Ford v. State ex rel. Hilton

This was a prosecution for bastardy. The prosecutrix denied, under oath, sexual connection with any man, other than the defendant, and especially with one Isaac Nelson, at a time when the child might have been begotten. The defendant then produced Nelson, and interrogated him as to the matter. He declined to answer, unless compelled. The court instructed the witness that there were criminal offenses, to establish which against him, his having carnal knowledge of the prosecutrix might constitute part of the evidence, and that he was not compelled to answer the question if his answer would be…