A criminal statute should be construed narrowly that acts, otherwise innocent and lawful, do not become crimes unless there is a clear and positive expression of the legislative intent to make them criminal

In considering whether New York has struck an allowable balance between its right to legislate in a field that is so closely related to the basic function of government, and the duty to protect the innocent from being punished for crossing the line of wrongdoing without awareness, it is relevant to note that this legislation has been upheld as putting law-abiding people on …

Since criminal statutes—and as here enforced, section 277 must be treated as such—are, of course, ordinarily to be strictly construed

The taking of a chattel mortgage on printing equipment for a usurious loan is not a misdemeanor under a New York statute providing that one who takes security for "tools or implements in trade" is guilty of a misdemeanor.