The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-13


The Piseon-shoetins Questiou--A Test Case.
A pigeon-shooiing match took place yester-
day at Jerome Park among some of the men,
bers of the Jerome Park Club, aud Mr.. Bergh,
who has exhibited so much anxiety to trespass
on the private sport of these gentlemen, failed
toreceive the undue and impertinent recognition
which he has all along been seeking. He sent
deputy there to see II the birds were prop
erly killed, and altogether waived the
assumption he tried few days ago
to enforce, that he had authority to suppress
entirely the sport Of pigeon shooting. The
truth is, the trouble In this matter from the
start must be ascrlbed to the Commissioners
OF Police. II is with them, and not with
Bergh, lie the Interpretation and enforcement
of the law in reference to the prevention Of
cruelty to animals. Bergh imposed upon the
police when he prevailed upon them to inter-
fere in this pigeon-shooting matter. They
should have known that 1t is wholly outside the
pale of the statute for Bergh or anybody else
to attempt trespass of the kind which has
been made. They should have known that
Jerome Park is private property, belonging to
the members of the Jerome Park Club, and
that Mr. Bergh's deputies had no more right
to intrude upon 1t to carry out an illegal and
ridiculous measure than to 60 into private
house and inquire into the manner gentle
man treated his dogs. From beginning to end
Bergh has made fool of the police. 1t is
with them, and not with him, rests the bur-
den OF carrying out the humane views OF the
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Ami
mails. But what do we find? The President
of this Society, to crafty the most absurd and
ia ntastical within, uses the police as If he were
an autocrat. He had no shadow Of justihca-
ton in law for his course towards the gentle
men who engaged to shoot at Jerome Park,
and, though he is not candid enough to admit
the fact in terms, he, nevertheless, acknowl-
edges by the position he takes that he is
wrong In letter written by his order
to one of the party in the pigeon
shooting match he declares she prefers to
prevent rather than suppress these violations
of the law" This is silly. There is no viola
ton of law And if there were, why does
this man, who processes to act with the color or
even the substance Of law to support him, not
bring the persons violating the statute to JUS
tice2 Yesterdays match proved test case.
When Mr.. Bergh's deputy sought to enter the
grounds of Jerome Park he was told
it was private property. There was
sufficient intimation given that neither
he nor any police acting in the same capacity
with him would be allowed to enter except by
main force. There was no attempt at intru-
sion. The match went forward to satisfac-
tory termination, and such respected men,
Der of the community as Recorder Hackett
acted as referee.
Is it not about time that the Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals elected
President who can combine an acquaintance
with the statute which governs its action along
with moderate degree of common sense
and prudence? If Bergh had his own way
he would have q police officer detailed in
every ward to make domiciliary visits aud
look into the treatment every household ex-
tended to cats and dogs. This is the ten
dency Of his fanaticism. If he confined him
self to the legitimate scope of his duties
nobody would complain. The Society has the
good wishes Of every humane man, but the
person who is at the head Of it has sh0 wn
abundant evidence Of his inability to
draw the dividing line between what con-
stitutes the good and ill treatment of animals.
He has had his way for long time without
let or hindrance. When he could browbeat
and prosecute some poor cartman, or stop q
lady's carriage on the street to examine
whether the check-rein chafed the horses jaws,
he had matters all his own way. When, how
ever, he comes to interfere with sport where
men are concerned who will not tolerate bis
fanatical nonsense, he finds that he has been
riding the high horse too long, and that he has
perpetrated a great many things without
shadow of justification in law. The sooner,
we think, the Society proceeds to the election
of a man for President in the place Of Mr..
Bergh, the better will be the prospect of its
retaining the respect, confidence and support
of the community.
ANOTHER BOURBON MOVEMENT IN THE
FRENCH AssEMBLY.-The cable informs us
that committee of the Assembly has reported
unanimously in favor of repeating the law
sequestrating the estates of the Orleans
Princes 1t now remains to be seen what
course the House will adopt. The seques-
trated property has been variouslv estimated