State v. Smith
State v. Smith
Opinion of the Court
The indictment in this case is predicated upon an alleged false statement made under an oath administered by John Hamilton, a justice of peace in and for Precinct Ho. 2 of Jasper county, who, it is alleged, was the assessor of taxes for said precinct, and authorized and required by law to administer said oath for the purpose of assessing and collecting the taxes due by H. M. Smith, the appellant, to the State.
These sections from laws upon the subject of taxes in force at the date of the offense charged in the indictment indicate the extent of authority conferred upon the justices of the peace for administering oaths to parties concerning property owned by them liable to taxation. The alleged false oath with which appellant is charged in this indictment is not shown to be such an oath as the justice of the peace was thereby authorized and required to administer to him. So far as can be inferred from the indictment, the alleged perjury is predicated upon a mere statement under oath before the justice that he owned but twelve head of cattle. It is not shown that appellant resided or had cattle or other property in said precinct for which said Hamilton was justice of the peace; that he had been called upon to render his property for taxes or to make or give to the assessor an inventory or list of his property, which should be full and complete; or that he had been sworn to answer such questions as should be put to him by the justice, and had made such alleged false statement in answer to a question so put to him. It is alleged in the indictment that appellant owned more than the number of cattle stated by him. But an indictment for perjury cannot be
There is no error in the judgment, and it is affirmed.
Affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- State v. H. M. Smith
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- 1. Indictment—False swearing.—An indictment for false swearing before a justice of the peace acting as assessor is insufficient, which fails to state that the accused resided or had property in the justice’s precinct, or that he had been called upon to render his property for taxes, or to render to the justice as assessor a list of his property which should be full, or had been sworn to answer such questions as should be put to him by the justice, and had made such false statement in answer to a question so put to him. 2. Same.—See an indictment for false swearing in rendering property for taxation under the tax laws in force in July, 1872, held insufficient.