Case Name: WALKER v. STATE
Court: Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
Jurisdiction: Texas
Decision Date: 1914-01-21
Citations: 163 S.W. 71
Docket Number: 
Parties: WALKER v. STATE.
Judges: 
Reporter: South Western Reporter
Volume: 163
Pages: 71–73

Head Matter:
WALKER v. STATE.
(Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas.
Jan. 21, 1914.)
1. Intoxicating Liquors (§ 236 ) — Local Option — Publication.
In a prosecution for violating the local option law, testimony by a witness, who was county judge at the time of the election, that it was his impression that the order declaring the result had been published, when not based on any independent recollection of making such order or of seeing the order as published, but merely on the supposition that he had performed his duty, is insufficient to establish the publication, which was a condition precedent to the going into effect of the law.
[Ed. Note. — For other cases, see Intoxicating Liquors, Cent. Dig. §§ 300-322; Dec. Dig. § 236. ]
2. Witnesses (§ 318 ) — Corroboration of Unimpeached Witness. '
In a prosecution for violating the local option law, where the prosecuting witnéss, who testified to the unlawful sale, was not impeached by proof of contradictory statements, evidence of his statements to third persons that he had bought alcohol from accused was inadmissible.
[Ed. Note. — For other cases, see Witnesses, Cent. Dig. §§ 1084-1086; Dec. Dig. § 318. ]
3: Criminal Law (§ 1169 ) — Appeai>—Harmless Error.
In a prosecution for violating the local option law, the admission of statements of the prosecuting witness in conformity with his evidence, there being no impeachment, but only contradiction by accused as to the sale, was reversible error.
[Ed. Note. — For other cases, see Criminal Law, Cent. Dig. §§ 754, 3088, 3130, 3137-3143; Dec. Dig. § 1169. ]
4. Intoxicating Liquors (§ 35 ) — Local Option-Declaration of Result.
Under the statute providing that, after a local option election, the county commissioners’ court shall meet on or after the eleventh day after the election and count the votes and declare the result, the declaration of the result at a meeting only nine days after the election is wholly void.
[Ed. Note. — For other cases, see Intoxicating Liquors, Cent. Dig. § 42; Dec. Dig. § 35. ]
Appeal from Shackelford County Court; J. A. King, Judge.
Paul Walker was convicted of violating the local option law, and he appeals.
Reversed and remanded.
C. E. Lane, Asst. Atty. Gen., for the State.
For other cases see same topic and section NUMBER in Dec. Dig. & Am. Dig. Key-No. Series'& Rep’r Indexes

Opinion:
DAVIDSON, J.
This conviction was for violating the local option law.
The information charges that local option was in vogue in justice precinct No. 3 of Shackelford county. It is alleged that the evidence does not show publication as required by the statute either in a newspaper or in some manner putting the law into operation. We find upon inspection of the facts that the evidence is not sufficient to show that publication was made. The witness Morris testified he was county judge of Shackelford county at the time of the election, and it was his impression that the order declaring the result had been published, but he says he so testified because it was his duty as county judge "to have said order published, but that he had no recollection of ever having published the order, or ever having seen it in a paper, or seen a paper with the order published in it. This is the evidence in regard to this matter, and it is not sufficient to show publication of the order as required by statute. It is also shown, however, there was a newspaper office in that precinct, but the files had been burned, and that there was no order on the minutes of the commissioners' court showing the publication of the order or designating any paper in which it should be published. There was no attempt to. prove further than this that the order had ever been pub-1 lished either in a newspaper or by posting notices. Before the law becomes operative, the publication must be made.
Rich, the alleged purchaser, testified that he bought on the 1st of July, from defendant, a bottle of alcohol. The defendant denies this, testifying that he never sold Rich any alcohol, or any other intoxicants, and did not see him on the day mentioned. He is corroborated by other witnesses.
There are two bills of exception in the record, one reserved to the testimony of G. B. Kirkman, and the other to the testimony of Wallace Kirkman, practically the same. These bills of exception. show that after Rich testified appellant had sold him the intoxicating liquors, and defendant had testified that he had. not, he then introduced the two Kirkmans and permitted them to testify, over various and sundry objections, that Rich was at Kirkman's house on Sunday morning, about the time of the sale, and had a quart of alcohol which he (Rich) said he had bought from defendant in Moran on Saturday, the day before. This testimony was not admissible. The other Kirkman testifies to the same matter. There was no attempt to impeach Rich by showing he had made contradictory statements. The matter stood before the jury on contradiction squarely put between Rich and the defendant as to the sale. This did not authorize the corroboration of Rich by his own statement to the two Kirkmans that he had bought the alcohol, which they say they saw him with, from appellant the day before. This was reversible error.
There is another question in the case: The record shows the election was held on 30th of November, 1907. The result of the election was declared by the commissioners' court on 9th of December following. Error is assigned upon this. This error is well taken. The statute provides that the county commissioners' court shall meet on or after the eleventh day after the election and count the votes and declare the result. The commissioners' court in this particular instance met on the ninth day and declared the result. This they had no authority to do. This is the first time this question has come before the court, so far as the writer has béen able to ascertain. However, it is well settled by the authorities that where the commissioners' court order the election earlier than 15 days after making the order, or later than 30 days thereafter, it renders the election held under such order absolutely void. The commissioners' court can only order a local option election as authorized by the statute. The statute requires that they shall order the election not less than 15 days nor more than 30 days after entry of the order, and if they order it within 15 days or before the 15 days, or after the 30 days, the election would be a nullity. In the' instant case the court met on the ninth day and declared the result, whereas the statute only authorizes them to act not earlier than the eleventh day. We are of opinion that this action of the court was without authority of law, and they had no authority to meet and declare the result on that day, and their action was ultra vires and void. This may not render the election void. The result was not legally ascertained, and the commissioners' court can only act under the authority of the statute.
The judgment is reversed, and- the cause is remanded.