Commonwealth v. Mackay

Jan 2, 1901
Reporters:
, ,
Before:
Hammond
Hammond, J.

Both in the popular and legal sense, the word “ lottery ” signifies a scheme for the ‍​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‍distribution of prizes by chance. Cent. Diet. “Lottery.” Bouvier’s Law Diet. “Lottery.”

Pub. Sts. c. 209, § 1, forbids the setting up of a lottery for money, or other thing of value, and while the complaint may ‍​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‍be defective in form in not saying that the lottery was for money or other thing of value, Commonwealth v. Horton, 2 Gray, 69, the term is broad enough to include such a lottery, and, after trial and ‍​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‍conviction, it is to be assumed that the evidence warranted a conviction of setting up an illegal lottery within the terms of the statute. Such an offence was witiiin the jurisdiction of the court.

The ‍​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‍defendant, having gone to trial upon the defective complaint, cannot now take advantage of the defect by motion in arrest of judgment. Pub. Sts. c. 214, § 27. For further legislation as to lotteries, see St. ‍​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‍1892, c. 409 ; St. 1895, c. 419, §§ 1, 2, 3, 8, 9.

Motion in arrest of judgment overruled.