54 Barb. 299 | N.Y. Sup. Ct. | 1863
By the Court,
The case of The People v. Erwin (4 Denio, 129) decides that the owner of a house who rents it to be used and kept as a house of prostitution is to be deemed to keep such house, and is liable to indictment and conviction as the keeper of a bawdy house. The principle of this rule applies to any person who is personally concerned in the keeping of such a house. In misdemeanors there are no accessories. All who.procure, counsel, aid or abet the commission of the crime are principals.
In this case the defendant confessedly had the control of the premises in question, and knowingly rented the building for, and permitted it to be used as, a house of prostitution. It matters not in what capacity he exercised
The charge of the judge, rightly construed, really means nothing more than this; that his claim of agency was no excuse for his crime; and that he was liable to indictment and punishment as a principal, in keeping this bawdy house, notwithstanding that he professedly acted as an agent for the owner, in renting the premises and collecting the rents. '
The language of the learned judge, in his charge to the jury, stating the law applicable to the case of an agent situated like the defendant, may perhaps be subject to some criticism, but in substance the rule was stated correctly; and the jury could not have misunderstood the meaning of the judge.
I think the conviction was right, and the judgment should be affirmed, and the proceedings remitted to the court of sessions, to be carried into effect.
E. D. Smith, Johnson and J. G. Smith, Justices.]