Source: https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/285/452/
Timestamp: 2019-04-19 04:40:05+00:00

Document:
1. A complaint charged that the defendants conspired to sell, possess, transport, furnish, deliver and take orders for intoxicating liquors, contrary to the National Prohibition Act, and that, as part of the conspiracy, they were to use a designated room in soliciting orders for the liquor, having it delivered by express companies or other carriers, collecting for it and sharing in the proceeds. Under a warrant of arrest issued upon the complaint, the defendants were arrested in the room designated, which was used as an office and was not alleged to be a place where liquor was, or ever had been, manufactured, sold, kept or bartered, or which contained fixtures or other things essential or intended to be used for the sale of liquors to be consumed on the premises or otherwise. Upon making the arrests, the officers explored all desks, cabinets, waste baskets, etc., for evidence of guilt and found various books, papers and other things intended to be used in soliciting orders for liquor, which they took away.
(1) The mere soliciting of orders from the room, in connection with the other uses alleged in the complaint, was not sufficient to constitute maintenance of a nuisance therein. P. 285 U. S. 462.
(2) There was no ground for saying that the accused were arrested while committing the crime of conspiracy or nuisance. P. 285 U. S. 463.
(3) The search was not justifiable as an incident of the arrests. P. 285 U. S. 463.
2. The Fourth Amendment forbids every search that is unreasonable, and is construed liberally to safeguard the right of privacy. P. 285 U. S. 464.
3. A search for and seizure of an individual's papers, solely that they may be used as evidence to convict him of crime, is unconstitutional, even when done under a search warrant issued upon ample evidence and precisely describing the things to be taken and their whereabouts. P. 285 U. S. 464.
4. The decisions of this Court distinguish searches of one's house, office, papers, or effects merely to get evidence to convict him of crime from searches such as those made to find stolen goods for return to the owner, to take property that has been forfeited to the Government, to discover property concealed to avoid payment of duties for which it is liable, and from searches such as those made for the seizure of counterfeit coins, burglars' tools, gambling paraphernalia and illicit liquor in order to prevent the commission of crime. P. 285 U. S. 465.
5. The Constitution is to be construed with regard to the principles upon which it was established. The direct operation or literal meaning of the words used do not measure the purpose or scope of its provisions. P. 285 U. S. 467.
Certiorari, 284 U.S. 612, to review a reversal of an order of the District Court, 47 F.2d 921, which denied a motion for the suppression, as evidence, of papers, etc., seized at the time of serving a warrant of arrest.
to the arrest of respondents on a warrant for conspiracy to violate the National Prohibition Act transgressed their rights under the Fourth and Fifth Amendments.
January 12, 1931, a prohibition agent complained to a United States Commissioner in the Southern District of New York that commencing June 21, 1930, and continuing to the time of making the complaint Henry Miller (meaning respondent Lefkowitz), Jane Doe (meaning respondent Paris), and another person called Richard Roe did conspire to sell, possess, transport, furnish, deliver, and take orders for intoxicating liquor contrary to the National Prohibition Act. The complaint alleged it was a part of the conspiracy that, from room 604 at 1547 Broadway, defendants should solicit orders for liquor, have it delivered by express companies or other carriers, collect for it, and share the proceeds. It alleged certain overt acts, but they have no significance upon the question under consideration. The allegations of the complaint show that the complaining witness had knowledge and information of facts amply sufficient to justify the accusation.
papers from it. [Footnote 2] There was no breaking, as the desks and cabinet were not locked. They also took the contents of the baskets and later pasted together pieces of papers found therein. [Footnote 3] Respondent Paris came in while the room was being searched, and the deputy marshal arrested her. All the searches and seizures were made without a search warrant. The prohibition agents delivered to the special agent in charge all the things taken from the desks, cabinet, and baskets. And, until delivered to the assistant United States attorney after Lefkowitz applied to the court for their suppression and return, they were held by the agent in charge for use in making further investigations concerning the conspiracy referred to in the complaint.
should not make an order for the suppression of evidence obtained by reason of the search of the room and for the return of all the books, papers, and other things belonging to Lefkowitz. With the exception of some things that the prosecuting attorney did not wish to retain as evidence and which he had returned to Lefkowitz before the hearing, all the papers and articles seized were produced and submitted to the court. The Government submitted, in opposition to respondents' motions, affidavits of its attorney, the deputy marshal, and three of the four prohibition agents.
