Source: https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/267/498/
Timestamp: 2019-04-23 02:44:35+00:00

Document:
1. Description, in a search warrant, of a building as a garage used for business purposes, giving its street and one of its two house numbers, held sufficiently definite, under the circumstances, for search of the whole building, which had three street entrances, and means of access between its parts on the ground and upper floors, and was used in conducting an automobile garage and storage business. P. 267 U. S. 502.
2. A search warrant sufficiently describes the place to be searched if it enables the officer, with reasonable effort, to identify it. P. 267 U. S. 503.
3. A warrant authorizing search of a building used as a garage, and any building or rooms connected or used in connection with the garage, held to justify search of the upper rooms connected with the garage by elevator. P. 267 U. S. 503.
4. Search of rooms in a building used by a business held not unlawful under Prohibition Act § 25 because one of the rooms, not searched and in which no liquor was found, was slept and cooked in by an employee of the business. P. 267 U. S. 503.
5. Description of articles to be searched for a "cases of whiskey" held sufficient. P. 267 U. S. 504.
6. Where an experienced prohibition agent saw cases labeled "whiskey," which looked to him like whiskey cases, being unloaded at a building which, as he ascertained, had no permit to store whiskey, there was probable cause for warrant and seizure. P. 267 U. S. 504.
Appeal from a judgment of the district court refusing to vacate a search warrant, under which the appellant's premises were searched and quantities of whiskey, gin and alcohol were found and seized. See also the next case, post, p. 267 U. S. 505.
"Southern District of New York, ss.:"
the State of New York. On December 6, 1922, at about 10 o'clock a.m., accompanied by Agent Moe W. Smith, I was standing in front of the garage located in the building at 611 West Forty-Sixth street, Borough of Manhattan, City and Southern District of New York. This building is used for business purposes only. I saw a small truck driven into the entrance of the garage, and I saw the driver unload from the end of the truck a number of cases of stenciled whisky. They were the size and appearance of whisky cases, and I believe that they contained whisky. A search of the records of the federal prohibition director's office fails to disclose any permit for the manufacture, sale, or possession of intoxicating liquors at the premises above referred to."
"The said premises are within the Southern District of New York, and, upon information and belief, have thereon a quantity of intoxicating liquor containing more than one-half of 1 percent of alcohol by volume, and fit for use for beverage purposes, which is used, has been used, and is intended for use, in violation of the statute of the United States, to-wit, the National Prohibition Act."
"This affidavit is made to procure a search warrant, to search said building at the above address, any building or rooms connected or used in connection with said garage, the basement or subcellar beneath the same, and to seize all intoxicating liquors found therein."
"Sworn to before me this 6th day of December, 1922. Saml. M. Hitchcock, U.S. Commissioner, Southern District of New York."
The search warrant issued by the commissioner followed the affidavit in the description of the place and property to be searched and seized, and was directed to Einstein as general prohibition agent.
warrant to seize liquor and its containers intended for use in violating the Act, and provides that the search warrant shall be issued as provided in Title XI of the Espionage Act of June 15, 1917, c. 30, 40 Stat. 217, 228.
property taken is the same as that described in the warrant, and that there is probable cause for believing the existence of the grounds on which the warrant was issued, then the judge or commissioner shall order the same retained in the custody of the person seizing or to be otherwise disposed of according to law.
division in fact or in use of the building into separate halves. The places searched and in which the liquor was found were all rooms connected with the garage by the elevator. One of them was a room on the second floor with a door open toward the elevator, in which, when Einstein made his search, three men were bottling and corking whisky. There was a room on one of the floors, flimsily boarded off, in which an employee had a cot and a cook stove. The prohibition agent seized 150 cases of whisky, 92 bags of whisky, and one 5-gallon can of alcohol on the third floor on the 609 side. On the second floor, 33 cases of gin were seized on the 609 side, and six 5-gallon jugs of whisky, 33 cases of gin, 102 quarts of whisky, and two 50-gallon barrels of whisky, and a corking machine were taken on the 611 side of the building.
The description of the building as a garage and for business purposes as 611 West Forty-Sixth street clearly indicated the whole building as the place intended to be searched. It is enough if the description is such that the officer with a search warrant can, with reasonable effort, ascertain and identify the place intended. Rothlisberger v. United States, 289 F. 72; United States v. Borkowski, 268 F. 408, 411; Commonwealth v. Dana, 2 Metc. 329, 336; Metcalf v. Weed, 66 N.H. 176; Rose v. State, 171 Ind. 662; McSherry v. Heimer, 132 Minn. 260.
Nor did the search go too far. A warrant was applied for to search any building or rooms connected or used in connection with the garage, or the basement or subcellar beneath the same. It is quite evident that the elevator of the garage connected it with every floor and room in the building, and was intended to be used with it.
course, futile. Section 25 of the Prohibition Act forbids the search of any private dwelling unless it is used for the unlawful sale of intoxicating liquor, or unless it is in part used for some business purpose, such as a store, shop, saloon, restaurant, hotel or boarding house. It provides that "private dwelling" is to be construed to include the room or rooms used and occupied not transiently, but solely as a residence in an apartment house, hotel, or boarding house. Certainly the room occupied in this case was not a private dwelling within these descriptions, but, more than this, it was not searched, and no liquor was found in it. Forni v. United States, 3 F.2d 354.
The search warrant properly described the building searched as a garage, and one for business purposes.
Then it is said that the property seized was not sufficiently identified in the warrant. It was described as "cases of whisky," and, while there is no evidence specifically identifying the particular cases which were seized as those which Einstein saw, the description as "cases of whisky" is quite specific enough. Elrod v. Moss, 278 F. 123, 129; Sutton v. United States, 289 F. 488; Tynan v. United States, 297 F. 177; Forni v. United States, 3 F.2d 354.
Finally, it is said there was no probable cause for the warrant and the seizure. Einstein, a man of experience in such prosecutions and in such seizures, saw the name "whisky" stenciled on cases and said they looked like whisky cases. He ascertained by his own investigation of the official records that there was no permit for the legal storage of whisky on these premises. In a recent case, we have had occasion to lay down what is probable cause for a search. Carroll v. United States, 267 U. S. 132.
believing that the offense has been committed, it is sufficient."
What Einstein saw and ascertained was quite sufficient to warrant a man of prudence and caution and his experience in believing that the offense had been committed of possessing illegally whisky and intoxicating liquor and that it was in the building he described.
The search warrant fully complied with the statutory and constitutional requirements as set forth above, the liquor was lawfully seized, and the district court rightly held that it should not be returned.

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