Case Name: ANTNER v. STATE
Court: Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
Jurisdiction: Texas
Decision Date: 1930-02-05
Citations: 25 S.W.2d 860
Docket Number: No. 12890
Parties: ANTNER v. STATE.
Judges: 
Reporter: South Western Reporter Second Series
Volume: 25
Pages: 860–861

Head Matter:
ANTNER v. STATE.
No. 12890.
Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas.
Feb. 5, 1930.
State’s Rehearing Denied March 19, 1930.
W. H. Tolbert and Samuels, Poster, Brown & McGee, all of Port Worth, for appellant.
A. A. Dawson, State’s Atty., of Austin, for th-e i State.

Opinion:
MARTIN, J.
Offense, the unlawful possession of intoxicating liquor for the purpose of sale; penalty, one year in the penitentiary.
Operating under a search warrant, officers searched premises testified by them to be the private residence of appellant in the -city of Port Worth. In it they found ten pints of whisky, five quarts of gin, and a half gallon of corn whisky. At this residence prior to the raid a detective had observed a man deliver a package to a negro. Afterwards and a short distance from appellant's resident the negro was apprehended and on him was 'found \some whisky. This negro did not testify. The raiding officers testified to the presence of two other individuals in the house at the time of the raid,: at least one of whom attempted to escape. In a car near the residence, presumably belonging to one of these men, was found a quantity of gin, the wrappers of which corresponded in appearance to those found in the alleged residence of appellant. Witness Miller testified for appellant that he was in the hospital at the time of the raid and had been for about a week, but that he and appellant and a Mr. and Mrs. Harding wore living in the residence raided, and that when he left such place for the hospital there was whisky there; that he and Mr. Harding had; whisky. He did not know how much Mr. Harding had; that if appellant had any there, he did not know it. He further testified that he and appellant payed room rent to Mr. Harding.
It is contended that the evidence showing the presence of intoxicating liquor in th.e alleged private residence of appellant was inadmissible because of the invalidity of the search warrant and the affidavit for same. The claimed invalidity of these consists in a failure to allege that whisky was being sold or manufactured in the private residence of appellant, as required by article 691, P. O. We observe in such instruments the following allegation: "That the particular grounds for the aforesaid belief Of affiant are as follows: Observation of one John Davis a1 negro enter a garage located at 423 Summit Ave., have a conversation with a man in said garage, which man then left the said garage by the rear entrance and entered the above described residence being 420 Alabama St., by the rear entrance, emerge from said residence by the rear entrance, re-enter the garage by the rear entrance deliver to John Davis a package, who then came out of the said garage with a package containing one-half gallon of whisky, which said whisky Davis told affiants he purchased from the man in the garage who got it in the residence."
A stile of whisky at this residence related to the affiants by Davis is clearly alleged and in our opinion sufficiently complies with the demands of article 691, P. C. A complaint and warrant in practically the same language as those of the instant case were held sufficient in the case of Villareal v. State (Tex. Cr. App.) 21 S.W.(2d) 739.
The court failed to charge on circumstantial evidence, and such failure was duly excepted to, and a special charge covering this phase of the case was asked and refused. We think the case is clearly one of circumstantial evidence. No) one testified to any act of ownership by appellant over the liquor in question, nor to any act of his showing any attempt to exercise control over same. The possession of the liquor m question was an inference to he drawn from circumstances introduced against him. It was shown) defensively that the residence in fact was under the control of a Mr. Harding. It is recited in the bill of exception that appellant Was not present when the raid was made. Others are shown to have occupied the house jointly with him and to have actually been in,- possession of liquor. Under these facts, the court erred in refusing to charge on circumstantial evidence. Williams v. State, 103 Tex. Cr. R. 18, 279 S. W. 841; McFarlan v. State, 106 Tex. Cr. R. 384, 292 S. W. 885; Keller v. State, 106 Tex. Cr. R. 351, 292 S. W. 238; Puga v. State (Tex. Cr. App.) 17 S.W.(2d) 55.
In view of another trial, we express no opinion as to the sufficiency of the evidence.
We note in the statement of facts the presence of' the affidavit and search warrant, which were admitted in evidence apparently before the jury without urging the objection that same contained hearsay and prejudicial matters. These two instruments under the facts of this ease were admissible before the court only as a basis for the determination of the question by the court of the admissibility of the evidence touching the result of the search by the officers. They should not be read to the jury upon another trial if proper objection is urged.
Por the error above discussed, the judgment is reversed and cause remanded.
PER CURIAM.
The foregoing opinion of the Commission of Appeals has been examined by the judges of the Court of Criminal Appeals and approved by the court.