"it is enough if the conspiracy was there or the petitioners or their associates had any of them gathered in the room to conduct the conspiracy or do any act to effect its object;"
"it is not necessary, however, to determine that, for the reason that, at least within the Marron case [275 U.S. 192], all the papers were but usual and ordinary means of carrying on a business of the character presented here."
opened and the contents examined are numerous or few, the right of personal security, liberty and private property is violated if the search is general, for nothing specific, but for whatever the containers may hide from view, and is based only on the eagerness of officers to get hold of whatever evidence they may be able to bring to light. . . . Such a search and seizure as these officers indulged themselves in is not like that in Marron v. United States . . . , where things openly displayed to view were picked up by the officers and taken away at the time an arrest was made. The decision that does control is Go-Bart Co. v. United States, 282 U. S. 344. Indeed, this case differs in its essential facts from that one so slightly that what is said in that opinion in characterizing the search made will apply with equal force to this one, which must accordingly be held unreasonable."
The government maintains that the facts and circumstances set forth in the affidavits submitted by it constitute a sufficient showing not only that the arrests were lawfully made on a valid warrant for the offense charged in the complaint, but also that, without regard to the warrant, the arrests were justified as having been made for a felony by officers believing upon probable cause that respondents committed it and that, when arrested, they were actually engaged in the commission of crime. And it argues that, since the arrests were lawful, the search of the place where they were made was lawful, and that, having the right to search the premises, the officers were bound to do it thoroughly.
the record to support the claim that, at the time of the arrest, the offense for which the warrant issued or any other crime was being committed in the presence of the officers. It cannot be claimed that they saw conspiracy being committed, or that any understanding, agreement, or combination was being had, made, or formed in their presence. Go-Bart Co. v. United States, supra, 282 U. S. 357. The maintenance of a nuisance or conspiracy to maintain one is not involved. The complaint did not attempt or purport to charge either. It did not allege that the room was a place where liquor was or ever had been manufactured, sold, kept, or bartered, or that it contained fixtures or other things essential or intended to be used for the sale of liquor to be consumed on the premises or otherwise. The mere soliciting of orders from the room in connection with the other uses alleged in the complaint is not sufficient to constitute the maintenance of nuisance therein. See sections 18, 21, and 22, National Prohibition Act, 27 U.S.C. §§ 30, 33 and 34; Miller v. United States, 300 F. 529, 535; Schechter v. United States, 7 F.2d 881. Cf. Todd v. United States, 48 F.2d 530, 532. The facts and circumstances stated in the affidavits of the prohibition agents do not support, but are inconsistent with and negative, the assertions therein contained to the effect that respondents were arrested while committing the crime of conspiracy or nuisance.
everything in the room in order to ascertain whether the books, papers or other things contained or constituted evidence of respondents' guilt of crime, whether that specified in the warrant or some other offense against the Act. Their conduct was unrestrained. The lists printed in the margin show how numerous and varied were the things found and taken.
The Fourth Amendment forbids every search that is unreasonable, and is construed liberally to safeguard the right of privacy. Byars v. United States, 273 U. S. 28, 273 U. S. 32. Its protection extends to offenders, as well as to the law abiding. Weeks v. United States, 232 U. S. 383; Agnello v. United States, 269 U. S. 20, 269 U. S. 32. The authority of officers to search one's house or place of business contemporaneously with his lawful arrest therein upon a valid warrant of arrest certainly is not greater than that conferred by a search warrant issued upon adequate proof and sufficiently describing the premises and the things sought to be obtained. Indeed, the informed and deliberate determinations of magistrates empowered to issue warrants as to what searches and seizures are permissible under the Constitution are to be preferred over the hurried action of officers and others who may happen to make arrests. Security against unlawful searches is more likely to be attained by resort to search warrants than by reliance upon the caution and sagacity of petty officers while acting under the excitement that attends the capture of persons accused of crime. United States v. Kirschenblatt, 16 F.2d 202, 203; Go-Bart Co. v. United States, supra, 282 U. S. 358.
and disclosing exactly where they were. Gouled v. United States, 255 U. S. 298, 255 U. S. 310.
