State v. Whaley

Citation101 S.E. 568
Decision Date22 December 1919
Docket Number(No. 10295.)
PartiesSTATE. v. WHALEY et al.
CourtUnited States State Supreme Court of South Carolina

Appeal from General Sessions Circuit Court of Calhoun County; Ernest Moore, Judge.

Edward Whaley and Nick Tucker were convicted of receiving stolen goods, and they appeal. Affirmed.

Wolfe & Berry, of Orangeburg, for appellants.

E. C. Mann, Sol., of St. Matthews, for respondent.

HYDRICK, J. Appellants were convicted of receiving stolen goods on the uncorroborated testimony of two accomplices, and were sentenced to three years' imprisonment.

Tucker contends that, even if the uncorroborated testimony of accomplices is sufficient to warrant conviction, the evidence was insufficient to sustain the verdict as to him.

Joseph Jones, one of the accomplices, testified that Tucker was the driver of Whaley's wagon, and came with Whaley, in the nighttime, to the place in the woods, where the stolen goods (five sacks of nitrate of soda, worth forty-odd dollars) were delivered to Whaley and put into his wagon and carried off by them, and at the same time he told Whaley, In the presence of Tucker, that Daniel Pauling, another accomplice, said that he (Whaley) must meet him in town the next day and pay him for the fertilizer. We think the testimony was sufficient to justify the inference of Tucker's guilty participation in the crime.

Both appellants contend that the uncorroborated testimony of the accomplices, Jones and Pauling, was not sufficient in law to sustain their conviction. That contention is overruled on the authority of State v. Sowell, 85 S. C. 278, 67 S. E. 316, and cases there cited.

The court said to the jury in the charge that it had been suggested (presumably in argument to the court or jury) that no one could be convicted on the uncorroborated testimony of an accomplice, but suchwas not the law, and that it was for the jury to determine what weight should be given the testimony of any witness, whether an accomplice, or any other. Appellants complain of this as a charge on the facts, in that the jury were thereby instructed that the testimony of an accomplice was as good as that of any other witness, and was to be treated upon the same footing as that of any other witness. The language of the court is not susceptible of that inference. The court correctly told the jury that they were the sole judges of the weight to be given to the testimony of any witness. State v. Sowell, supra.

Error is imputed in imposing a sentence of three years' imprisonment in a case...

To continue reading

Request your trial
9 cases
  • State v. Blackwell
    • United States
    • South Carolina Supreme Court
    • 14 November 1951
    ...was present with respect to appellant Funderburke at least, was not essential. State v. Sowell, 85 S.C. 278, 67 S.E. 316; State v. Whaley, 113 S.C. 103, 101 S.E. 568; State v. Johnson, 156 S.C. 63, 152 S.E. 825; State v. Bagwell, 201 S.C. 387, 23 S.E.2d The complex plot of appellants and th......
  • State v. Rutledge
    • United States
    • South Carolina Supreme Court
    • 31 December 1957
    ...doubt, a conviction is warranted. State v. Green, 48 S.C. 136, 26 S.E. 234; State v. Sowell, 85 S.C. 278, 67 S.E. 316; State v. Whaley, 113 S.C. 103, 101 S.E. 568; State v. Johnson, 156 S.C. 63, 152 S.E. 825; State v. Fleming, 228 S.C. 129, 89 S.E.2d The next question is whether a defendant......
  • State v. Hicks, 19332
    • United States
    • South Carolina Supreme Court
    • 13 December 1971
    ...doubt, a conviction is warranted. State v. Green, 48 S.C. 136, 26 S.E. 234; State v. Sowell, 85 S.C. 278, 67 S.E. 316; State v. Whaley, 113 S.C. 103, 101 S.E. 568; State v. Johnson, 156 S.C. 63, 152 S.E. 825; State v. Fleming, 228 S.C. 129, 89 S.E.2d The contention that this witness' testim......
  • State v. Adcock
    • United States
    • South Carolina Supreme Court
    • 13 June 1940
  • Request a trial to view additional results

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