Majority
Headnote
[1] Criminal Law—Conspiracy—Obtaining Money by False Pretenses—Evidence—Inferences—Verdict.—In this prosecution of several defendants for obtaining and conspiring to obtain money by false pretenses, it is held that while the evidence in its relation to one of the defendants was in some ways circumstantial, much of it connected him directly with the offenses charged, and that the evidence as a whole reasonably justified the inference of guilty participation on his part sufficient to support the verdict of guilty.The defendants Shearer, Thomas, and Ellis were jointly accused in an information charging them with certain offenses in four counts, all relating to the same transaction; the first charging grand larceny in stealing $400 on October 6, 1925, from Albert Loiselle; the second charging conspiracy to commit grand larceny; the third charging the defendant with obtaining money by false pretenses in connection with the sale to Loiselle of a half interest in an automobile steam cleaning plant; the fourth with conspiracy to obtain money by false pretenses in the same matter. The defendant Thomas was not tried with the other two defendants, but was a witness for the state; and the case against him was dismissed. By the verdict of the jury the defendants Shearer and Ellis were found guilty on the third and fourth counts of the information, the first two counts having been dismissed at the close of the case for the prosecution. Shearer having been placed on probation, the appeal is by Ellis alone, who appeals from the judgment against him and from the order denying his motion for a new trial. He received an indeterminate sentence of imprisonment in the state prison on both the third and fourth counts, the two sentences running concurrently.
[1] The appellant admits that the evidence showed a conspiracy in which Shearer, Thomas, and an individual called Jeffries took part; but it is contended that there is no evidence showing Ellis himself to have been guilty on either count. Appellant makes also certain technical objections to the information and to one of the court’s instructions, which will be considered later. In a study of the evidence careful scrutiny has been made, pursuant to the
The salient facts of the case are as follows: Ellis was a licensed broker who for about four years had been carrying on business in Los Angeles as an investment broker engaged in negotiating sales of business interests. He had a number of salesmen working under him, each of whom, as he brought a transaction to completion, received from Ellis a share of the commission or profit realized. Shearer was one of Ellis’ salesmen who gave attention particularly to transactions relating to “automobile washing and greasing stands”; and it was in connection with such a transaction that the offenses here under review were committed. The complaining witness, Albert Loiselle, had been a seaman in the United States navy, but was not in the service at the time of his dealings with Ellis’ office, though he was again in the navy at the time of the trial. Loiselle was led to visit Ellis’ office by a newspaper advertisement stating that a partner was wanted to buy a half interest in an automobile steam cleaning plant. On that visit Loiselle met Shearer, who introduced Mm to a man called Jeffries, whom Shearer brought in from the outside, and who was represented to be the owner of a steam cleaning business and in search of a partner. The three then drove together to a plant situated at No. 4300 South San Pedro Street, which really belonged to a man named Levy, who owned all the equipment and had a ten-year lease of the land. After a brief examination, Shearer, Loiselle, and Jeffries returned to Ellis’ office, whereupon Jeffries, without stopping, walked out at the rear entrance, leaving Shearer and Loiselle together. Shearer then introduced Loiselle to Ellis, stating that Loiselle was going to buy a half interest in the cleaning plant, the price of which had been named to Loiselle as $400; and, as Loiselle tells the story, Ellis’ first question to him was as to how much money he had for a deposit. Loiselle was not prepared at the moment to pay more than $5, and this amount
After paying Ellis the $400 and signing the papers which Ellis presented to him, and without any papers requiring the signature of Jeffries having yet been signed, Loiselle was directed to come to Ellis’ office the next morning, October 7th, and go with Shearer to the plant. At about 6 o’clock in the afternoon of October 6th Thomas, who was an employee in the Los Angeles fire department, known to Shearer and, according to certain testimony, to Ellis also, presented himself at Ellis’ office, posing as Jeffries, and there found both Ellis and Shearer. Ellis asked Thomas, “What is your
Loiselle received none of the papers which had been signed on October 6th; but on the following morning he was taken by Shearer to the plant. Jeffries was there doing some cleaning, but stepped aside at Shearer’s request to talk with Shearer, and a. few minutes afterward left and was never again seen by Loiselle. That same afternoon Levy, having learned of the dishonor of Shearer’s check, ordered Loiselle out of the plant, declaring that the lease was at an end because of failure to comply with the condition of payment of the first and last month’s rent. Loiselle immediately went to Ellis’ office, and on that visit, as well as on subsequent
Believing from the evidence as a whole that the jury were justified in rendering a verdict against Ellis as well as against Shearer on both counts, we will proceed to consider the objections made to the information.
The third count of the information alleges that Shearer, Thomas, and Ellis, with the intent to defraud Loiselle, knowingly and feloniously pretended and represented to Loiselle that they had-for sale, and could sell, a half interest in the designated cleaning plant, and that Jeffries was the owner of a half interest therein, which he would sell to Loiselle for $400. It it further alleged that “while” said defendants were seeking to induce Loiselle to pay $400 as the purchase price of said half interest, Jeffries did not own any interest in said plant, but that it was the sole property of H. Levy. The information continues with certain averments customary in such cases, and among other things states that Loiselle was deceived by the representations, and paid his money on the faith of them, and in consideration of the grant then and there to him of an undivided half interest in the plant; and that the defendants made their false representations for the purpose of inducing Loiselle to deliver to them said $400 in return for the pretended half interest.
