Case Name: J. L. Wortham v. The State
Court: Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
Jurisdiction: Texas
Decision Date: 1923-05-30
Citations: 95 Tex. Crim. 135
Docket Number: No. 7756
Parties: J. L. Wortham v. The State.
Judges: 
Reporter: Texas Criminal Reports
Volume: 95
Pages: 135–138

Head Matter:
J. L. Wortham v. The State.
No. 7756.
Decided May 30, 1923.
Rehearing Granted June 20, 1923-,
1. —Carrying a Pistol — Bills of Exception.
Where the bills of exception were filed after the expiration of the order extending such time, they cannot be considered on appeal. However, where the transcript was properly'corrected in reference to the filing of said bills of exception, the cause is heard upon its merits.
2. —Same—Traveller—Charge of Court.
Ordinarily one who merely goes from a definite point in one county to a ■ definite point in an adjoining county a few miles away, which can be accomplished in an hour or so, is not a traveller under the pistol carrying law, and there was no error in refusing the requested charges thereon.
3. —Same—Other Offenses — Evidence—Requested Charge.
Where, upon trial of unlawfully carrying a pistol, testimony was admitted in evidence of the fact that in the car occupied by defendant and his party, at the time he was seen with the pistol, was found a large quantity of whisky, thus showing the commission of a felony which was not necessary in order to develop the res gestae in the instant case, and the same is reversible error.
4. —Same—Requested Charge — Theory of Defense.
Where, upon trial of unlawfully carrying a pistol, the defendant testified that the automobile in which he was traveling and the pistol therein both belonged to another, and that he had nothing to do with either, that he (lid not know that the pistol was in the automobile and that he was simply driving the oar because the other party could not drive it, and requested the court to submit a charge on this phase of the case, which was refused, the same is reversible error.
Appeal from the County Court of Navarro. Tried below before the Honorable A. P. Mays.
Appeal from a conviction of'unlawfully carrying a pistol; penalty, a fine of $100.00.
The opinion states the case.
Gibson & Lovett, for appellant.
R. G. Storey, Assistant Attorney General, for the State.

Opinion:
LATTIMORE, Judge.
— -Appellant was convicted in the County Court of Navarro County for carrying on and about his person a pistbl, and his punishment fixed at a fine of $100.
Our Assistant Attorney General moves to strike out appellant's bills of exception for the reason that the time originally granted in which to file same expired prior to the entry of an order extending the time for such filing. The order extending such time would, therefore, be without authority and the bills of exception appearing to have been filed after the expiration of the time, cannot be considered by us. Griffin v. State, 59 Texas Crim. Rep. 424; Sanders v. State, 60 Texas Crim. Rep. 34; Palmer v. State, 92 Texas Crim. Rep., 640, 245 S. W. Rep. 238; Harr v. State, No. 7199, opinion handed down May 23, 1923.
The only question remaining is the sufficiency of the evidence to support the conviction. Appellant and his wife and some other parties were in a car, the said othef parties being in the back seat and appellant and his wife in the front seat. A pistol was found in the front seat by officers who searched the car. It was handed to them my appellant. This would seem to justify the conclusion that the pistol was then in the possession of and being carried by appellant. The only justification offered for such action was upon the theory that appellant was going from a place in Freestone county to another point in Navarro county about thirty-five miles distant and that consequently he was a traveler. This question was discussed and settled adversely to the contention of appellant in the case of George v. State, 90 Texas Crim. Rep., 179, 237 S. W. Rep., 87, to which reference is made for a review of the authorities.
Finding no error in the record, the judgment will be affirmed.
Affirmed.