These searches and seizures are to be distinguished from the seizure of a ledger and some bills that was sustained in the Marron case. There, prohibition officers lawfully on the premises searching for liquor described in a search warrant, arrested the bartender for crime openly being committed in their presence. He was maintaining a nuisance in violation of the act. The offense involved the element of continuity, the purchase of liquor from time to time, its sale as a regular thing for consumption upon the premises, and other transactions including the keeping of accounts. The ledger and bills being in plain view were picked up by the officers as an incident of the arrest. No search for them was made. The ledger was held to be part of the outfit actually used to commit the offense. The bills were deemed so closely related to the business that it was not unreasonable to consider them as employed to carry it on. While no use was being made of the book or papers at the moment of the arrest, they -- like containers, chairs and tables for customers, the cash register, glasses, and supplies -- were kept to be utilized when needed. The facts disclosed in the opinion were held to justify the inference that. when the arrest was made. the ledger and bill were in use to carry on the criminal enterprise.
to the owner, to take property that has been forfeited to the Government, to discover property concealed to avoid payment of duties for which it is liable, and from searches such as those made for the seizure of counterfeit coins, burglars' tools, gambling paraphernalia, and illicit liquor in order to prevent the commission of crime. Boyd v. United States, 116 U. S. 616 et seq.,; Gouled v. United States, supra, 255 U. S. 306; Carroll v. United States, supra.
"Whether this proceedeth from the gentleness of the law towards criminals, or from a consideration that such a power would be more pernicious to the innocent than useful to the public, I will not say. It is very certain that the law obligeth no man to accuse himself, because the necessary means of compelling self-accusation, falling upon the innocent as well as the guilty, would be both cruel and unjust, and it should seem that search for evidence is disallowed upon the same principle. There too, the innocent would be confounded with the guilty."
Amendments run almost into each other."
And this Court has always construed provisions of the Constitution having regard to the principles upon which it was established. The direct operation or literal meaning of the words used do not measure the purpose or scope of its provisions. McCulloch v. Maryland, 4 Wheat. 316, 17 U. S. 406-407, 17 U. S. 421; Boyd v. United States, supra; Byars v. United States, ubi supra.
This case does not differ materially from the Go-Bart Case, and is ruled by it. An arrest may not be used as a pretext to search for evidence. The searches and seizures here challenged must be held violative of respondents' rights under the Fourth and Fifth Amendments.
1. Black leather covered loose-leaf notebook, containing alphabetical list of names and addresses.
2. An envelope marked room 604, 1547 Broadway, New York City, containing a 1929 New York State motor vehicle registration certificate 5 Y-2555, issued to Milton Hordish, 635 Kelly street, Bronx, N. Y., for a 1929 Nash sedan.
3. A bill or statement amounting to $25 addressed to Herman Bernstein, c/o Bernstein & Lefkowitz, 1547 Broadway, New York City, apparently sent by doctors whose names appear on the statement.
4. Business card bearing the name of Dave Scherl, giving his address and telephone number and residence telephone number.
6. About 25 sheets of typewriter paper with the heading thereon of "William Salmon, 1547 Broadway, room 604."
7. About 75 envelopes addressed to various persons throughout the United States, some of which contained undated letters bearing the typewritten signature "William Salmon" to the effect that he had made his yearly change of name from "Henry Miller" to "William Salmon" and that he had received a new stock of merchandise that was for sale.
8. A cardboard covered loose-leaf binder, containing an alphabetical typewritten list of names and addresses.
9. A stenographer's notebook and text-book.
1. Bottle partly full of alcohol (not shown to be intended or fit for beverage).
2. Telephone address book containing names of persons and telephone numbers.
4. Blank order book with some of the slips torn out.
5. Several business cards of Bernstein & Lefkowitz.
Several typewritten loose-leaf sheets unbound bearing names and addresses of numerous people throughout the United States.
A pencil memorandum containing names with amounts set after the names, one of them being Dan, $537, the total amount of the memorandum being $1,497.95.

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