The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-07-27
FARM NOTES.
Edited by John c. Edgar Duval, to whom all
for this co.umn should ce al
iraccpd 1
Is Homicide Justifsble ?

Is Homicide Justfable?
Most people will answer the above
query by saying, Eyes, but only III
self defense That is the view taken
by our law makers. and a penalty is
Fixed, though not always enforced
upon all manslayers who cannot sup
ply proof that they took the life OF an
other to save their own. This lega
definition of justifiable homicide is a
fair one and could , well be made
mere liberal without seeming to en-.
courage crime. But occasions do arise
when men think the line Is drawn too
straight, and they feel that they would
be justifiable in taking a worthless
life to save property.
This feeling has possessed the soul Of
many melon patch owner and
suburban citizen who was fired with
the ambition to produce fruit enough
for his family in the home orchard.
Only those who have raised melons
and orchard fruit can understand the
| feelings of the owners when they FIND
some bright morning that their care.
fully tended crops have been raided
overnight and everything of value
stolen or destroyed.
If the exterminating instinct should
seize a man at such moment and he
should, beyond doubt, catch up with
the rascal and kill him, jury of the
slayer's peers would surely, at worst,
find him guilty OF ''justifiable homi-
cide.n
Few fruit or melon growers would
kick much about anyone taking %
melon or a few peaches and eating
them, but the sneaking thieves are nor
content with stealing to satisfy their
appetites, but many do it as a bust =
ness, like the burglar, who enters
house in the dead of night and takes
what isn't hisu." But some do worse
than that. After eating or stealing
all they can carry, they go into the
work of destruction, and what they
can't enjoy they destroy. | write feel
ingly. [ had very fine melon patch
this season and as the fruit approached
the ripening stage | Joked forward to
the enjoyment attendant on its con
sumption with great deal Of pleas
ure. Day by day the melons were eX
amined and tapped to determine their
ripeness, and when the most advanced
specimens had got within about forty
eight hours of maturing and my dppe
tite to keen edge, some rascally sneak
came along in the night, stole the best
specimens and smashed to pieces those
not up to his epicurian taste. On dis
eovery of the devilment | was seized
with the homicidal instinct, but as
did not at that time know the offender
he escaped.
/ have a small orchard in which
take considerable pride as it furnishes
me with a liberal supply of fine fruit.
1t is situated on a public road, and
some of the fruit bearing limbs over
hang the highway. That passersby
should help themselves is not only un-
Objectionable, but proper, and they
were welcome. But the old proyerb
'give him an inch and he'll take an
ello finds an illustration in my case
After all outgrowing fruit was Con-
sumed hungry passengers climbed the |
six wire fence and eat what they |
pleased. Even that elected no protest
from the owner. But one nighl about !
"a week ago someone not positively |
known, but guessed at, came during |
the witching hour and stole about two
bushels of peaches, which were in
tended for preserving the following |
day. | was a mad man, and though |
not possessed with thirst for gore, as
when my melons went up" | felt |
like presenting the perpetrator of the
outrage with souvenir OF the event |
Two nights later had an opportunity
of making the presentation, but the |
recipient was too modest to stand up |
and acknowledge it. Thinking that
my fine peaches would create desire |
for more got ready my old gun and |
waited for developments. They came. |
About II p m, when all lights in the
house had been extinguished and the |
coast seemed clear, a man came along |
the road till abreast of my orchard !
paused. seemed to listen, climbed the |
fence and steathily crept for well |
laden tree, and reached for its fruit. |
AT that instant q gunshot disturbed |
the stiffness of the night and the
equanimity of the thief, who seemed
to think that personal injury was in
tended. As he straddled the fence on
the outward journey another shot Was
heard, Immediately succeeded by a |
howl of terror. The bowler, how
ever, was not sufficiently Mortified to
curtail his journey, but continued his
flight at a gait which proved he had
not been badly crippled in the loco
motive department. On going to the
tree selected for robbing a five bushel
oat sack was found. Its owner can
have it on application. The question
of justifiable homocide is wider than
common people think.
Nv
Insect Killing.
In many sections OF the state grass
hOnnarS have hann Unrv tron loeo,no