The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-01-02
A COUNTRY CLUB.
Sportsmen Who Feel
Mean and Disguised.
THEIR FIRST TEST CASE.
Against Trespassers Arrested
for Poaching.
A TRIAL BY A COUNTRY JURY.
The Verdict Was Against the Club.
1t Was Celebrated by a Dance
81" and Supper.
A TRIAL BY A COUNTRY JURY,

The Country Club, whose extensive pre-
serve in Marin County numbers thousands
of acres. was given little surprise last
Saturday.
AS stated in THE CALL some time ago.
the club was annoyed by young men who
reside near OIema by reason of their fire.
quent incursons into its demesne. inti-
mating that arrests would soon follow.
The keepers were admonished by the
president to keep a close watch on depre-
dators of game and to cause the arrest Of
any person found shooting upon the
leased lands.
a few weeks ago keeper named AIcan-
trie received information that a small
party of interlopeIs was housed at place
known as the Lagoon, and that consider
able shooting was being done IN that
vicinity.
The S35 a month Waterman fastened at
all speed to the spot where he anticipated
making some arrests.
On arriving at Mr.. Buffers house, at
which place the Hunters were domiciled
temporarily, he was Informed that the men
whom he desired to see were having
little sport duck shooting on the lagoon,
and that Judging from the number of
sbDts that had been fired, he expected the
Boys WOQFd LGluTn ldueO DOWN Win CQOIC6
canvas hack and maliard duck.
The keepers eyes opened to the size of
% full grown mushrooms when Mr.. Butler
had finished his narrative, and quicker
than a wink be dashed out of the house
and touched the ground only in high
places in his: race to the lagoon.
.: The hunters, whose names are A.
Lewis, ?. Flaherty and NJ. Meyers, saw
the patrOlman coming. and instead OF TAX
ing ti}ght~OD sfauk's mare they stood their
ground and continued shooting at the birds
as they winged their way in from the
oeean to the swamp.
Hello theTel, shouted the keeper, trem-
plQus4y, as he aDprGached the three hunt
erss s'Qon't you fellows know that hunt
Ing on this ground IS not allowed. l viii
put all Of you fellows under arrest"
;: The. boys did not. feel ID the least dis
tur6ed or: alarmed over the keepers
threats. In fact they: smiled al the
thonght Of being placed under arrest, and
tlalfe little bones OF telling the clubs
servant that they bad been shooting ducks
+Dnthe lagOOn'<for: IN any years before the
lands we're leased By a club and that thew
q: would CQnunue to shoot there until they
properiy understood the law On duck
shooting relative to land over which the
tide flows. .*:.::: $780,:
The Keeper did"not argue law problems
with the hunters, but. after taking their
names and having: requested them TO de-
camp, he retiTned:to. headquarters and re-
ported to W:MOssipp,: the head gilie of
the club, what he. had done and how
n9blyhe had perfOrmed:nis onerGus duties,
-: resident Nv chs ter and Secretary Sprague
were Immediately no lied of the occur
renee and these gentlemen called meet
.Lng:ot the shooting memb beers, who quickly
decided upon having:the offenders arrested.
thereby setting an example to other dep
Tedators who" had. already furnished the
clubs grass by theirforbdden feet
'Ihjs thing hasgone altogether too far.
2 gentlemen, aud must be stopped" re-
marked Mt. kittle, I'VE must keen
pUachers off. the preserve at all hazards.
<0tnerwlse we cannot get within rife shoot
lpg.dlstance of the snipe which inhabit the
lagoon"
- AS far as | am concerned, gentlemen
said President Webster 81 am not so par
tlcular concerning English snipe, as the
birds are a LITTLE too much for me. | il
the: duck that interests me most, aud /
thlDk 1t is shame that these common
people should be allowed to 90 I'M
20 punished" !: --.
:. Sprague coincided with the president
while other mem bers of the club voted an
nes1tatlngly o:naye the poachers arrested
and punished. - -
Warrants were accordingly issued for
the arrest OF the poaChers, but only one Of
them,' A~Lewis, was takeninto custody,
He very quickly secured bondsmen, and
Saturday the trial by jury took place AT
Olema before Judge W. O. l.. Crandfe.
Inc strange feature of the case is: that
the Jurors, with one exception, are tenants
of Howard and McShafter, whose pron.
efty has,been leased for term of wears
tod shooting purposes by the Country Club.
Inc jurors: We're Charles Hussey.- p
Rim holdt, p. Geary, Charles Skinner.
Manuel Frager. Martin Zoppi, Domingo
Y ale, Angelo Pettrotti and William D
Evans. ~
The club was REPRESENTED by Attorney
Herbert of San Rafael and the defendant
had Attorney Martinelli, also of San RAJ
fae, as his counsel. 49,.
Each representative of the bar iourneved
to:Qlema with a good supply of law books
ana treaties on the game and fish of this
state. It IS hardly necessary to say that
Mnen Tue case was called Judge Crandle
gave An extra touch of his silk handker-
chlet to ms spectaces SO that he could get
good view Of the pile OF law books that