Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1897-05-26
The Stock LAW.

The Stock Law.
Below you will find the three
sections of chapter Tx of the Code
that relate directly to the stock
law. The publication of this law
may help those who are interest
ed:
ga. /. That it shall be unlaw-
ful for any cattle, mules, horses,
sheep, hogs, goats or geese to run
at large, and should such stock
while running at large, destroy or
injure the property of another, the
owner of such stock shall pay to
the party whose property may be
injured or destroyed, the amount
of damages sustained by him by
reason of such destruction or in
jury. And the party so injured
may, If he finds such stock on his
premises, retain them or suffi-
cient number thereof, until the
said damages and costs of keeping
be paid.
II. It shall be the duty of the
person retaining such stock to i'm
mediately notify tie owner there
of, if he be found within the coun-
ty, of the injury or destruction of
such property, and the detention
of his stock. aud the amount of
dnmages he has sustained thereby,
and the cost Of keeping same, aud
if the said damages and costs be
not paid, 1T shall be the duty OF
the person OBTAINING the stock, to
forewith advertise it for sale, by
posting at least three notices, at
three public places in the neigh
borhood in which notices shall be
stated the time, terms and place of
sale, together with a description
of the property to be sold, for
which notices he shall be allowed
twenty-five cents each, to be paid
by the owner of said stock. After
having posted the notices as afore-
said for period of ten days, II
shall be lawful for the party 80
injured, to sell said stock for cash,
to the highest bidder, unless the
damages and costs aforesaid be
sooner paid, the proceeds, after de-
Quoting the amount Of costs, if he
shall make application therefor,
within six months after said sale,
and if no such application be made
within tho said six months, the
said residue shall be paid into the
hands of the sheriff, for the benefit
of the free schools, Of the districts
wherein such sale takes place and
the person paying over said money
shall take from said sheriff dupli-
cate receipts therefor, one of which
he shall retain, and other shall be
delivered to the clerk of the county
court, to be filed in his Office.
III. II any person whose prop-
erty be injured or destroyed by such
stock, shall demand and receive
more than a reasonable and fair
compensation from the owner
thereof for such injury, destruction
or keeping, the owner Of the said
stock may recover the excess 10
paid from the person demanding
and receiving the same, before any
tribunal having Jurisdiction there
Of, The provisions of this act
shall not be enforced in any coun-
~ or district in this State until it
be adopted by majority of the
votes, cast by the voters in such
county or district, at an election,
at which The question shall bo sub
mitted for their adoption or re-
lection.
There is an impression abroad
that anyone can take up stock found
on the highway. This is wrong.
You can see by reading the above
that thisIs not the case. Stock must
be upon your premises or cause
damage before detention can be
resorted to. Trouble and annoy
ance can DO prevented by ascertain
ing what the law declares.