The record-union., 1897-08-06
KILLING OFF YOUNG DUCKS.
THE ANNUAL VANDALISM HAS
BEGUN.
Yole and Suffer People Ask Sac
ramento to Go to Their
Assistance.

Our neighbors in Yolo County never
miss an opportunity to point with
pride" TO the excellent financial condi-
ton of that county, which certainly is
TO be enyied. But it is not TO be
wondered at that Yolo County has
very small Indebtedness, and that its
taxes are low, for the Yolo officials
seem to go largely on the theory that
1t is cheaper to depend on neighboring
counties for protection in certain cases
than to protect themselves.
Although Yolo is one of the greatest
sufferers from the results of hydraulic
mining her Supervisors have stead
tasty refused to contribute toward the
enormous expenses that the farmers
of the river counties have had to meet
in the struggle for existence, though
YOlo receives a great share of the BEN
eft of all the other counties are doing
in that direction.
Again, although Yolo has been one of
the best wild game counties in the
State, her officials have refused to en-
ploy a Warden to look after the pro-
lection of the game from ruthless
slaughter by the class of Vandals who
stead, the w-abiding citizens of that
county have had in the past to call
on Sacramento Countys Game Warden
to run down and prosecute the out
laws.
And they are forced to do this again
this year. The young ducks in the
YolO marshes are just getting ripe"
enough to enable the vandals to turn
Il; An Gle rl,fc
ing them, and as Yolo has no Game
Warden, and the law officers of the
county are Indifferent to these viola
lions eff the law, appeals are being
made to the Sacramento Warden to go
o}F there and drive off or arrest the
fellows engaged in the destruction of
the young wildfowl.
A VAIL FROM WOODLAND.
The following letter has been re-
ceived by Warden r. w. Helms from
a prominent citizen of woodlands:
Mr.. r. Helms, Game Warden, Sac
ramento-Dear Sir: There is whole
sale killing of ducks going on in the
same place you made the arrests last
year One of the men arrested last
year is one of the guilty parties, and
the sheepherder on the range in ques-
ton knows the others.
Il have explained the matter to Mr..
Morrison. l would like to see you come
over and put a stop to this open de-
fiance OF the law. The local authori-
ties here are Indifferent, and cannot be
induced to visit the tules to make the
arrests.
IF you will make the arrests 1 will do
all in my power to see that the cases
are fully prosecuted. The sportsmen
here are in earnest and will support
you
SUFFER- ALSO.
Here is another letter of the same
sort from a resident of Suffer County:
Mr. Helms-Dear Sir: Suffer Coun-
ty having no Game Warden, makes it
a veritable paradise for violators of the
game laws. Almost every morning for
the past ten days the Suffer tule re-
sounds like a battlefield.
Parties are here from Fresno, Sac
ramento and Yolo Counties
IF you come up, you can come
to knights Landing by train or up
the river to the mouth of the Sacra-
mento Slough, a half-mile above the
mouth of Feather River; thence up the
USELESS TO TRY.
Il cannot respond to these calls from
Yolo and Suffer Counties" said War
den Helms last night to a Record
Union" reporter II have all | can
attend to here at home Sacramento is
a big county, and it keeps me on the go
to cover it and see that the laws are
not violated.
Last year I went over into the Yolo
tuleS and arrested a number of men
who We're killing young ducks before
the season opened. I took them to
Woodland and swore to complaints be-
fore Justice of the Peace 1t was
held there that Justices did not have
jurisdiction, so I had them held to
answer before the Superior Court, but
I have never been able to learn from
the District Attorney OF Yolo what be-
came of the cases, or if anything was
done. He doesn't even answer my let
ters.
II had such a dead case against these
fellows that they were ready and will
ing to plead guilty, and why they were
not permitted to do so cannot under
stand.
of Woodland appeared glad to see the
game destroyers arrested, but there is
another element in the county that has
prevented the employment of Warden
to protect the game from slaughter.
The violators of the law would be
destroying the young ducks on this
side of the river if l did not keep on
the lookout for them. In fact, some
have been at it, / am told, and 1 will
leave tomorrow morning to investigate
the matter. So / cannot spare time to
look after other counties, especially
where the men who should uphold and
enforce the law seem to be Indifferent
about the matter. Besides, the people
of Sacramento prefer to nave their
Game Warden give his e.ne to this
county.
TT is shame" concluded Mr.. Helms,
"how the Yolo and Suffer officials allow
the laws to be violated. 1t could be
largely prevented even as things are,
but Yolo is rich enough to pay for the
services of a Warden to protect her