People v. Schottey

• Decision Date: 07 July 1887
• Citation: 66 Mich. 708,33 N.W. 810
• Court: Michigan Supreme Court
• Parties: PEOPLE v. SCHOTTEY.

33 N.W. 810

66 Mich. 708

PEOPLE v. SCHOTTEY.

Supreme Court of Michigan

July 7, 1887

Error to circuit court, Kent county.

Moses Taggart, Atty. Gen., for the People.

J.A Fairchild, for defendant.

CAMPBELL C.J.

Respondent was convicted in the police court of Grand Rapids of the offense of keeping his drinking saloon open on Sunday, June 14, 1885. He appealed to the circuit court of Kent county where he was again convicted. He now brings error. Most of the errors relate to an alleged want of jurisdiction of the police court to issue a warrant without the affidavit or other proof of some person as to facts within his knowledge. Testimony was offered on the trial to show that the complaining witness, on whose oath the warrant was issued, had no personal knowledge of the facts he swore to.

There is no doubt of the constitutional requirement that a warrant shall not issue without legal proof of such facts as create probable cause. But, in the present case, Mr. Perry, who did not complain officially, swore positively, and not on information and belief, that defendant kept his saloon open. The language is: "One John Schottey did then and there keep a saloon where spirituous, malt, brewed, fermented, and vinous liquors were kept for sale at retail, which said saloon he, the said John Schottey, did keep open, and did not keep closed, on the first day of the week, commonly called Sunday," etc. This averment is such as would be made by an eye-witness, and could only be properly made by one having knowledge. It was therefore enough, if true, to sustain a prosecution, and the police justice had a right to act upon it as true. Had it indicated that complainant had no personal knowledge, some further examination ought to have been had before issuing the warrant. But this complainant swore to positive facts which he or any one else might have known and, so swearing, assumed to know. The fault of a complaining witness in not adhering to the truth cannot avoid a warrant so as to prevent jurisdiction from attaching. How far it might be assailed in collateral proceedings is not now before us. It appears by the return to the appeal that upon arrest the defendant made no objection to the jurisdiction, but pleaded not guilty, and demanded a jury. This jury convicted him, presumably on sufficient proof. In the circuit a motion was made for his discharge, on the affidavit of defendant which denied that Perry was at...