Case Name: Matt Britten v. The State
Court: Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
Jurisdiction: Texas
Decision Date: 1925-05-27
Citations: 101 Tex. Crim. 28
Docket Number: No. 9137
Parties: Matt Britten v. The State.
Judges: 
Reporter: Texas Criminal Reports
Volume: 101
Pages: 28–31

Head Matter:
Matt Britten v. The State.
No. 9137.
Delivered May 27, 1925.
Rehearing denied June 24, 1925.
1. —Manufacturing Intoxicating Liquor — Bills of Exception — Question and Answer Form.
Where bills of exceptions are prepared in question and answer form in violation of Art. 846 C. C. P. and the uniform holdings of this court, they will not be considered.
2. —Same—Argument of Counsel — Not Improper.
Where State’s counsel in his argument to the jury stated “Yes, the defendant sits back, and the State presumes he is innocent, and must prove him guilty, beyond a reasonable doubt” we can observe no possible reference in such remarks to the defendant’s failure to testify.
ON REHEARING
3. —Same—Evidence—Hearsay—Inadmissible.
The testimony of the defense witness Weller as to the ownership of land, based on statements made to him by appellant was properly excluded. Such evidence was but the hearsay opinion of the witness.
4. —Same—Evidence—On Immaterial Issue — Properly Excluded.
What was said as to the working of the land occupied by appellant at the time of his arrest, could not possibly have any material bearing on his guilt or innocence of manufacturing liquor on said land, and was properly excluded.
5. —Same—Evidence—Whisky—Is an Intoxicant.
It has been judicially recognized for many years that whisky is an intoxicant, and the learned trial Judge in the instant case correctly instructed the jury to this effect.
6. —Same—Charge of Court — On Principals — Properly Submitted.
Where the testimony disclosed that appellant, and one Poetzold were working a rented farm together and both were discovered in the act of manufacturing whisky on said farm a charge on the law of principals was not error.
Appeal from the District Court of Roberts County. Tried below before the Hon. W. R. Ewing, Judge.
Appeal from a conviction of manufacturing intoxicating liquor; penalty, one year in the penitentiary.
The opinion states the ease.
Umphreys, Mood & Clayton, for appellant.
Tom Garrard, State’s Attorney, and Grover C. Morris, Assistant State’s Attorney, for the State.

Opinion:
LATTIMORE, Judge.
Appellant was convicted in the district court' of Roberts County of manufacturing intoxicating liquor, and his punishment fixed at one year in the penitentiary.
There are three bills of exception, two of which are in question and answer form and therefore violative of Art. 846 C. C. P., and under many decisions of this court cannot be considered. The other bill complains of the fact that the State's attorney in his argument to the jury said: "Yes, the defendant sits back and the State presumes that he is innocent and must prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt." The objection seems to be that this was an allusion to defendant's failure to testify. We do not think the language used a necessary reference to the failure to testify. The law requires the State to presume the accused to be innocent and to prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, and certainly reference to this fact in argument could in nowise be said to refer to the failure of the defendant to testify. We are unable to comprehend the proposition that to merely say the defendant sits back, — would convey to the jury the idea that this meant to call their attention to the failure of appellant to take the witness stand. The bill is qualified with the statement that the argument was in reply to argument made by the attorney for appellant.
We see no benefit to arise from an extended statement of the facts. Appellant had a hired man and was observed to go with this hired man to a house on appellant's premises where the two remained a considerable length of time. Appellant had been seen around the premises before. Officers searching said house found therein a still in operation.
The judgment will be affirmed.
Affirmed.