148 Iowa 152 | Iowa | 1910
Defendant is accused of having committed the crime of rape upon the prosecuting witness, Edith Otto, a girl under the age of fifteen years. Three matters are relied upon for a reversal:
Second. It is argued that there is not sufficient corroborating testimony tending to connect defendant with the commission of the offense. In our opinion there was ample — rather more than is usual in such cases. E-or obvious reasons, there is no need for setting it out in extenso.
Section 4614 of the Oode provides: “The general moral character of a witness may be proved for the purpose of testing his credibility.” Character as referred to in this section has been held to be the equivalent of general reputation. State v. Egan, 59 Iowa, 636; State v. Seevers, 108 Iowa, 738, and cases cited; State v. Haupt, 126 Iowa, 152. However, it is the moral character of the witness and not his character as to truth and veracity, or character as to being peaceable and law abiding. State v. Seevers, 108 Iowa, 738. Moreover, it is not some specific vice which may be shown. Kilburn v. Mullen, 22 Iowa, 498. The questions asked were not confined to general moral char-acter, and for that reason the trial court did not err in sustaining objections thereto.
No prejudicial error appears, and the judgment must be, and it is, affirmed.