
    COGGINS v. STATE.
    (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas.
    Nov. 20, 1912.)
    1. BURGLARY (§ 41) — PROSECUTIONS — EVIDENCE — SUFFICIENCY.
    In a prosecution for burglary, evidence held sufficient to sustain a conviction.
    [Ed. Note. — For other cases, see Burglary, Cent. Dig. §§ 94-103, 109; Dec. Dig. § 41.]
    2. Criminal Daw (§ 792) — Trial—Instructions — Applicability to Evidence.
    Where the evidence showed that two persons participated in the offense, a charge on the law of principals was applicable.'
    [Ed. Note. — For other cases, see Criminal Law, Cent. Dig. §§ 1818-1820; Dec. Dig. § 792.]
    3. Criminal Daw (§ 824) — Trial—Charges —Special Bequest.
    ■ In a prosecution for burglary, where evidence of explanations made by defendant as to his possession of the alleged stolen property was not objected to when offered, and not made the subject of a motion to strike, a charge on the issue of whether defendant was under arrest at the time he made the explanation was unnecessary; no special charge having been requested.
    [Ed. Note. — For other cases, see Criminal Law, Cent. Dig. §§ 1996-2004; Dec. Dig. § 824.]
    4. Criminal Law (§ 1109) — Appeal—Bills of Exception.
    An appellant who accepts a bill of exception as qualified is bound by its qualification.
    [Ed. Note. — For other cases, see Criminal Law, Cent. Dig. §§ 2897, 2898, 2900, 2902, 3204; Dec. Dig. § 1109.]
    5. Criminal Law (§ 1090) — Appeal—Bill of Exceptions — Reservation.
    Where the record contains no bills of exception to the admission of testimony, the error in its admission cannot be reviewed.
    [Ed. Note. — For other cases, see Criminal Law, Cent. Dig. §§ 2653, 2789, 2803-2822, 2825-2827, 2927, 2928, 2948, 3204; Dec. Dig. § 1090.]
    6. Criminal Law (§§ 763, 764) — Trial—Instructions — Comment on Evidence.
    In a prosecution for burglary, where the state introduced evidence of defendant’s explanation of the possession of the stolen property, a charge authorizing acquittal if the property was purchased as defendant stated, or if the jury had a reasonable doubt as to his so purchasing it, is not improper as a comment on the evidence.
    [Ed. Note. — For other cases, see Criminal Law, Cent. Dig. §§ 1731-1748, 1752, 1768, 1770; Dec. Dig. §§ 763, 764.]
    7. Criminal Law (§ 1173) — Appeal—Review —Harmless Error.
    In a prosecution for burglary, where the state introduced evidence of defendant’s explanation of his 'possession of the property alleged to have been stolen, and the falsity thereof, the failure to charge that defendant should be acquitted if the property was purchased as he stated, or if the jury had a reasonable doubt as to that fact, was harmless, where the entire evidence amply showed defendant’s guilt.
    [Ed. Note. — For other cases, see Criminal Law, Cent. Dig. §§ 3164-3168; Dec. Dig. § 1173.]
    Appeal from District Court, Comanche County; J. H. Arnold, Judge.
    Dave Coggins was convicted of burglary, and he appeals.
    Affirmed.
    C. E. Lane, Asst. Atty. Gen., for the State.
    
      
      For other cases see same topic and section NUMBER in Dec. Dig. & Am. Dig. Key-No. Series & Rep’r Indexes
    
   HARPER, J.

Appellant was prosecuted and convicted of burglary, and his punishment assessed at two years’ confinement in the penitentiary.

