State v. Neelly

• Decision Date: 15 December 1894
• Citation: 28 S.W. 800
• Parties: STATE v. NEELLY.
• Court: Arkansas Supreme Court

28 S.W. 800

STATE v. NEELLY.

Supreme Court of Arkansas.

December 15, 1894.

Appeal from circuit court, White county; Grant Green, Jr., Judge.

J. B. Neelly was convicted of selling whisky to a minor, and appeals. Affirmed.

J. B. Neelly, pro se. James P. Clark, Atty. Gen., and Chas. T. Coleman, for the State.

WOOD, J.

The defendant was convicted of selling liquor to a minor, under section 1812, Sand. & H. Dig. The proof on behalf of the state showed that a minor purchased of the defendant one bottle of whisky, without the written consent of his parents, but informed defendant at the time that he wanted the whisky for two sick teachers, of Galloway College, who had furnished him the money, and sent him for the whisky; that the whisky was delivered to them, and he did not drink any himself. The names of the teachers, he did not want to disclose, and thinks he did not tell defendant their names. The defendant, for himself, testified that he did not sell the liquor, but sent it to the teachers, whose names the minor gave him; and as they were his friends, and sick, he did not charge them for the whisky. The substance of the court's instructions was that if the minor purchased the whisky for two teachers, as their agent, without disclosing their names to the defendant at the time of the purchase, the defendant would be guilty. But if the defendant gave the whisky to the minor for the adults, although their names were not disclosed, or if he did not sell the whisky, he would not be guilty, under this indictment. The defendant asked the court to charge the jury, in substance, that if the minor bought the liquor for the two teachers, and told the defendant he was purchasing for them, the defendant would not be guilty, although the names of the teachers were not disclosed.

The question is, was it a sale to the minor, who disclosed the fact of agency, but did not give the name of his principal? This court is committed to the doctrine that a minor may be the agent of a purchaser or donee of liquor. Wallace v. State, 54 Ark. 542, 16 S. W. 571; Siceluff v. State, 52 Ark. 56, 11 S. W. 964. In the latter case it is said: "As between a seller and an agent who deals with him without disclosing the fact that he acts as agent, the latter, as well as the principal, is the purchaser." It is also a well-recognized principle that "though the agent discloses the fact that he is agent, if he conceals the name of his principal, he may be held personally liable as principal." Mechem, Ag. § 554. Chancellor Kent says: "It is a general rule, standing on strong foundations, and pervading every system of jurisprudence, that where an agent is duly constituted, and names his principal, and contracts in his name, and does not exceed his authority, the principal is responsible, and not the agent. If he contracts in behalf of his principal, and discloses his name at the time, he is not personally liable. But, if a person would excuse himself from responsibility on the ground of agency, he must show that he disclosed his principal at the time of making the contract, and that he acted on his behalf." 2 Kent, Comm. 630, 631. And in Judge Story's work on Agency it is said: "If the agent, at the time of the purchase of the goods, acknowledged that he is purchasing for another person, but should not then name him, in such case he would be held personally liable, although the principal, when discovered, might also be liable for the debt." Story, Ag. § 267. The doctrine of these text writers is approved and well supported by others, and by many adjudicated cases. Whart. Ag. § 500; Owen v. Gooch, 2 Esp. 567; Thomson v. Davenport, 9 Barn. & C. 78; Taintor v. Prendergast, 3 Hill (N....