Patterson v. State

— The defendant Patterson was indicted for selling spirituous liquor, viz: a half gallon of rum, &c., to a slave, without the written permission required by the statute. It appears that the liquor was sold by the defendant’s clerk in his absence. The court charged the jury, that, if they believed the defendant was absent at the time the clerk sold the liquor, and knew nothing about it, he was not guilty; but if the selling to slaves under similar orders had been previously sanctioned by the defendant, and that the defendant, if he had been present, would have done as the clerk did, then they…