The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1871-11-04

from them, and after good long chase,
although one or two shots were tired after
him, he effected his escape. He is now
luxuriating in Elkton or North East. 1t
is to be hoped that he will mend his ways,
or he may yet come to the penltentlary.
Delauare Republican.
Two Evenings of Fun.-Mr. Alf Burnett
will visit Elkton again next week. and
give two Of his side-splitting exhibitions,
in the Hall, on Thursday and Friday even
ings, the 9th and 10th inst. Mr.. j. w.
Sharpley will also add to the entertainment
no INSIGNIFICANT charm ether-with his
iuimitable performance on the concertina.
All who heard his delightful Olios, imita-.
tions and pieces, when Mr.. Burnett former
" visited Elkton, will not be likely to miss
the promised entertainments. There will be
an entirely different programme each even
ing, Elsewhere will be found the pro-
cramme for the first evening. If the even
ings are favorable we confidently predict
crowded houses. The Exhibitions are got
ten up by the Lodge of Knights of I'ythias,
of Elkton, for whose benefit the proceeds
will be appropriated.
A Change Of Managers ut Mariey.-A
change of managers took place at Marley
Paper Mill last week. Mr.. Carl Hoffman,
the pnblc- spirited and enterprising man
ager, since the mill came into Mr.. Childs'
hands. retiring, and a new man. from Eng
land, Mr.. Sweetapple, taking charge. MIR.
Hoffman, by the interest he has taken in
public Improvements in the county, has
proved himself most valuable citizen, and
his loss will be felt, as the loss of a useful
citizen is always sure to be. in commu-
nifty, if future pursuits should call him
away from the county.
No sooner had the reported change got
abroad, than scandal, with her ever-ready
and malicious tongue, was busy in spread
ing defamatory reports, which, in justice
to a public spirited and upright man, we
will here state, were, one and all. entirely
false. The mill was in debt to Mr.. Hoff-
man, when he quilted it, some eight hun
dred dollars: and Mr.. Childs stated, in our
presence, that Mr.. Hoffman had managed |
the business under his charge. in every
respect, correctly; and the only reason he
would give for his removal, was that he had
requested to have his salary raised, which
looks more like an excuse than reason.
Sheep Awards.-To-day the Clerk of the
County Commissioners publishes list of
sheep awards, or sums due out of the dog
tax, for the payment of sheep killed and
injured by dogs. This dog market for
sheep seems to work but indifferently WELL
Some of the awards would seem to indicate
that the owners had sold out entirely to the
dogs. Our experience in sheep raising is
that reasonable amount Of care will
exempt owners of sheep from nearly all
depredations by dogs, on their tlocks. We
fear that the prospect of receiving compen-
cation for sbaap Ei11ad hv Inpc haS had in
many instances-especially where tlocks
are not of the most valuable kinds of stock
"a bad effect in protecting the sheep
Some men who own poor lot of sheep,
knowing that a tax is provided for compen-
sation, if they are killed by dogs, we have
no doubt are Indifferent as to what becomes
of the flock, and consequently it is ne
elected and left unprotected at night, and
far away from the house, without bells or
any other means of alarm, in case of attack
by dogs.
This dog market for sheep, in our county,
has SO increased that there are not funds
enough in the treasury to meet the demands
for slaughtered sheep, and the fund is
behind about four years; so that persons
owning sheep had better bestow more care
upon their flocks than seems to be in vogue
generally, as their prospect for receiving
dogs, is ''growing small by degrees and
beautifully less"
The system of attempting to create a
fund to compensate owners for loss of sheep,
by taxing the dogs, is radically wrong
The dogs should be taxed-from the New
foundlander down to the most insignificant
fee, in the community, but the proceeds
should not be appropriated as a premium
for careless farmers, to incite them tn
greater carclessness. The whole tax arts
ing from the dog law, should go into the
school fund, as the law provides the imagi-
nary surplus shall. The only protection to
sheep, is care on the part of the owner,
and with the requisite attention by farmers,
very few sheep would be killed. If law
was created compelling the owners of dogs
to pay for sheep killed by their canine
stock, it would be step in the right drec-
ton; but dog tax, to create general
fund, to remunerate careless farmers for the
loss of stock, is founded on bad principles.
With the fund four years in arrears for the
payment of sheep killed by dogs, and the
slaughter among the inocent sheep increas-
ing, rather than diminishing, it is clear
that the law in time must become in effecl
dead letter. 1t should be amended BY
the next Legislature, so as to divert the
entire tax arising from dogs to the school
fund, make the owners of sheep killing
dogs responsible by suit at law to the
owner of the lost sheep, and this would
induce both dog and sheep owners to exer-
else more care with their stock. A man
who keeps dogs and allows them to prowl
about at night, should be held responsible
for a nuisance, and on complaint, make it
the duty of an officer to abate the nuisance
CECILTON ITEMS.