The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1889-12-27
LAWSUITS AGAINST ANIMALS.
some Curious Instances Gathered From
London Court Dockcts.

London Court Dockcts.
Some curious instances Of lawsuits
lgainst animals were recently given in the
London Standard. France appears TO have
had the questionable honor Of initiating
them, and of seeing the last of them. Nj.
Berriat ST. Prix enumerates nineiy-two
such cases. from the communication pro.
nounced by the Bishop of Laon in ll90
against caterpillers and field mice 20 the
condemnation of COW ON Oct. II, lill.
l'oars and s0ws are frequent delinqnents,
their ohenses generally being the eating OF
children with whom they had come in con
tact during their unchecked wanderings
l0ng the public roads. At Laveguy, IN
l45, a sow and her six young ones were
Indicted for having killed and paTil,
Tten a child. Alter trial conducted
With all due s1lrmnity the SOW
vas found guilty and condemned to death.
nut the pigs we're acquitted on account Of
heir youth, the evil example OF their
mother, and the absence of direct proof
hat they had actually been concerned In
he eating Of the child. In ll03 a SOW killed
nd dcVourcd a child at Menan. The SOW
gns condemned 10 be hanged. and the fol
owing is the bill of Gusts for the sow's sub.
Istence and execution: "Expense' of the
wv within goal, soils; do, the eGecutionef
Tho came from Paris 10y order OF our mas.
Ter the bailli and the 'procureur du roi.' ~
OILS; do, for carriage of SOW to execution,
9 soils; do for cord 10 bind aud drag her, =
OILS, : deniers; do for gans' tsicl. d..
liers." The object of providing gloves for
he eNecuilpner was no doubt that his hands
'h0uld mot be sullied by the destruction OF
brute beast.
As Basle, in li7l, a cock was tried for Il
fime of having laid nn egg. The THEOLOGY.
nn, Felix Malicious. records the volumin.
us peadings. and II is stated 10 have been
'laimcd that cocks eggs were of enormous
.alue MS an ingredient in certain mystic
'ompounds; that a sorccrer would rather
POSSESS a cocks egg than own the philOsu-
lher's stonei and that, in certain Pagan
Ands, Satan employed witches 10 hatch
uch eggs. while from them proceeded ami.
nails most injurious 20 all the christian
lAith and race. The facts of the case were
ldmitted 10y the defense. but IL WAS pleaded
imongst other things That no evil animus
lad been proved against the cock. and thai
here was no instance on record nf the Evil
)ne having made compact with one ~
he brute creation. Ii would be useless b.
fade through the arguments. IL will suf-
see 10 say that the cock waa condemned o.
isath, not rs a bird, but ms sorceror in
hapc of n cock. and was. with its ogr.
'nIned at The stake with all the sOlcmnity
leiitting judicial execution.
The ordinary method of procedure against
lnlnnls III nm ecclesia,stical court was Il sft-
led and we'll recognized form. IL was in
tiated by the Inhabitants of district who
iad been annoyed by certain animals. The
court then appointed experts 20 survey and
clnit upon the damage committed. The
leNt step was the appointment ot an adyO-
ate to defend the animals and Ia show
muse why they should not be- summoned
lhls WIS followed by their citation thre,
several times and IA they OF course did no,
ppcaf, Judgment was given against them
" default Then succeeded n montOir,,
Narniug the animals 10 leave the district
within u given time, and il was held to be-
necessary that certain representatives. OF
he incrminaied species should be present
n court to hear the monitoire pronounced.
ihus. IN II trial against lcechesat Lausanne.
u li5l, a number Of leeches were brought
nto court TO receive their warning, which
dmonishcd them 10 lcnvc the district with.
ID three days. The eeches did not leave.
nd the cXorcism wis consequently pro.
nuuncod. In this case II is said to have
Jocn 81 successful that the lerchcs began ~
lie Oli Immediately.
Martin AZpllcuctn too. tells that in Spain
b bishop. standing on ihe top ot rock
Wer- looking the sea- communicated Tho
rats. mice, flies and other similar animals
nd insects who were destroying the har.
lest aud the fruit, and ordered them to
cave the country IN three hours, mud that
u compliance with the bishops instruction.
he greater part OF the animals concerned
immediately swan 10 n neighbOrlng unin-
ihblted island. which had been assigned 10
hem, where they could do no harm to any
1odyl
Tine of the most celebrated law suits
lfninsi animals was that IN which Chas.
eueuGi the Coke of France. was The counsel
or the dirty animals IN the form of rats.
y u grayish color, living in holes" of ihc
llocesc Ut Autun, about the year 1910. He
pleaded, ~ the first instance, for delay on
The ground that the rats had not been duly
mmmoned. The priest of every parish IN
he diocese was then ordered 10 summon
hem for n future day. This WIS met by n
ioiuand for further extension Of time on
The ground that the rats had 50 many pre-.
partitions 10 make. Again the DELAY was
ranted; and whan the date then fixed or.
wed, Chasseneu2 blended that his clienis
gere entitled 10 n safe conduct to the court
md back 10 their homes, and that cuuse
luently the owners of the cuts in the neigh.
l0rhood ought to give security for The
iarmlessness of the feline race. This was.
4 course. impossible, aud the result wns
hat the case was adjourned sine die 1ur-
lie doves were accommodated in Canada
II the seventeenth century. and tremites u
Brazil and Peru in the eighteenth.