Commonwealth v. Wentworth

Morton, J

The complaint in this case is founded upon the St. of 1869, c. 152, § 4, which imposes a penalty upon “ an) *442person who shall sell, or keep, or offer for sale, naphtha, inder any assumed name.” We are of opinion that the court correctl; ruled, that the question whether the defendant had knowledge that the article kept by him was naphtha was immaterial. The statute does not make a guilty knowledge one of the ingredients of the offence. . It is like the statutes against the sale of intoxicating liquors, or adulterated milk, and many other police regulations ; it prohibits the acts of…