Kirby v. State

The opinion of the court was delivered by

Reed, J.

This indictment is for extortion. It sets out that Kirby, Richman and Westcott constituted the board of license commissioners of Cumberland county, and as such were officers of this state, duly empowered to grant licenses to sell liquor; and being such officers with such power did, by color of their said office, extortionate!y demand and receive from one Taylor a certain sum of money as a fee or reward for doing their office.

Extortion technically is an official misdemeanor, while in its larger sense it signifies any oppression under color of…