chattels

CHATTELS, property. A term which includes all hinds of property, except the 
freehold or things which are parcel of it. It is a more extensive term than 
goods or effects. Debtors taken in execution, captives, apprentices, are 
accounted chattels. Godol. Orph. Leg. part 3, chap. 6, Sec. 1. 
     2. Chattels are personal or real. Personal, are such as belong 
immediately to the person of a man; chattels real, are such as either 
appertain not immediately to the person, but to something by way of 
dependency, as a box with the title deeds of lands; or such as are issuing 
out of some real estate, as a lease of lands, or term of years, which pass 
like personally to the executor of the owner. Co. Litt. 118; 1 Chit. Pr. 90; 
8 Vin. Ab. 296; 11 Vin. Ab. 166; 14 Vin. Ab. 109; Bac. Ab. Baron, &c. C 2; 2 
Kent, Com. 278; Dane's Ab. Index, h.t.; Com. Dig. Biens, A; Bouv. Inst. 
Index, h.t. CHEAT, criminal law, torts. A cheat is a deceitful practice, of 
a public nature, in defrauding another of a known right, by some artful 
device, contrary to the plain rules of common honesty. 1 Hawk. 343. 
     2. To constitute a cheat, the offence must be, 1st. of a public nature 
for every species of fraud and dishonesty in transactions between 
individuals is not the subject-matter of a criminal charge at common law; it 
must be such as is calculated to defraud numbers, and to deceive the people 
in general. 2 East, P. C. 816; 7 John. R. 201; 14 John. R. 371; 1 Greenl. R. 
387; 6. Mass. R. 72; 9 Cowen, R. 588; 9 Wend. R. 187; 1 Yerg. R. 76; 1 Mass. 
137. 2. The cheating must be done by false weights, false measures, false 
tokens, or the like, calculated to deceive numbers. 2 Burr, 1125; 1 W. Bl. 
R. 273; Holt, R. 354. 
     3. That the object of the defendant in defrauding the prosecutor was 
successful. If unsuccessful, it is a mere attempt. (q.v.) 2 Mass. 139. When 
two or more enter into an agreement to cheat, the offence is a conspiracy. 
(q.v.) To call a man a cheat is slanderous. Hetl. 167; 1 Roll's Ab. 53; 2 
Lev. 62. Vide Illiterate; Token.