Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-06
FOX HUNTING LEGAL.
Delaware County Followers Of the
0ld-Fashioned Sport
MADEHAPPY BYAC COURT DECISION
Reynard Mischievous Animal and It's No
Crime to Kill Him.
AN ECHO OF THE HASTINGS HUNT

PHILADELPHIA, June 5.-The ardent
supporters of General Hastings, down in
Delaware county, who got up a fox hunt
last January to boom their favorite candi-
date, breathed much easier yesterday than
they have since the hunt took place. The
hunt itself was grand success. Everybody
who was there hunted Reynard and every
body cheered Hastings. Everybody was
happy. Later in the day everybody was
unhappy. The good people of Delaware
county who do not take an interest In fo1
hunting and who do not enthuse over popu-
lar candidates, determined in cold blood to
have somebody arrested for cruelty to the
little fox that was let loose that day. The
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to AMI
mails was appealed to and warrants were de-
termined upon.
The society at first determined to arrest
everybody who had anything to do with the
management of the hunt. This made cold
shivers run down the backs of score or so
of Delaware county politicians. The result
was perfect storm was raised and finally it
was concluded to only arrest jesse j. Hick-
man, an old hunter, who had let the iox
loose, and the man who was first at the
death. The latter was never found, how
AN ANCIENT CUSTOM.
From time immemorial Delaware and
Chester countians have been ardent fox
hunters. The younger generation of to-day
are as much interested In the sport as their
fathers, their being at least dozen clubs in
the two counties. These gentlemen had
never been lnterfered with before, and the
issuing of the warrant for Mr.. Hickman
ohar of nufr
He was held to court, and two of the best
lawyers of Delaware county, Captain John
son and jesse M. Baker, were engaged to
defend him.
The grand jury at the term held at Media
in March found a true bill against Mr..
Hickman, and then it was determined to
make hard fight to invalidate this bill.
Lawyers johnson and Baker got their heads
together and when the court had met they
succeeded in securing o postponement until
last Tuesday.
By that time the legal gentlemen had dis
covered q flaw in the indictment. The
courtroom was crowded. Sturdy old farm
ers who had followed the hounds for years
and had been hunters when the sport was
different from what it is to-day, were there.
So were many suburban residents, who 90
into the sport in true English fox-hunting
style.
ARGUMENTS FOR THE DEFENSE.
Lawyers johnson and Baker made their
arguments against the indictment and held
further that fox hunting was not q crime.
Such being the case the lawyers contendei
the indictment should not be found. The
good old customs of the county and of Eng
land were referred to in support of the posi-
tion taken. The exhilaration and excite
ment OF the hunt were spoken Of as health
givers, and while the fox WIS killed the
hunters were benefited. The attorneys
therefore asked the Court to set the bill of
indictment aside and to direct that Dolle
prosequi be entered upon them.
The District Attorney opposed the motion
and sought to have the bill stand. He de-
sired that the case should go to trial.
Judge CLAYTON at once made his decision.
He referred to the many pleasures derived
from the sport; didn't think Re ynard was
any particular use anyhow, aud couldn't
see that any harm could come from his ex-
termination.
A LAWFUL SPORT.
Judge Clayton, in view of this, decreed
that fox hunting was a perfectly legal
sport, and all might enter into it with as
much zest as they desired and without fear
of further interruption. He therefore di-
rected that nolle prosequi be entered on
the bill of Indictment and Mr. Hickman be
discharged. He said that be would de-
termine later as to the paymeat OF costs.
The result was greeted with joy by those
interested in the sport. 1t has served to
give it a frst-class boom, aud when the
season opens, later in the year, there will |
in all probability be more people interested
than ever before.