Case Name: The State against Delyon
Court: South Carolina Court of Common Pleas
Jurisdiction: South Carolina
Decision Date: 1794-05
Citations: 1 Bay 353
Docket Number: 
Parties: The State against Delyon.
Judges: (present, Waties, J. and Bay, J.)
Reporter: South Carolina Law Reports
Volume: 1
Pages: 353–353

Head Matter:
The State against Delyon.
Selling a blind horse, as a sound horse, is not an in* dictable of-fence ;though a very good ground for an action of deceit.
THE defendant in this case, was indicted under the swindling act, for selling a blind horse, as and for a sound horse, excepting a blemish in one eye; when the defendant had been told he was a' blind horse, before the sale.
The attorney-general contended, that this was an act of swindling, under the late law for preventing such deceitful practices.

Opinion:
The Court,
(present, Waties, J. and Bay, J.)
after hearing counsel in reply, were of opinion, that this was not such a fraud as was indictable, either at common law or under the act of assembly. That it had the appearance of a breach of contract, or rather a concealment of a blemish, (if the defendant knew it,) for which he was answerable in damages in a civil suit. That to encourage a prosecution of this kind, would have a tendency to bring almost every civil injury into the jurisdiction of the court of sessions, which might be extremely injurious in its consequences, to £he community.