The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1881-01-07
Special Meeting Of the Executive Board
Of the Vt. Merlno Sheep Breeders
Association.

The case of Vt. Sheep Breeders As
ISOLATION against Ii. Il. Taylor and q.
I. Demmick, which was recently held
before the committee on pedigrees, and
from whose decision an appeal was TAX
EN- to the Board of the Association, was
held at the court house on Tuesday, the
4th. Judge Brookins appeared as pros
ecutor in behalf of the Association and
Gov. Stewart in the defense for Tay-
lor. The complaint as presented to the
pedigree committeeiwas read by Secre-
tary Chapman as follows:-W the I'M
members of the VT. Merino
Sheep Breeders Association, nave cause
to believe that II. E. Taylor and G.. L.
Demmick, of West Cornwall, have been
changing the labels from the ears OF
registered sheep into those not regis-
tered and selling them for sheep that
were registered, in violation of Rule 9.
Judge Brookins said in opening, that
court rules were not to be strictly OBJ
served, but the whole object was to
come to truth of the matter. This was
agreed to by both parties. A discussion
then arose between Gov. Stewart and
Judge Brookins as TO the constitution
atty of he Association prosecuting Tay-
l'r and Demmick in the way It has and
ia. He said, the constitution does not
provide for case Of this kind and as il
urw sla d. the Committee had no right
=" appeal. When parties are arraigncd
he, have right to stand IN the rca-
-onabo construction of the existing
constitution. We do not desire H.
smother investigation, aud Mr.. Taylor
has said nothing To me IN regard to this
uatter, and l don't know as he has
thought or 1t. After some further re-
marks In regard to the proceedings OF
the Association In this case, it was
agreed by both parties to 20 on with
the investigation. But another debats-
BILE ground was found before proceed
ings began. Gov. Stewart claimed that
one of the parties of firm was not re-
sponsible for the acts OF the other mem
bers of the same firm. The firm as
such is not responsible for the acts ol
its individual members. No member
of a firm can be punished for what he
is Il guilty. Every tribunal on earth
would acknowledge this. On these
grounds. therefore, If it is shown thai
Mr.. Demmick has violated the laws o.
the Association, this fact can in no way
implcate Mr.. Taylor, provided it car
be shown that he was not partner il
the act.
The testimony of Henry w. Walker
was then read by Judge Brookins, sub
stantially as follows: "Sold Jame
Peck late in the fall of 1873, ten ole
ewes as pelters, getting $15 for the lot
The labels Vere left in the ears. Mr.
Peck told me in the winter that h,
him, as he was going to raise som'
lambs from them. Later, Messrs Tay
lor and Demmick informed me to trans
fer nine of the sheep to them, one o
the ten having died and they having
purchased the remaining nine of Mr.
Peck.
A. Chapman testified: When l heart
this complaint against Taylor & Dem
mick, wrote at once to b. w. Cope
the chairman of the committee in Ohio
asking him to go at once and see tn
sheep. received the following reply
SMITHvILLE, o., 10-14, 1880.
A. CHAPMAN, Dear Friend-Returne
from st. Clairsville this afternoon
: Could not examine Mr.. Closes sheel
without his suspicioning something
Made known my business. His repl.
was, "If he had sheep with Mr.. Walk
er's labels that were not bred by him
he would like 10 know it, as he ha,
purchased them for that" We founC
by examination that the ewes with la
bells bearing ii. ". Walkers name will
same numbers you sent me, were young
ewes from one to four years old, an(
very good party of sheep.
Yours Truly, B. ". Core
Mr.. Demmick said: When I bough
the sheep of Mr.. Peck. he was to hav,
them transferred; was in an adjoining
field looking at another flock of sheet
when the transfer was made and do no
tween Mr.. Walker aud Mr.. Peck
Bought nine sheep of Ar. Peck which
had labels, but not In their ears. Tn,
labels were handed me by Mr. Peck
Put the labels of Mr.. Walkers in tn,
ears of the sheep bought OF Mr.. Peck
Did not know as these labels were eve
on these sheep. Put the labels of Mr..
Walkers in the ears of the sh.ep
bought at Mr.. Peck; bought no sheer
It Nlr. Walker.' Peck had the transfer
ra,l- hon Mr.. Walker Ia me aud ha(
"ihing Ia d. about it. Did not no
lice ~ neither there had been labels il
he sleeps ears before. Was not 1
member of this Association al that tint
AID did not know that ANY body baC
paid any money to make me member
Don't remember whal l paid tor the
sheep and do not know their ayes
Don't know that the sheep l purchased
If MIR. Peck ever came from Mr, Walk
err, WAS told 30. Supposed was cnti
ted to put Mr.. Walkers labels in the
sleeps ears, Don't recollect what the
labels were. Should Judge some of the
sheep had raised lambs that season
Lambs in the party, but do not know
rs they belonged to the ewes | pur-
chased. Did not think anything about
whether the sheep bought came from
, Mr.. Walkers flock; had the labels
handed me separate from the sheep in
another case; sheep bought of Peck
should judge were from yearlings to
six years old: most of them Young are
the same sheep referred to by j. ii
Close; l sold them to him with Others
sold him fifty in all Taylor had moth.
ing to do 10 the matter, nothing to dc
with the trade; don't know as he saw
the sheep; don't know as he knew any
thing about it; If he did, he did moi
know it from me; he was building q
barn and was doing the sheep bust
ness; after the hearing before the pedi
gree committee, l joined the society,
paying two dollars TO Mr.. A. Chapman.
Mr.. Chapman said at the time that two
dollars had been paid before for me.
j. Peck of Cornwall: Mr.. Demmick
had the old Walker sheep in connection
with some others, sixteen or seventeen
in all. Think the labels were in their
ears: some of them were anyway none
of the Walker labels were in any other
sleeps ears ;were of different ages, some
lambs, some bucks and some old ewes.
Think the numbers gwen were the
numbers bought; think numbers in the
certificate are the ones sold. Supposed
Mr.. Taylor was partner, but heard
| nothing said by Mr., Demmick, No