Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1870-07-20
The Present Linnor Law.

Under the laws of Ohio, as amended at
the last session of the Legislature, it
would seem that the opponents of the
liquor traffic could need nothing but the
Public sentiment to give effect to legisla-
ton. The Sundusky Register states the
amendments as follows:
1t is provided that every husband
wife, child, parent, employer or other
person injured in body or estate by an
intoxicated person, or in consequence OF
~intoXication, shall have a right of action
against the person or persons selling the
intoxicated person the liquor resulting
ia such ~intoXication. This right of ac-
ton is good, not merely against the liq-
uor seller, but the owner of the building
in which the liquor is sold.
The law absolutely holds the landlord
responsible for the wrongs committed
by persons who become intoxicated with
liquor sold on the landlords premises.
This ought to be maintained in the civil
courts, and shall bring judgment, not
only for actual, but for exemplary DANA
ges. The wife of the drunkard thus has
a positive remedy against the person
who sells her husband liquor, not only
for violence she may suffer at the hands
Of the drunken husband, but for loss OF
time, and We believe under this lay for
loss of happiness. The child has the
same right of action.
We doubtif the Legislature could pass
a more sweeping act, and n more cal
culated to put every liquor dealer on his
guard. For instance, if a building be
destroyed by fire, caused by the negli-
gence or carelessness of an employee,
when such negligence or carelessness is
| tho rnGnlt of Infn~fRafinn oil tho npTnnT
of the destroyed property need do, is to
prove in civil courts that a certain liquor
dealer supplied his careless servant with
the intoxicating fluid and to show the
amount of loss, and he RECEIVERS, if the
dealer is worth the amount, the full
measure of his damages as decided by
the court. If a man is set upon or in
jured in person by an intoxicated person,
he can recoyer the full measure of his
damages from the dealer who furnished
the liquor.
If two men become intoxicated, and
in the midst of a drunken row one muir
ders the other, the wife of the murdered
man has a right of action against the
dealer who supplied the murderer and
the murdered with liquor; and the wife
OF he murderer also has a right of ac-
ton against the dealer for any damages
she may sustain by reason of the hus-
bands crime. With such a law on the
statute books, it becomes liquor dealers
to be careful.
This legislation is based upon the same
principle as that which holds the owner
responsible, for all the damage done by
an Ok "wont to push with the horn or
by any other vicious animal. As such
owner is presumed to know the charac-
ter of his animal, and hence bound to
keep him confined so the liquor seller,
and his landlord as partner, are held to
know the tendency of intoxicating liq-
uors, and thus are responsible for the
consequences of what they sell. We
think that from the days of MOSES to the
present time, the correctness of this prin-
ciple has ley been called in question.
1t simply holds a man responsible for
his own acts.