Kinningham v. The State, 14,910

Citation21 N.E. 911, 119 Ind. 332
Case DateJune 08, 1889
CourtSupreme Court of Indiana

From the Decatur Circuit Court.

Judgment reversed.

J. S. Scobey, for appellant.

L. T. Michener, Attorney General, and J. H. Gillett, for the State.

OPINION

Elliott, C. J.

Several objections are urged against the indictment upon which the appellant was convicted, but we deem it necessary to notice only one of them. The indictment charges in general terms that the defendant did "unlawfully, feloniously and wilfully attempt to set fire to and burn and destroy a certain frame building, commonly called a barn." No act is charged, and the indictment is radically bad. The charge that the defendant did attempt to do a designated thing is really little more than an averment that he intended to do the thing, and to constitute crime there must be both an act and a guilty intention. Where it is sought to charge an accused with a crime, the acts done by him must be stated. 1 Bishop Crim. Law, section 659.

Judgment reversed.

To continue reading

Request your trial
3 cases
  • Wright v. Hughes
    • United States
    • Indiana Supreme Court
    • 8 Junio 1889
    ... ... policy-holders, and without any amendment of the articles of ... association, or the consent of the State. In January, 1882, ... the board of directors again resolved to continue the scheme ... of retiring the company's life policies, and the ... ...
  • Staser v. Hogan
    • United States
    • Indiana Supreme Court
    • 8 Junio 1889
    ... ... appeal to this court and assign as error: ...          1st ... That the complaint does not state facts sufficient to ... constitute a cause of action ...          2d. No ... paragraph of the complaint states facts sufficient to ... ...
  • Kinningham v. The State
    • United States
    • Indiana Supreme Court
    • 15 Octubre 1889

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT