The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-04-26
COSTLY FISH.
DEPUTY WARDEN MENDENHALL
MAKES A RAID.
Barney and Paul Olson Get 90 Days
For Fishing With a Seine Had
Caught a Wagon Load of Fish
Other Arrests Made For Violations
of the Law.

of the Law.
Deputy Game and Fish Warden w.
w. Mendenhall, of Rapidan, paid the
city aivisit Thursday and left trail
of aching hearts behind him. He had
gotten wind of the fact that the law
was being violated, and determined
to make an example of some of the
people who had violated it, He laid
his plans and went to the city hall for
an assistant, and was told that Fred
Allen was trusty man. In company
with this young man he repaired to
the mouth of the Blue Earth river at
ABOUT ten o'clock in the evening, and
there found three men engaged in
unloading ia boat load of fish, includ-
ing two black bass, some carp, mullet,
red horse, suckers and Sheap head.
In all there was about 1000 pounds
of fish, and they filled wagon box
heaping full. The parties were Paul
Olson, of Madelia, and Barney Olson
and Ole Munson, of this city. The
two former had spent the day SEEMING
| the Blue Earth river from the LIE
Sueur bridge down to the mouth of
the Blue Earth, several miles. In
their possession was found nearly
new met or seine, 10 feet long and 81
feetswide, with long ropes on both
ends to handle it with. 1t was we'll
made, and was properly weighted on
one side and gifted with floaters on
the other. The net cost Barney
Olson weeks work last fall.
A wagon was secured and the fish
and net were taken to the city hall,
which was not preached until mid
night. Munson was engaged as a
witness, and the two Olsons were told
to appear fat the city hall at nine
o'clock this morning.
Mr. Mendenhall boxed up 500
pounds<eG fish this morning ship-
ped them to the state game and fish
commission on the ten O'Clock freight
over the Omaha road this forenoon as
reQuired'by law. The box was direct
ed to the Thurston Cold Storage Co.'S
warehouse. The remainder of the
fish were taken from the wagon by
people who wanted fish dinner, and
all were gone early in the forenoon
The 5net was contiscated by Mr.. Men
denhall and will be burned according
to law
The two OlSOnS were on hand this
morning at the hour appointed, and a
warrant was sworn out by Mr.. Men
denhall on the charge of violating
section 10, chapter 124 of the game
and fish law of 1893. AS the penalty
is fine of not less than $40 for each
fish, or ten days in jail, it was decid-
ed to allege the taking of only six fish
the two black bass and four carp
by the use of net and seine. The
complaint had been drawn up by
County Attorney Benedict.
When the parties were ar
raigned, both pleaded guilty to the
charge against them.
Judge Shissler addressed some re-
marks to the prisoners, saying that
the law seems very severe, and that
the court has no discretion as its en-
forcement, being merely an agent.
The law has been violated great
deal, and has been terribly broken
without cause. A certain leniency is
allowed to those who fish in the river
in the proper manner, but some have
violated the law for pleasure, and
some for game. Therefore there are
strict restrictions made by law to
preserve the fish. The court said that
he considered it to be his duty to be
as lenient as the law would permit,
and he then read the section under
which the warrant had been issued,
as follows:
"No person at any time shall catch,
take or kill any fish in any other man
ner than by angling for them with a
hook and line held in the hand or at
tached to rod or pole except that
suckers and buffalo fish may be taken
with spear during the months oil
April and May,) or have in possession
or under control any fish'caught, taken
or killed by any other manner, except
that net may be used for catching
white fish, lake trout and sturgeon 10
international waters, and mlnnoWs
for bait in ponds, lakes and rivers moi
inhabited by trout; provided, tha'
the meshes in the net used for eaten
ing such white fish and lake trout ano
sturgeon, pike and pickerel shall moi
be less than three and one half inches
in size of mesh when the same is eX
tended; provided, that lake herring
NAV be taken with net the meshes
of which are at least two and one hall
inches when extended.