Supreme Court of North Carolina June 5, 1823 (State v. . Simpson)

Taylor, Chief-Justice.

Malicious mischief, in most of its forms, has been legislated upon in England, for the purpose of annexing a severer punishment to it than the law allowed in misdemeanor. The number of these statutes has so overlaid the Common Law offence, that it is difficult to trace any distinct account of it, and it is the best in the Commentaries.