The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1897-03-06
To the Citizens of Carroll County
For the Democratic Advocate.

For the Democratic Advocate.
MEssRs. EDITORS Will you give space III
your valuable journal for a few words which
/ desire to say in regard to an article pub
lished in the Sentinel of February y, entitled
Expensive Rabbits The Sentinel has
pitiful tale of woe, which reads very nice in
prints, and would seem very plausible to one
not acquainted with the facts of the case. The
Sentinel SAYS Mr.. Pickett was punished for
am act of kindness. Now the Sentinel should
give the public the truth and not try to mis-
lead any one in regard to his paying $50 and
cost. for violations of the law, as well as the
other parties Bradley f. Gosnell and John
B. Allen, never were fined SO each before
Justice John E. Barnes, of Sykesvlle, as the
Sentinel stated. and the Magistrates docket
will show these facts Their counsel at the
hearing before the Justice simply prayed q
Jury trial. and the above cases came to the
circuit court of Carroll county The case OF
n. S. Pickett stood trial before the Justice,
and. being convicted, took an appeal, and this
was the only judgment of the said Magistrate
that the Court sustained, III regard to appeals,
as it was the only appeal before the Court
from him. Now it seems hard that the lads
who were convicted in carrying game to Pick
ett's store should have to be prosecuted, wnen
older persons were to blame. They simply
defed the law and violated it, and if they met
punishment at the hand of the law they have
no one TO blame but their ''older heads who
encouraged them in their acts of lawlessness,
and of course fell into the hand of the law.
Now Mr.. Pickett, as the Sentinel stated, only
had the rabbits left there for the huckster.
can prove to anyone interested that the said
party received some from November | until
about December IS, SO, when the Game
Warden of Carroll county paid an official
visit upon complaint of parties who thought
it unjust that they could not handle game also
out of season. and that the said Pickett should
violate and defy the law and not meet just
punishment. The officer promptly had
warrant issued for Mr.. Pickett's arrest and
secured conviction in his case, MS well as
the parties that had made business of it,
killing game for sale, after November lst.
1t would seem, after a careful study OF the
case, and as citizen of Carroll county, feel
justified in saying that there was no party ar
rested in the vicinity where the trouble arose,
who was not guilty of violating the Game
Laws of Carroll county. All laws passed by
the Legislature ought to be, and must be re-
spected by every law abiding citizen of the
State and anyone not respecting any laws
should be dealt with accordingly. Now the
game law of Carroll county, passed by the
Legislature of 1896, does not seem to meet the
approval of the Sentinel, but it should re-
member ii helped the men from Carroll who
succeeded in getting it passed. Now if the
Sentinel feels hurt at these prosecutions it
should help send better men, Democrats
down to Annapolis next time, who can make
better Game Law for our county, and not
cast insinuations on the offices of our state
and county in upholding the law.
The Sentinel states the rabbits are becom
ing so numerous as to ruin orchards and rap.
idly multiplying. Now, of course, the Senti-
mel must mean they have multiplied rapidly
since McKinley's election, as when the sports
men went out last fall it was hard to find one;
and such promises have been made seven to
the rabbits to help themselves by the Nc
Kineyites, and we suppose by the time the
next legislature meets, the rabbits Mckinley
rabbits) will have become so numerous the
law will be repealed and no one else will be
prosecuted for violation. In conclusion, let
me say that the game officer of Carroll coun-
ty deserves credit, as well as all law abiding
citizens who assisted in the prosecution Of
said parties. LAW ABIDING CITIZEN.