The following is a court indictment from New Hampshire dated May Term 1860 against Jeremiah Hayes of Manchester, Hillsborough County.

• Hayes was accused of illegally keeping and selling a large quantity of intoxicating liquors (about 100 gallons)without being authorized as an agent under state law.

• The law in question was the 1855 Act for the Suppression of Intemperance, which restricted liquor sales.

• The indictment specifies that the liquor was neither domestic cider/wine nor legally imported foreign liquor.

• Hayes failed to appear in court multiple times and forfeited his recognizance (a bond), causing the case to be continued repeatedly.

• By May Term 1861, Hayes did not contest the charges, and the court ruled that if he continued to appear in court until final disposition, the forfeiture would be remitted.

• Finally, at a later session, the County Solicitor moved to drop the case, and the court ordered that the action be carried no further.

 In short: Jeremiah Hayes was prosecuted for unlawfully possessing and selling liquor under temperance laws, but after delays and non-contest, the court dismissed the case in 1863.

Transcrtiption

The Grand Jurors for the State of New Hampshire, upon their oath, present that Jeremiah Hayes of Manchester in the county of Hillsborough aforesaid, yeoman, at Manchester in the county of Hillsborough aforesaid, on the twenty-fifth day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty not being then and there an agent for said Manchester for the purchase of spirituous and intoxicating liquors and for the sale thereof within said Manchester for any purpose whatever, did then and there unlawfully, knowingly, and criminally keep a large quantity of intoxicating liquor, to wit: one hundred gallons of intoxicating liquor, at one and the same time, for sale to persons not being then and there agents for the purchase of spirituous and intoxicating liquors and for the sale thereof, under the provisions of an act of the legislature of this State, passed at their June session, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, and approved the fourteenth day of July in the year last aforesaid, entitled “An act for the suppression of intemperance;” the same intoxicating liquors so by him the said Jeremiah Hayes then and there kept for sale as aforesaid, not being domestic wine nor cider, nor foreign spirituous and intoxicating liquors, nor either of them imported by him the said Jeremiah Hayes under the authority of the laws of the United States, to be sold by said Jeremiah Hayes in the original casks or packages in which the same was imported, contrary to the form of the Statute in such case made and provided, and against the peace and dignity of the State.

This indictment was found and entered at the May Term 1860. The Attorney General appears in behalf of the State. The said Jeremiah Hayes though three times solemnly called appears not but forfeits his recognizance and said action is continued from term to term to the May Term 1861, when the Attorney General appears in behalf of the State, and the said Jeremiah Hayes being arraigned says he will not contend with the State of New Hampshire, and it is ordered by the Court that if the said respondent shall appear in Court from term to term and answer to said indictment till the same is finally disposed of and abide the order of the Court thereon then the said forfeiture shall be remitted, and said action is continued from term to term to this term. Now at this term the County Solicitor appears in behalf of the State and on his motion it is ordered that this action be carried forward no further.

Summary

This is a court indictment from New Hampshire dated May Term 1860 against Jeremiah Hayes of Manchester, Hillsborough County.

• Hayes was accused of illegally keeping and selling a large quantity of intoxicating liquors (about 100 gallons)without being authorized as an agent under state law.

• The law in question was the 1855 Act for the Suppression of Intemperance, which restricted liquor sales.

• The indictment specifies that the liquor was neither domestic cider/wine nor legally imported foreign liquor.

• Hayes failed to appear in court multiple times and forfeited his recognizance (a bond), causing the case to be continued repeatedly.

• By May Term 1861, Hayes did not contest the charges, and the court ruled that if he continued to appear in court until final disposition, the forfeiture would be remitted.

• Finally, at a later session, the County Solicitor moved to drop the case, and the court ordered that the action be carried no further.

👉 In short: Jeremiah Hayes was prosecuted for unlawfully possessing and selling liquor under temperance laws, but after delays and non-contest, the court dismissed the case in 1863.