Case Name: United States v. George Milburn
Court: United States Circuit Court of the District of Columbia
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 1838-03
Citations: 5 Cranch 390
Docket Number: 
Parties: United States v. George Milburn.
Judges: 
Reporter: Reports of cases argued and determined in the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia (District of Columbia - reported by Mackey)
Volume: 5
Pages: 390–390

Head Matter:
United States v. George Milburn.
An indictment for keeping a “ gaming-table,” is insufficient; it should charge the keeping of a common gaming-table. An indictment for keeping a faro-bank is also bad; it should be a common faro-bank; or “ a faro-bank, the same being a common gaming-table.”
Indictment containing two counts; 1st, That the defendant kept “ a gaming-table, against the form of the statute,” &e.
2d. That he kept “ a faro-bank against the form of the statute,” &c.
Mr. W. L. Brent,
for Ihe defendant, demurred to the whole indictment, because neither count charges the keeping of a common gaming-table, or a common faro-bank, or a faro-bank, the same being a common gaming-table, and cited Cooly’s case (4 Cranch, C. C. 707,) and Ringgold’s case, {ante, 378.)
Mr. Key, contrá,
contended that it was sufficient to charge the offence in the words of the statute, and cited 1 Chitty, 281. The words of the twelfth section of the Penitentiary Act are, “ That, every person duly convicted of keeping a faro-bank or gaming-table shall be sentenced to suffer imprisonment and labor, for a period not less than one year, nor more than five years.”

Opinion:
But the Court
(Cranch, C. J.,
contrá, as to the second count,) stopped Mr. Brent in reply, and quashed the indictment. See Arch. Crirri. Pleading, 24.