The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1879-01-03
Tho stssA Law
AS 1T WAS PAssED.AT The LAST SESSION OF THE
LEGISLATURE.


LEGISLATURE.
AN ACT To Protect the Lands and Crops OF the
Citizens of Abbeville Union, Newberry and
Laurens Counties from Trespass by Stock.
Be IL enacted by the Senate and House Of Rep
rescntatives Of the State of South Carolina, now
met and sitting in General Assembly, and by
tho authority OF the same:
SECTION /. That in the Counties of Abbeville,
Union, Newberry and Laurens it shall not be
lawful for the owner or manager Of any horse,
mule, ass, genet, swine, sheep, goat or neat cat
tie Of any description to permit the said animals,
or any Of them, to run at large beyond the linn
its of their own land.
SEC. 2. That in said Counties, whenever any
of the said stock shall be found upon the lands
Of any other person than the owner, the owner
of such stock shall be liable for oil damages
sustained, to be recovered by action Of debt in
any Court Of competent Jurisdiction, and the
stock causing the damage shall be held liable for
the same in pref renee to all other liens, claims
or encumbrances against the same.
SEC. y. Any person who shall malciously
unlawfully or negligently permit any of said
stock to go upon the lands of other parties shall
be deemed guilty Of n misdemeanor, and, upon
conviction thereof in competent Court, shall
be fined in sum not exceeding thirty dollars
or imprisonment for not more than thirty days,
in the discretion Of the Court.
Sec 4. That the County Commissioners of
said Counties, respectively, directed to erect
q lawful fence on the limits of said Counties to
protect the lands of said Counties from all in
| cursions of stock or cattle from adjacent Coun-
ties, and for that purpose enter the lands Of any
person in said Counties and erect fences thereon
without being guilty Of any trespass whatever |;
and the said Commissioners shall have power to
construct fences across any public or private
road and erect gates on all roads and the Coun-
ty Commissioners are hereby authorized and
empowered to make such arrangements with the
owners Of property contiguous on either side of
said County lines as may accomplish the object
Of protecting the Counies from the incursions I
cattle and stock.
SEC. D. That any person who shall willfully
and unlawfully leave opcr any of the aforesaid
gates or do any willful damage to the gates or
fences erected for the purposes aforesaid shall
be deemei guilty Of u misdcmeanor, and, on
conviction In any Court of competent jurisdic-
ton, shall be fined in u sum not exceeding
twenty coy dollars or imprisonment not more
than twenty coy days.
SIC. U. Any person other than the owner or
their agents moving or dest troying any. portion
Of any fence intended to enclose animals of any
kind shall be deemed guilty Of a misdemeanor,
and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punishe ed
by fine or imprisonment, or both, Mt the dig
cretion Of the Court.
SEC. Z. That tho County Commissioners OF
said Counties, respectively, shall be authorized
nd instructed to levy and collect tax upon
tho property of said County to defray the ex-
penscs Of erecting and maintaining said fences,
said taxes to be collected at the same time and
ia tho same manner as the State and County
| taxes are levied and collected.
Sec. 8. This Act take effect Immediately and
the fences required to be completed by the
fourth (4th) day of March next.
SEC. 9. That all Acts and parts of Acts incen.
| sistent with this Act be, and the same are here
| by, repealed.
Approved December IA, 1878.