The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-05-11
LOSE FILM CASE
Movie Censor Board Upheld by
Supreme Court.
CensOrs Have Right To With
draw Given Approval.
birth OF A NATION" LOSES
Producers Sought To Show Ii
Despite Board.
Negro Doctor Convicted of MUIR
der Must Serve for Eife.

When the state motion picture CEN
sorship board issues an order APPROX
ing a film for exhibition in Kansas, it
does not lose authority over the pic
ture and may recall the film for fur
Their review. That was the decision
of the state supreme court today IN
Il suit testing the boards order for a
film after it had been formally APP
proved. The court held that even
when approval had been extended, the
state board still retained it's right 10
make further orders or amendments
The action of the court today tol-
lows long drawn out litigation con-
corning the showing of the Birth OF
q Nation film in Kansas. In the trlaI
of the original case in Wyandotte
ccunty, ii was charged that muci.
politics r.ad entered into the action OF
the board and that a demand Tor a
second review Of the film came as d
result of interference by Governor
Copper end other persons in puphc
life The state brought mandflrnus
PROCEEDINGS to compel the film pro-
ducers t. return the picture for tur-
tier censorship action. The supreme
ccurt TODAY approved the application
for writ and practically bars the PIC
ti1re from Kansas SO far as action by
the present state board Is cohcerhe"'
Smith to Prison.
Robert e. Smith a Coiored physician
in Parsons, Labette county, must serve
ZEE sentence in the state penitentiary
for the murder of Agnes Smith, a
, hite woman. Robert Smith mad
we'd in the home of Asa Smith since
. was 3 years old, and Asa Smith,
] usba nd of the murdered woman, mad
stded the colored man in securing
neral and medical education.
The Smith murder occurred in Par
sons in May, 1917 The colored
MUSICIAN had gone to the Asa smith
home in tn r1crning. where he per-
formed the usual chores. While IN
tire Smith nc M. the colored man at
tackled the young woman bride of
a.few months-and forced her to take
+; antity of carbolic acid. The kill
i-g nearly precipitated mob violence
j. the Labette county town and
Srnith's own testimony at the trial was
considered most damaging. 1t was
The dying statement of the young
woman. however. which largely re-
suited il the conviction of the colored
physician on a first degree murder
charge In an appeal to the supreme
court, all of the principal contentious
&C the defense were overruled and the
decision of The trial court affirmed.
physician Need Not Pay
Undn~ decision Of the supreme
court today. a charitable hospital was
held not liable in a suit for damages
for failure of it's medical supcrintend
en-. to comply with a contract made by
him for tho care of a patient being
treated in the hospital. The action
vas one in which Fannie DAWN sought
C..ma yes against the Kansas Medical
Etissionary & Benevolent association,
Y hich maintains hospital in Wichita.
The supreme court upheld the deci-
sion of the Sedgwick county district
court
Oil Company Must Pay.
When an oil pipe line company
maintains pipe line On the surface of
the highway. thru which inflamma BILE