It is urged that the only time to which the false representations are relegated was “while” the defendants were seeking to induce payment by Loiselle, and that the information does not negative the representation that defendants did have a half interest for sale, and that Jeffries would sell a half interest; and, further, that there is no allegation that either Jeffries or Levy did not in fact do so. In addition it is urged, on the one hand, that since it is alleged that Loiselle made his payment “in return and in consideration for a grant then and there to Mm of a one-half inter
[4] Appellant likewise engages in a critical analysis of the fourth count, which is in much the same form as the third except that it alleges that the defendants conspired to do, and in furtherance of their conspiracy did, the things there set forth, being the things done according to the averments contained also in the third count. In discussing the fourth count, a large portion of appellant’s brief is devoted to a dismemberment of section 182 of the Penal Code. The portions of that section which particularly concern us are subdivision 1, under which the offense designated may consist of a conspiracy to commit any crime, whether a felony
[5] It is contended, however, that the sentence under the fourth count left it doubtful whether it was the intention of the court to mete out punishment for a felony or only for a misdemeanor, and that it may not be left to the prison authorities to determine how long appellant’s prison term should last. The trial judge might with propriety have specified that the crime of which the appellant was convicted was a felony. At the same time it must be borne in mind that when there is a conviction upon a charge of conspiracy to commit a felony, as in this case, there is no other punishment authorized than that prescribed in the first penal paragraph of section 182, for the reason that “the other acts described in this section,” as that phrase is used in the second penal paragraph, must be taken to refer to offenses which are not felonies. [6] In this instance the judgment is just as definite and certain as if appellant had been charged with, and convicted of, a conspiracy to commit grand larceny. If the offense had not been grave enough to constitute a felony, and appellant had been found guilty of a misdemeanor only, he would have been brought within the purview of subdivision 4 of section 182; and the punishment would have been that prescribed by the second penal paragraph, which makes such a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment not exceeding two years or a fine not exceeding $5,000, or both. But having been convicted of a felony as charged, appellant must bear the punishment fixed by the first penal paragraph,
[7] Pursuing the discussion of the fourth count, appellant’s counsel insists that that count does not sufficiently charge a criminal conspiracy, because there is not an allegation that as part of the conspiracy the conspirators knowingly or falsely, or with intent to defraud, made any representation that Jeffries owned a half interest in the cleaning plant; and because, also, there is no sufficient allegation of any overt acts. The count does allege, however, that no part of the plant was owned by Jeffries, and proceeds to state that the conspiracy charged was one to obtain money by purporting to carry out a sale from Jeffries to Loiselle with the fraudulent intent to deceive Loiselle and defraud him of his money. The information then sets forth that in furtherance of the conspiracy the defendants did make their false representations to Loiselle and did cheat him out of his money by such false pretenses. We think that the information in the fourth count, as well as in the third, sufficiently meets the legal requirements, and if put to the test would protect appellant from being subjected to another prosecution for either offense. (People v. Steelik, 187 Cal. 361 , 372 [ 203 Pac. 78 ].)
[8] Still another contention advanced on behalf of appellant is that if any crimes were committed they did not relate to obtaining money by false pretenses, but constituted respectively larceny by trick and device and conspiracy to commit larceny by trick and device. In distinguishing between the two classifications the determining factor is the intent with which the injured person places his money or property in the hands of the accused. If the owner intended to part with possession merely, and not to transfer title as well, the crime is larceny; but if title is intended to pass at the time, then the offense is that of obtaining money or property by false pretenses. (People v. Edwards, 72 Cal. App. 102 , 113 [ 236 Pac. 944 ].)
[9] It must be remembered in this case that Loiselle was given to understand that he was buying an undivided
[10] In the course of the trial. evidence of three other similar transactions with other parties who had had dealings with Ellis was received to show a criminal system of operation; and the admission of such evidence is now specified as error. In our opinion, however, such evidence related to transactions sufficiently near in time and similar in character to be receivable within the rule discussed and applied in People v. Gray, 66 Cal. 271 , 274, 275 [ 5 Pac. 240 ], People v. Ruef, 14 Cal. App. 579 , 604 [ 114 Pac. 48 , 54], People v. Arnold, 17 Cal. App. 68 , 74 [ 118 Pac. 729 ], and People v. Cory, 26 Cal. App. 735 , 741 [ 148 Pac. 532 ].
[11] The only criticism directed at any of the instructions of the court relates to the final sentence in an instruction on the subject of conspiracy. Among other things, the court first told the jury that they must be satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt of the formation and existence
The judgment against appellant and the order denying his motion for a new trial are affirmed.
Craig, Acting P. J., and Thompson, J., concurred.
A petition by appellant to have the cause heard in the supreme court, after judgment in the district court of appeal, was denied by the supreme court on July 21, 1927.
Cases cited
- People v. Wasservogle 77 Cal. 173 p. 329
- Doble v. Superior Court 197 Cal. 556 p. 330
- People v. Steelik 187 Cal. 361 at 372 p. 331
- People v. Edwards 72 Cal. App. 102 at 113 p. 331
- People v. Gray 66 Cal. 271 at 274, 275 p. 332
- People v. Arnold 17 Cal. App. 68 at 74 p. 332
- People v. Cory 26 Cal. App. 735 at 741 p. 332