Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1894-03-09
Inv BREAKERS.
Game Warden Earnham and
a Transcript Reporters
Visit.

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Transcript Reporters
Visit.
State Game Warden, Frank W.
tarnham, accompanied by Tran
script representative, returned Fri
day evening from an extended trip,
lasting three days, to the lakes that
form the head waters of the Platte
river
The warden's mission to that
place was to stop the large number
of Indians who have been indiscrm-
inately killing game and catching
fish during the winter months and
also to stop the whites, who have
been fishing quite extensively for the
market
Complaint was made by several
parties of this city to A. F. Ferris, of
Brainerd, a member of the board of
fish and game commissioners, who
promptly sent the warden to look
the matter up.
The warden's arrival at the lakes,
although not entirely unexpected
was nevertheless surprise to all
the law breakers, and some OF their
attempts to conceal their guilt on
short notice were laughable indeed,
and one man from this vicinity. in
his endeavors to hide his work
threw his entire days catch of about
fifty fish back into the lake.
There were between seventy-five
and one hundred Indians on the
lakes all engaged in fishing, mostly
with spears through holes cut in the
ice, and set lines, and some fish We're
seen in their possession that were
caught with gill; Warden Farm
ham allowed the offenders to keep
what fish they had caught, but very
fOrcibly warned them against con-
tinuing their offence, and gave them
all to understand, both the whites
and Indians, that if they were found
again ingaged in breaking the law
by either killing game Or catching
fish, they would be vigorously pros
ecuted. The Indians were fully
aware that they were violating the
law and as soon as they were
warned to leave they began folding
their blankets and getting together
their few other personal effects pre-
paratory to speedy departure to
Mile Lacs. Mr.. Farnham did not
place much confidence in the veracity
of the pOachers, who in no instance
would report against any other
parties breaking the law, but paid Il
visit to all the lakes including Sui
livan, Platte, Round, Rock Fish, Pei
key and Rice lakes and warned
everyone to desist from catching fish
by any means whatsoever until the
time provided by law, which con-
tinues from April to Oct. for
trout, and from April Is to Dec. 7,
for pike, bass and pickerel.
The Indians have been supplying
the lumber camps all winter with fish
and as they have all about broken
up camp the Indians were left with a
considerable supply on hand. The
warden made a thorough search for
game that was killed out OF season,
and although the Indians have been
killing deer and partridges nearly all
n far >f ho hn
found. Mr.. Farnham called on Mr..
Richardson, of this city, who acts as
counsel for the Indians, and Mr..
| Richardson promised to do every
thing in his power to have the In
dians leave that locality, and as they
seem to rely greatly on his advice.
they will undoubtedly leave, or if
they stay their fishing will be con-
fined strictly to the limits of their
| own needs, and not for the market.
The trip Of Warden Farnham cer-
| fit to the preservation of the fish in
those lakes, for there were about
twenty-five whites coming from as
far as st. Cloud, Rich Prairie and
this city, each of whom were catch
ing on an average of about fifty
day. and after a short interview
with the warden began loading
their outfits for the trip home, con-
sidering themselves fortunate in es-
Gaping arrest. Everyone in that
locality has been fully warned, and
if they continue to violate the law
there are parties there who will re-
port them, and they will be prompt
ly arrested and prosecuted to the
full extent of the law.
| Mr.. Farnham took the early MORN
ing train for Minneapolis we'll satis-
fed with the results of his trip,
which was quite hard one, as the
roads up in that country are very
bad, owing to the last warm
weather. ,e=.z>