Case Name: MOORE v. STATE
Court: Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
Jurisdiction: Texas
Decision Date: 1920-02-25
Citations: 218 S.W. 1059
Docket Number: No. 5683
Parties: MOORE v. STATE.
Judges: 
Reporter: South Western Reporter
Volume: 218
Pages: 1059–1059

Head Matter:
MOORE v. STATE.
(No. 5683.)
(Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas.
Feb. 25, 1920.)
1. Coubts «5^66(1) — Appearance or county JUDGE ON FOURTH DAY OF TERM SUFFICIENT.
Where the county judge was not present the first three days of a term of court, but appeared on the morning of the fourth day, opened his court, and proceeded to do business, Rev. St. 1911, art. 1778, providing that if the county judge should not appear on the fourth day, the sheriff shall adjourn court, etc., was sufficiently complied with.
2. Husband and wife <S=?313 — Testimony as TO CHARACTER OF WIFE AND ■ GAMBLING BY HUSBAND INADMISSIBLE IN PROSECUTION FOB WIFE DESERTION.
In a prosecution for wife desertion, testimony that defendant had been charged with shooting craps, and that a witness had gone on his bond when he was arrested, and testimony that defendant’s wife was a good woman was inadmissible as irrelevant.
Appeal from Erath County Court; E. E. Solomon, Judge.
John Moore was convicted of wife desertion, and he appeals.
Reversed, and cause remanded.
J. T. Daniel, of Stephenville, for appellant.
Alvin M. Owsley, Asst. Atty. Gen., for the ' State.

Opinion:
DAVIDSON, P. J.
Appellant was convicted of wife desertion, and -allotted a fine of $25 and 15 days' imprisonment in the county jail.
Motion in arrest of judgment was made on the ground that the court did not meet until the fourth day of the term. The Revised Civil Statutes, art. 1778, provides that:
"Should the county judge fail to appear at the time appointed for holding the county court, and should no election of a special judge be had, the sheriff of the county, or, in his default, any constable of the county, shall adjourn the court from day to day for three days; and, if the judge should not appear on the fourth day, and should no special judge have been appointed, - the sheriff or constable, as the case may be, shall adjourn the court until the next regular term thereof."
It is shown beyond any question that the county judge was not present the first three days of the court, but did appear on the morning of the fourth day, opened his court, and proceeded to do business. We are of opinion that this is sufficient compliance with the statute. Kirk v. State, 60 Tex. Cr. R. 172, 131 S. W. 414.
There are two bills of exception in the record. The first was reserved to the action of the court permitting the state to prove that appellant had been charged with shooting craps, and evidence of Mr. Fulbright that he had gone on appellant's bond when he was arrested for such alleged violation of the law. The second bill was reserved to the testimony of a witness to the effect that the wife of appellant "was a good woman." The court states in a way that he permitted this testimony to go to the jury because appellant had been neglecting his wife. We are of opinion that the testimony as set forth in both bills should have been excluded. The fact that appellant may have played a game of craps would have no relevancy to show that he had deserted his wife. The reputation of the wife as being a good woman does not tend to prove that appellant deserted her or neglected to support her. The testimony in both instances we think inadmissible, and should not have been introduced.
The judgment will be reversed, and the cause remanded.
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