SEVEN KIDDIES ON $9 A MONTH; PENSION DENIED

The supreme court today was asked to decide whether Bessie R. Nixon of Fargo, mother and sole support of seven kiddies, the oldest 11 and the youngest two, ,and with an income of only $9 the month, is entitled to a mother's pension. More particularly, the court is asked to determine whether North Dakota's mother's pension act is constitutional.

County Judge A. G. Hanson of Cass on the mother's petition allowed her a pension of $8 per month, making the family's total income $65. State's Attorney Arthur W. Fowler demurred, but he was overruled. He then appealed to district court, where Judge Charles A. Pollock, in order to bring the matter before the supreme court for a ruling, entered a pro forma decision overruling every specification of error of the appellant and affirming the decision of the lower court. On this decision, State's Attorney Fowler appeals to the supreme court on the grounds that the county judge was without purisdiction to give Mrs. Nixon a mother's pension, inasmuch as Chapter 185 of the session laws of 1915 is unconstitutional.

Bismarck Tribune, 12/18/1916