The herald., 1897-05-08
AFTER THE PoUNDMASTER
Happy Valley UP in Arms and Hot
on the Trail

| Happy Valley is again in a state of
| ferment. This time ii is over the capture
by the poundmaster of a number of cows
belonging to a man named Rowland,
who keeps a dairy in the valley. and sup
plies most of the inhabitants with milk,
and the land committee of the city coun-
Gil spent an hour or two yesterday after
noon trying to straighten out the matter.
Some time ago the poundmaster's dep
uties caught the COWS while they were on
the public road, during the temporary
absence of the herder and ran them into
the pound. They were released on the
payment of S1l, quite a reduction from
the regular fee, and there 1t was sup
posed the matter would rest But Row
land did not propose to give up the S1l
without struggle, and the people of
Happy Valley rallied to his support as
one man. 1t was urged in his behalf that
at best the trespass was only technical
offense, that Rowland had leased the
land on both sides of the trail called by
courtesy a street, and that as no one was
injured the cows should not have been
taken, nor should Rowland have been
compelled to give up his good coin for
their release. A lengthy petition was
sent to the council stating that Rowland
was a poor man, and asking that the
money be returned. This petition was
referred to the land committee for in
vestigation. Poundmaster Vacher was
on hand with his deputies, as was also
Dairyman Rowland, with a neighbor
whose wife had circula ted the petition.
Sergeant McKeag of the East Side po-
lice station, was also in attendance, as
we'll as the full committee-Messrs
Hutchson. Mathuss and Ashman.
Councilman Nickel, in whose ward Hap
py Valley is located, appeared in the
interest of his constituent. The pound
master and his deputies told how they
had frequently received telephone mes
sages from the East Side police station
complaining about the depredations of
loose cattle in Happy Valley and espa-
cially in the vicinity of Wannacks park
The men had gone over there in the dis
charge of their duty, and finding the cat
tie in the road without herder in
charge, had run them in, and when the
owner called for them they had been re-
leased at a reduced rate, as it was a
wholesale job.
They denied that the cattle had
been run or maltreated in any way.
Rowland, on the other hand, insisted
that the capture was illegal, as the cattle
were being a the time driven to the wa
terng trough, and that the herder had
only tarried behind short while to tie
up two other cows. At any rate, no
harm was being done, as the road was
never Travelled anyway, and for this rea-
son the cows should not have been mo-
Tested. Sergeant McKeag corroborated
the statement that there had been nu-
merous complaints about loose cattle in
the valley. and then the oratory COM
menced. Councilman Nickel insisted
that the capture was an outrage on a
poor man, and that the money should
be returned, while the poundmaster was
equally emphatic in declaring that he
was acting within the ordinance, and
had right to the money. After hearing
both sides the matter was taken under
advisement, and Councilman Nickel
left the room declaring that if the pound
keeper did not disgorge he would have
his official scalp. Nacher takes the mat
ter very philosophcally and does not
evince any disposition to return the coin
Altogether the poundmaster's lot is not
a happy one. And the end is not yet