The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1895-10-18
SOME HO0sIER LAWS.
Queer Things Are Found in the
Indiana Code.
she tar HAS y LAngh at the r..-,.,.,.,.
imprisonment for iieiaE KiIiea-
= .fine for SprliIaS n
Word Correctly,

she Isar Has y Lsaxh nj the r..-,.,...,.
imprisonment for IieiaE ISiIiea-
s---. As.tiae for SpeliIas
word Correctly.
Talk about the peculiar laws
passed by tho last session Of The
legislature" said an ex-iudge Of the
supreme court to writer for the
indianapolis Sentinel, "tley don't
compare with some Of the laws
which are already on the statute
books OF this state. What do Won
think OF iining man for making
such consunmate foolof himself as
TO try TO catch quail or pheasant
in the woods without gun or apy
weapon Of any Kind? what do vol,
think Of a law which saws tl,at n
man who is run over and killed by
an engine may be sent to the peni.
Tertiary for fourteen years? What
do you think Of a law Which compels
thepeople of Indiana TO spell a word
differentiation the spelling given
in the dictionary?
And yet there are laws in lndi.
ana which perpctrate these glaring
inconsistencies. Do you doubt il?
Then will read you tlielaw.'
The Judge reached for his copy of
the code, and turning to the sub.
lects mentioned showed that the
law said cxacsy what he had as
serted.
NOW, well take the game laws
of this state" continued the Judge
with quiet smile, as he lighted a
fresh cigar Between certain
periods of the year, or rather during
certain months, it is forbidden 10
kill certain game birds or animals or
tocatch certain fish. This is done
TO prevent their slaughter at the
time when they are caring for their
young or are breeding, as this would
soon result in their determination.
The game laws are of course good
oncs-when well worded. But the
law of Indiana says specifically that
during these forbidden months any
persons who shall kill or pursue any
quail or pheasant stall be fined two
dollars for every quail killed and
one dollar for every quail pursued,
''Now, according TO this law if a
man goes out into the woods, runs
across flock Of quails containing
fifteen birds, and they start up with
whir-r-r-r and shoot over the top
of the bill. and that man starts on a
run after them, holding his hat in
his hand so that lie can throw it
over one OF them when he comes up
to it, and is caught doing this. the
law OF this state says that lie shall
be fined fifteen dollars. He was
pursuing fifteen quails at dollar
per quail.
"Of course, tile absurdity OF this
law is plain, aud it has caused con
siderable amusement among the
members Of the profession, but it
has never been changed and is the
law OF the state TO-DAY. Imagine a
man trying 10 catch a quail by
running it down aud putting salt on
its tail, or covering it with his hat.
And the old Judge laughed heartily
at the idea. Yes" lie continued,
II can see the dignity with which
some country justice of the peace
adjusts his spectaclcs and after
carefully reading the law would
grayely fine the victim, who, by
chance, had scared up flock of
quails, and had then run to the top
of the hill TO see where they had
alighied.
But We have another law that
tops this, said the Judge. In the,
statute relating 10 the duties of
railroads, and which was passed by
a democratic state and republican
house in 1881, there is a clause
which allows aman to be sent to the
peniteu,iary after he is killed. In
the section Which provides for the
duties of rail0ad engineers at cross
ings the kind of crossings which
must be maintained by the railroad
companies is set forth, and Chen APP
pears this sentence: And If any
person shall be killed or injured BY
reason Of such crossing, lie shall be
imprisoned in the states prison not
more than fourteen years nor less
than two years.
Now, that is the law; what do you
think Of IL? And here it isagain.
The luw relating TO the adulteration
OF butter says that all oleomargarine
shall be manufactured and sold in
the state under certain restrictions,
and says that each package Of the
bogus butter shall be branded in
plain view ''oleomargerine, which
is misspelling of the word. but the
manufacturer must brand the pack
ages in this way or he is violating
the law and is liable to heavy pun
ishment don't know OF any in
stance where man has been pun
ished for spelling it correctly, but if