Alien Land Case Is Decided Against State

OLYMPIA, Friday, July 8. -- (AP) -- Holding that complaints drawn to escheat farm lands alleged to be held in violation of the anti-alien ownership law must be subjected to critical consideration because they are actions in fraud, the Supreme Court yesterday affirmed the King County Court in sustaining a demurrer to an action brought to escheat to the state agricultural land in King County held in the name of Nellie Ishikawa, an American born Japanese minor. The lower court dismissed the complaint on the grounds that the complaint was too weak to withstand a general demurrer.

The land was deeded to the child in September, 1918, several years before the anti-alien land ownership law was passed. While the state contended that W. Ishikawa and wife are in actual possession of the land, the courts pointed out that the complaint fails to establish any relationship or that the child is not entitled to own the property, among other grounds warranting dismissal.