### liemerable de* P. Hatebitt lxstrietAttorney Corpus Chrlsti,Texas

Daar Slrr Attsatloas AuthurA. Klein
Opilrior

ao. **o-4611 Be8**  Under **the frets**  **subritted** 

### should the districtatteraegpreaeed with the hearing conoernil~g the dostruetio~ 

### of gamblingdevices?

From 

### yeur reeemt letterYQ are apprisedof the fellowlwg faata:



### Officersseized **certala** 

### gambll~dsvloes nad slet machinesat a olubbelmg opmated In the city of Brmiasvllle. After 

### aaeertaln1Rgthe name 8md addressof the owmor 

### ef the soleadnaohl~es,they proceededto his hema to arresthl& **At** 

### the rear of the realdenaethey observeda warehouseaad approalrhing

it aav slotmaehines **through a&**  **ope&** 

### deer. The owner ~88 not presentamd the offloersleft to make furtherlpquiry amd serreh for hlm.Laterthey returlqdto the **wamhouse Ond**  

### withouta searchwarrant,preeeededto take late thair peaseasioa ten'slrttaehlnes. Preoeedlmgefer the destructlonof the tern sletmachl&eahaving beem lmtltuted, the owmr new eoatests their destructionom the groundsr (1) the offfcershad ne

(2) the equipleatseieedwas 

### OIP the ovner't searchwrrramtsf ) home premises; 3 

### the nrehlnes seizedwere not beflg uaed at the tire for **garblilg** 

### p~peses.

Aa 

### we understmndy@uz' InquirJ,you '*Id3

to k&ow phether the nahlmm mleed at the wan&housemay be legllg destroyed.

The Eallas Caart of Civil **Appeals la**  **two reaeit'rases** 


### meem to have readeredl plmlensdeslelvsof our-questian. We ~~~~.t15~~li~(~~)s~~, **146** 

### se W. (26) **4&3,** 

### rnd Hlghtmim v. In the latter calee.writ 6f **orpop** 

### '188 r:fused I;s

ihe Sup& Cou& 08 Jamuary **14, 1942,**  

### In the Crlllson**eat40**

### kc4

writ wan **sought.**..

Bourrble Joo'P. **Eatelaitt, Att'nr**  

### ArthurA. Klein, Page 2 

### (o-4611)

The fauta,

in the Calllson ease dimlose that police offirers.of the aity of Dallas by virtue of ~wmrant prsperlg obtained, seized several thousand puaahboards, labels and other puuehbeard reoeasories frem 8 worehouae of the appellaat. The distrlot attorney of Dallas Cetmtg la compliance with 

### Artlelss

### 636 and 

### 637 of the Penal Code pmeeeded to file for a destruetloP order upoa sold devices seeking their des - tmctlom as gambling devises. **At** a hearing before the trial aoud the devleea were ordered destroyed.- Otaappeal the Court ef Civil **Appeals** reversed the trial court, holdiag that for the devleee to be wlthia the eontemplatisn of **Artlales** 

### 636 and 

### 637,Penal Code, it mast appear t$at the devlees were being used or exhibl$ed for ga~3.u purpoees. While the court held that puacrhbo8rds were gambling devleea per a& and could not be used for Amy other purpose, we quote the followiltlg law gurge with refdreaee to the proposition that the devlees must be exhibited or be used for gaxlag purposest

"The aim of the statute, under whle& this proceeding is brought, Is to prohibit the use or exhibition of 011 

### possible@mea that fall under the olasslfleatlon of lotteries OF gambling devices; The character of the property seleed, that Is, Its nake-up, does sot authorize lta eonflsaatloa.

arrd deatruetioa. The boarda were stored aridloeked la a warehouse, cmd were, IQ
no manmop, uaed or exh$blte& for **khe** purpose of gaming or obtalnlmg betters.

"ID. the enactment of the statutes under which this aetlon ~88 brought, the Legislature did uot see fit te aondema 811 pmpertg that might be used for gaming, a&d authorize Its destruetlom, unless It be shown that such propamty was delsignedfor gam3.w rnd va8, 8t the time of ~1elmme, being used fop the pu~patae ef Ewwb T'hu~,courts caaaot extend the ah&tute 80 that gaml&g devises my be eonflscated and destroyed In the abeeace of evldeaoe that
same were being used OP exhibited for gaming. Th& aueh was rmt defendaatle purpet~e, Is evlThe property was 80 stored th8t It eeuld aot~~easoarblg~be mid that It was exhibited, rad, ee~trlnlg, it waa not being used for gulag.Benor&bl. Joe P. Hatehhitt, **Att'nr** ArthUr **A.** Klein, Page 3

(O-4611)

"'Ph.jndgumt of the OOUP~ below 18 

### re-~ VOr8Od, 

### the l

### l'd.r

rondommb& ~O~fiS~8till~ 8Rd do8krOyi~ **dOiORd8Ut ’** **S** PrOpel'ty i8 mot &side 8rd the 8AyLIe18 reukded with iastl'uetlons bt tho property SeiSed be ordered retUrned to de

## r6wmtin

In the HighCOWer B&SO, 8Up~8, the eOlWt 881d 8 8lOt 188rhimO18 Pot 8 "@dng devioe, per SID"

8nd **court8 68EEOt**  tnks jndlairl aotl@e that **everj** slot mMhilrs 18 8 gambling dovioo 8iElOe

*he U8@ **t0** whloh it lS.pUt rrt8tdatemlie it8
**0haPriC.r.** 

### It **Wr8** 8180 888OPt.d th8t 

### the iretth&tgambling
**188** thr .*1J r.&reublO 8Rd pr,af%t&ble PUrpOSO fOr Whiti' 810t rehlmer mi@t be **a8ed** did mot rntherlae CheFr distruokiOR h,&b80~00 Or 8 shO+ing th8k the UrhiEOS Tieri ma to pay Off, th8t 8B Ulderst&ndiUg W&S had llith the pF@l'ietOr to the 6~. effret 

### or th8t th8 proprietor kmw of 8ti 8quloreed In the brtt1Rg.



### Ho hare o.80to the OOW1U81@R, 16 vla?r ai the holdlrg ia tshr

abovo e&808, ttit the MOhiRe8 8OibOd~iR the ll~Oh~U8. l8 d.rOPibOd bj **YOU, &Fe**  **not** 8Ubjoet **to** dortruetion 

### undrr

the **8t8tUt.8.**

YOUF8 

### wry truly

w Bemjulr Wwd.11

**An8iat8mt**

APPROVED 03133031 

### COlaITTm

BY /b/BlfB CHAIRPIM