263 Mass. 25 | Mass. | 1928
The complaint on which the defendant was convicted charged under G. L. c. 273, § 1, that on September. 13,1927, he "did unreasonably neglect and refuse to provide
The important purpose of the Legislature was to provide directly for neglected wives and to punish the wrong of nonsupport. Commonwealth v. Acker, supra, page 93. It is made a criminal act under the statute. Commonwealth v. Domes, 239 Mass. 592. The defendant and his wife on the evidence were within the Commonwealth for a period of four days preceding the date of the complaint, and, even if he was domiciled in another State, he became on his voluntary return to this Commonwealth subject during that period to its laws, for the violation of which he could be prosecuted and punished. Government & People v. M’Gregory, 14 Mass. 499. Commonwealth v. Macloon, 101 Mass. 1, 5. Pawloski v. Hess, 250 Mass. 22.
The defendant’s motion for a directed verdict was denied rightly and his exceptions must be overruled.
So ordered.