Case Name: Charles Kuhl Artificial Stone Co. v. Martin Mack
Court: Ohio Circuit Court
Jurisdiction: Ohio
Decision Date: 1899-01
Citations: 12 Ohio Cir. Dec. 177
Docket Number: 
Parties: Charles Kuhl Artificial Stone Co. v. Martin Mack.
Judges: Shearer, Summers and Wilson, JJ.
Reporter: Ohio Circuit Decisions
Volume: 12
Pages: 177–177

Head Matter:
EVIDENCE — CRIMINAL LAW.
[Hamilton Circuit Court,
January Term, 1899.]
Shearer, Summers and Wilson, JJ.
(Sitting in Hamilton County.)
Charles Kuhl Artificial Stone Co. v. Martin Mack.
Evidence — Custom Among Contractors — Criminal Law.
While a custom among contractors of helping themselves to each others1 material when a small quantity is needed to complete a job, is unreasonable and not binding as a rule of property, it is competent for the purpose of tending to prove a lack of criminal intent in taking such material.
Heard on Error.
Jerome D. Creed, for the plaintiff in error.
Geo. W. Hardacre, contra.

Opinion:
Memorandum of Decision.
The defendant in error recovered a judgment for $385, damages for malicious prosecution on a charge of taking a small quantity of the Kuhl company's material in completing a cement sidewalk contract, a line of work in which the Kuhl company and Mack were competitors. Error was claimed in the admission of testimony as to a general custom prevailing among contractors of helping themselves to each other's material when a small quantity was needed to complete a job.
The reviewing court holds that while such a custom is unreasonable as a rule of property, and therefore not binding, yet it was competent for the purpose for which it was evidently introduced — that is, as tending to prove a lack of criminal intent.
Judgment affirmed.