United States v. Lacher

Citations

• 134 U.S. 624
• 10 S. Ct. 625
• 33 L. Ed. 1080
• 1890 U.S. LEXIS 2001

Syllabus

<p>Section 6467 of the Revised Statutes creates two distinct'classes of of-fences : the one relating to the embezzlement of letters, etc.; the other relating to stealing their contents.</p> <p>Sections 3891 and 5467'of the Revised Statutes are to be construed together — the offences of secreting, embezzling or destroying mail matter which contains articles of value being punishable under the one, and like offences as to mail matter which does not contain such articles being punishable under the other.</p> <p>When there is an ambiguity in a section' of the Revised Statutes, resort may be had to the original statute from which the section was taken, to ascertain what, if any, change of phraseology there is, ancl whether such change should be construed as changing the law.</p> <p>Penal statutes, like all others, are to be fairly construed according to the legislative intent, as expressed in the act.</p> <p>The court again declines to answer a certified question which contains no clear and distinct proposition of law.</p>