was introduced to the operator of the establishment; the two women had known each other previously. There was also another girl, a Miss Bates, at this place, with whom Petrone was acquainted. He left shortly thereafter and returned to Portland. That night Miss Baker rested, but on the following night engaged in her calling at the Crescent Rooms. Next day she was arrested; a few days later Petrone was arrested in Portland; the appellant was apprehended at the Palace Hotel in Portland, April 15, 1940. Miss Bates and another woman were with him at the time.

For the purpose of showing intent upon the part of the defendant-appellant, the prosecution introduced as a witness, Miss Bates, who stated she followed the same occupation as Miss Baker. Defense counsel made strenuous objection, and extended argument took place before the court without the presence of the jury or the witness, relative to admissibility. The court admitted the testimony of this witness, "to show the knowledge of the defendant as to what sort of a place the Crescent Rooms was, * * * tending to show his knowledge and acquaintance with" the operator thereof. The jury was recalled, and the witness testified that she was practicing prostitution in Yakima, Washington, in March of 1940, when, at about four or five o'clock in the morning, while "somewhat under the influence of liquor" she telephoned appellant at the Palace Hotel in Portland, told him she "wanted to make a change" and asked him "if he might suggest some place." Tedesco told her to try the Crescent Rooms at The Dalles, and she called the landlady thereof, went there, and plied her trade. She was present when Miss Baker arrived at Crescent Rooms.

Charles Tedesco and Frank Petrone were, by indictment found by the Grand Jury, charged with conspiracy to violate 18 U.S.C.A. § 398 (commonly known as the Mann Act) in the first count, and in the second with transportation of said Anne Baker in interstate commerce for the purpose of prostitution, etc. Frank Petrone pleaded guilty to both counts, but sentence was withheld pending consideration by the judge of evidence adduced at the trial.

There is no conflict in the evidence and there was no antagonism indicated toward the appellant by any of the witnesses. The making of the telephone call by Miss Baker to Tedesco is corroborated by the public utility; the presence of Miss Baker at the George Hotel in Everett and the arrival there of Frank Petrone is corroborated by an Everett police officer; the purchase of gasoline by Petrone is corroborated by the merchant; and the telephone call from Tedesco to Petrone, by Petrone's sister. The defendant did not testify, and no evidence was introduced in his behalf. Defense counsel moved for directed verdict, but the motion was denied and the cause submitted to the jury after instructions by the court, to which no exceptions were taken. The jury found appellant guilty on both counts of the indictment, and judgment and sentence were entered thereon. Tedesco appeals from that judgment.

The questions involved on this appeal are: (1) Whether the trial court erred in admitting the testimony of witness Bates; and (2) whether there was sufficient substantial evidence to warrant submission of the case to the jury on either count of the indictment.

The appellant argues that the testimony of witness Bates was in no way relevant to any of the charges in the indictment, in no way tended to prove or disprove any material fact in the cause; and that the alleged offenses to which the testimony related were in no way similar to the offenses alleged in the indictment.

It is a general rule of criminal evidence that on the trial of a person accused of crime proof of a distinct, independent offense is inadmissible. Boyd v. United States...