The evidence discloses that R. L. Graham’s smokehouse was burglariously entered and a side of bacon stolen; at the same time and place a box of “bonest snuff!” was also taken. It rained the night of the burglary, and tracks were found around the smokehouse and buggy shed. These tracks were measured, and were trailed or followed some three or four miles to a path leading to the tent of appellant; the tracks corresponded with known tracks made by appellant. Along the trail, the wrapper from the snuff was found. In the tent of appellant was found a piece of bacon and a bottle of “honest snuff.” Appellant, when approached, said he had purchased the meat from George Noel about two weeks prior to this time. Noel and his wife testified appellant had gotten no meat from them at the time named by him, but some six weeks or more prior to this time they had let appellant have a small piece of bacon. Graham had killed and cured the meat in his smokehouse, and he testified it was meat from a black Poland China hog. The meat found in appellant’s tent was home cured, and had evidences that it was meat of a black hog. The meat was carried to Graham’s, and the other side of bacon was cut just as the piece found in appellant’s possession, and witnesses testify it corresponded exactly in looks, streaks of fat and lean, and identified it as positively as it is possible to identify this character of property. The appellant offered no explanation of his possession of a box of snuff of the make, character, and kind of that stolen. Appellant earnestly insists that the evidence is insufficient to sustain the conviction. The court gave a full and fair charge on circumstantial evidence, and we are not prepared to hold, in the face of the finding of the jury and the conclusion of the trial judge, that the verdict is unauthorized. Especially is this true when we find that the explanation of his possession of the meat found in his' tent was proven to be untrue.

There is ho complaint of the charge on principals, but it is insisted that such charge was not called for. The evidence clearly discloses that two persons participated in the offense, and ■ the court properly applied the law to the testimony.

There was no bill of exceptions reserved to the officer and others testifying to the explanation of defendant at the time he was accosted by the officer, but appellant presents a bill in which he states he objected to the “charge of the court because the charge failed and omitted to distinctly instruct the jury on the issue of whether or not appellant was under arrest at the time he made the statement. This bill does not disclose that the testimony was objected to on that or any other ground at the time it was offered, there is in the record no motion to strike it out, and no special charge requested in regard thereto, and, under such circumstances, it was not necessary for the court to charge thereon. In addition to this the court, in approving the bill, certifies that appellant was not under arrest at the time he made the explanation. Appellant accepts this bill and files it, and, as thus qualified, it presents no error. Again appellant complains of the remarks of the court to the jury, after they had reported they could not arrive at a verdict. The court in approving the bill, states: “The language I used was substantially that used by the court in the Dow Case, 31 Tex. Cr. R. 278 [20 S. W. 583], and also substantially the same language used by me in Nesbitt v. State, 144 S. W. 944.” In the Dow Case Judge Davidson collates the authorities and discusses the question here presented, and, under the rule announced in that decision, this bill presents no error.

The grounds in the motion for new trial complaining of the introduction of testimony cannot be reviewed by us, as no bills of exception were reserved; at least none are presented in the record.

The only serious question in the case is presented in the sixth ground of the motion for new trial, and third bill of exceptions — the failure of the court to charge on defendant’s explanation of possession of recently stolen property. In approving the bill, the court states: “The defendant tried the case on the theory that the meat found at his camp was not Graham’s meat, and I felt that to charge the jury on explanation of recently stolen property would prejudice his rights and might be construed as an intimation that the court believed the meat found was Graham’s meat.” We might say that it would have been proper for the court to have instructed the jury that if they believed that the meat found in his camp was purchased from Noel, or had a reasonable doubt as to defendant having so purchased it, to acquit him, and this would have given the jury no intimation as to the court’s belief in the matter. Mathews v. State, 32 Tex. Cr. R. 357, 23 S. W. 690. And in this case, if on the trial defendant had offered any proof that he had so purchased the meat, we would feel called upon to reverse the case. On the other hand, the defendant did not offer testimony on this issue, but the state introduced Noel and his wife and proved that the explanation was absolutely untrue; and such being the condition of the record, while it would have been proper for the court to have submitted the issue, yet it is not such error as necessitates a reversal.

The circumstances, taken all together, support the verdict, and the judgment is affirmed.  