47 Kan. 155 | Kan. | 1891
Opinion by
This was a criminal prosecution, under §31 of the crimes act. The defendant was charged with carnally knowing Sallie Eberline, alias Sallie Fahner, a female child under the age of eighteen years. He was convicted in the district court of Johnson county at the January term, 1891, and sentenced to the penitentiary for a term of six years. He appeals from that judgment and sentence to this court, and the following errors are assigned: First, it is
I. There was no evidence upon the part of the state tending to show any conspiracy. Upon cross-examination of the prosecutrix, she was asked if she had not talked with a man by the name of Snell about this case, and the state interposed an objection, which was sustained by the court, and this is assigned as error. This evidence was immaterial. The witness denied that there had been any effort upon the part of her mother, Snell or herself to injure the defendant; and any conversation she may have had with Snell about the case was irrelevant. Snell was not a witness, and if the defendant had desired to establish some foundation for a conspiracy, he should have asked more specific questions.
II. It is insisted that it was competent for the defendant to prove the general reputation pf the prosecutrix for chastity and virtue, not as a justification or an excuse for the crime, but for the purpose of affecting her evidence. We do not so understand the rule. While evidence of a witness’s bad character for veracity is admissible, the inquiry in such a case as this must be confined to the witness’s character for truth and veracity. (Taylor v. Clendening, 4 Kas. 525; 3 Am. & Eng. Encyc. of Law, 117, and authorities there cited.)
III. We have examined the instructions given by the court, and also those refused, and also the observations of counsel concerning them. The fourth instruction asked and refused was covered by the fourth paragraph of the general charge of
We recommend an affirmance of the judgment.
By the Court: It is so ordered.