Case Name: PAYNE v. STATE
Court: Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
Jurisdiction: Texas
Decision Date: 1930-11-26
Citations: 34 S.W.2d 273
Docket Number: No. 13677
Parties: PAYNE v. STATE.
Judges: HAWKINS, J., absent.
Reporter: South Western Reporter Second Series
Volume: 34
Pages: 273–274

Head Matter:
PAYNE v. STATE.
No. 13677.
Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas.
Nov. 26, 1930.
Rehearing Denied Jan. 21, 1931.
Wynne & Wynne, of Wills Point, and Jones & Jones, of Mineóla, for appellant.
Dloyd W. Davidson, State’s Atty., of Austin, for the State.

Opinion:
MARTIN, J.
Offense, perjury; penalty, two years in the penitentiary.
The charge in the instant case grew out of testimony given by appellant at the trial of one Gordon Williams, who was under indictment and on trial for the unlawful sale to Grover Wilson of intoxicating liquor. Perjury is assigned upon a statement alleged to have been then made under oath by Payne to the effect, in substance, that he was present at the time of said alleged sale, and that Grover Wilson did not at such time get any whis-ky in Gordon Williams' place of business. The state introduced Grover Wilson in the trial of this case against appellant for perjury, who testified, in substance, that he, in company with Mr. Douglass, the sheriff, went to Gordon Williams' place of business and he there purchased from him a bottle of whisky while the sheriff waited outside in an automobile, and that he immediately took same to the car and delivered it to the sheriff. The sheriff gave testimony corroborating this. It was also shown that on Wednesday night following this occurrence on Sunday night the officers raided the place of business of Gordon Williams and there found a large quantity of whisky in bottles with the same character of tops and of the same kind as that shown to have been purchased by Grover Wilson. The bottles of whisky obtained in this raid, as well as the bottle alleged to ¡have been purchased by Wilson, were introduced in evidence.
It is claimed the evidence is insufficient. While only one witness was introduced showing directly the falsity of Payne's testimony, we regard the iacts and circumstances as sufficiently corroborative of this witness to meet the demands of the law. Article 723, Vernon's Tex. C. C. P. (1925), and authorities there collated.
Many bills o.f exception appear in the record presenting the question of the alleged inadmissibility of the evidence of officers touching the result of the search of the premises of Gordon Williams on the Wednesday night following the alleged transaction upon which perjury is based that happened the preceding Sunday'night. This testimony was offered in corroboration of the state's witness. It was so related in point of time and place to the offense charged as made it admissible. McDonough v. State, 47 Tex. Or. R. 234, 84 S. W. 594, 122 Am. St. Rep. 684; Branch's P. c., Sec. 857. The fact that Williams was shown to be in possession of a large quantity of pint bottles of whisky of the same kind and description purchased by Wilson at or about the same time tended strongly to corroborate the testimony of the state's witness as to the alleged purchase.
Other contentions of appellant have been carefully examined and are believed to be without merit.
Einding no error in the record, the judgment is affirmed.
PER OURIAM.
The foregoing opinion of the Commission of Appeals has been examined by the Judges of the Oourt of Criminal Appeals and approved by the court.
HAWKINS, J., absent.