State v. Columbus

Citations

• 74 Wash. 290
• 133 P. 455
• 1913 Wash. LEXIS 2041

Syllabus

<p>Prostitution — Accepting Earnings of Prostitute — Information. An information charging defendants with accepting the earnings of one M. B., a common prostitute, charges the offense practically in the language of the statute, Rem. & Bal. Code, § 2440, making it unlawful to live with, or accept any earnings of, a common prostitute, and is sufficient.</p> <p>Indictment and Information — Duplicity. An information charging two persons with accepting the earnings of a common prostitute is not duplicitous when it charges both with a single crime.</p> <p>Witnesses — Impeachment. On cross-examination of a prosecutrix, on a prosecution for-accepting the earnings of a common prostitute, evidence that she had subsequently lived with another man and paid him all her earnings is not admissible to impeach her testimony, she having admitted that she was a common prostitute.</p> <p>Same. Such evidence is not admissible on the theory that she was endeavoring to shield the other man, as her motive for testifying against the accused.</p> <p>Prostitution — Accepting Earnings of Prostitute — Evidence— Corroboration — Sufficiency. On a prosecution for accepting the earnings of a common prostitute, corroboration of her testimony, within the requirement of Rem. & Bal. Code, § 2443, by another prostitute is sufficient; especially where other witnesses testified to payments and other circumstances tending to show the relations charged.</p> <p>Same — Accepting Earnings — Elements of Offense. One renting rooms to a common prostitute is guilty of accepting her earnings, within Rem. & Bal. Code, § 2440, where, in addition to the room rent, he was paid a specific sum for the privilege of each act of prostitution committed on the premises.</p> <p>Criminal Law — New Trial. Passion or prejudice, warranting a new trial, is not shown by the fact that the jury believed the evidence of the state, rather than conflicting evidence for the defense, where there was evidence to establish every element of t