Abilene weekly reflector., 1922-10-12
Court Says Cities Can
Levy Motor Car Tax


on Length Of term-other.
Decisions
The fact that Kansas collects a
motor vehicle registration fee ON ali
motor vehicles, does not preven'
Kansas cities from levying grad
uated occupation tax ON motor vehi-
cles, the Kansas supreme court de-
cided Saturday. 1t Upheld the valid,
ity Of the Wichita ordinance taxing
motor vehicles through such a tax,
| the amount of the tax on each busi-
ness depending upon the Size and
number Of the trucks In use. In its
opinion the supreme court reversed
the Sedgwick county district court,
which had enjoined the city from
putting Its ordinance into effect.
1t is up to the district school
boards to decide whether or not full
four-year high school course is Of
fered, the supreme court held In Its
opinion in the mandamus proceed
ings brought against the Belle Plaine
district board, in Sumner county.
The court denied the mandamus some
time ago, holding the opinion until
Saturday. 'st'''
The court further ruled that the
school district annual meetings are
not empowered to direct the board
as to the course Of study to be Of
fered. In fixing courses Of study,
the district board must observe the
seven months minimum required by
law, but are not required to observe
either the rulings Of the state board
of education, or the patrons of the
school.
Employers are responsible, under
the Kansas workmen's compensation
act, for death of an employe caused
from drinking too much ice water
while In company employ, following
0verheating. This is the decision
Of the state supreme court in award
ing the estate of s. NJ. Gilliland 3d.
276 compensation against the Edgar
Zinc o., Of Montgomery county. The
iwdow and two children will draw
compensation. The opinion upholds
the decision of the Montgomery
county district court.
While bloodhounds evidence is not
itself conclusive evidence in crimi-
nal prosecution, a jury may give It
due weight, considering other evil
dence, the supreme court ruled, In
upholding the Smith county district
court. Henry Schalansky was con-
victed Of arson, largely on the fact
that bloodhounds in two different
cases had followed trails from the
burned stacks to Scholarships home.
Both the burned stacks belonged to
brothers Of the prisoner. 1t was
shown there had been bad blood be-
tween him and his family. In one
instance, the dogs followed trail
the men with them could not see.
In the other case the dogs followed
a trail marked by hoof prints. When
they reached the house horse hairs
were found on Henry Schalanskfs
overalls. That also was allowed to
be corroborative evidence.
Margaret Mall, of Clay Center,
will serve prison term for stealing
$4,000 worth Of goods from the
store in which she was employed,
the supreme court decided in uphold
ing the decision Of the Clay county |
district court She was found gull
ty on two counts Of grand larceny |
and one of petty larceny. The thefts
fhn nnfirA napinI
Of six years that she was employed.
The woman clerk had given a check
for $4,000 to her employer to make
good the losses, but was convicted
nyway.
"Delusional insanity" Is not suf-
icient excuse in the eyes Of the law
or wife shooting her divorced
husband, the supreme court held In
ffirming a decision Of the Douglas
ounty district court. Mrs. Mayme
White, of Ottawa, will serve a prison
erm for going to Lawrence and
hooting A. Messenheimer, her for
1er husband. Her excuse was that j.,
he feared Messenheimer would take
way their two children, awarded to
er by the divorce decree. Messen-
elmer was not dangerously wound :
by her shots, but Overpowered her
nd took away the gun before the
olice arrived.
When Martin Sweeney settled
nth his sister for her services as
ousekeeper for ak wears by paying I,
er $1,000, he relinquished any p
laims he might have had against u
er for the use of horse and buggy,
nd for upkeep on her own horse =
nd chickens. The supreme court D
pheld the decision of the POttawa- r,
,mie county district court in refus- k
lp to allow the counter claim for a