United States v. Holliday. Same v. Haas

Mr. Romeyn, for Holliday; no counsel appearing for Haas: The cases in many features are alike. To some extent, the argument for one serves for both; though the first question certified in Haas's case does not arise in Holliday's. As respects Holliday the question is, whether the United States can punish, as a criminal offence, the selling of liquor to an Indian who is connected with a tribal organization only so far as to receive his allowance from the United States, through the chief or head man? who is a land-owner in his own individual right, and a tax-payer in one of the States of the Union; when the liquor was sold, not on an Indian reserve, but in an organized county of a State; a district as exclusively under the jurisdiction of the State as the city of New York is under the jurisdiction of the State of New York. If so, then if the liquor had been sold to this Indian at the Astor House in New York, the proprietors of that house would be liable, on the same principles, and to the same extent as this defendant.