The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-05
ON ACCOUNT OF THE GAME.
VALUE OF MIR. RAUERs' ISLAND
RESTS LARGELY on THE DEER.

Hut the Government Claims That the
Deer Are Migratory Wild Animals
That BeIOng to God and the State.
President Conner Can't AFFORD the
Luxury of IA 100000 Game Pre-
serve, But If He Had One He
Wouldn't Sell Lt-Interestng Tes-
timOny in the ST. GATHERINGS Case.
The hearing in The case Of the coudemna-
ton of Mr.. Jacob Rauers' land on St.
GATHERINGS Island for a site for a light
house, viii be concluded tomorrow morn
irg, when the arguments Of Messrs s. b.
Adams and w. w. Gordon, Jr., for the de-
Tense, and the closing argument Of Assist
ant District Attorney Leaken for the gov
eminent, VIII be heard. The assessors
Will then make up a sealed verdict. Neither
party is bound to accept the verdict it
appears and so it would not be surpris-
ing If the case went up to the Supreme
Court
Yesterday there was further evidence
heard by the assessors. The witnesses
We're all well known savannahians, who
had been called on the part of Mr. Rauers,
and their testimony was of a decidedly in
teresting character.
MIR. Albert Wylly stated that he regard
cd St. GATHERINGS Island worth $4,000 or
$4,000 and believed that he could get
that much for it as game preserve. He
declined TO express an opinion as to its
value for agricultural purposes, or for the
RAISING # he
not disassociate the island in his mind
from its present purposes as a game pre-
serve and its value in that connection.
Mr.. II. NJ Conner, the next witness, said
that if he were worth $500, 900 and owned
81. GATHERINGS island he would not sell it
Gt any price, If asked for the live stock
or agricultural value of the island.
| though. he would not be able to express
| an opinion. As a game preserve he re-
| gar1od il as worth at least 100000 The
| counsel for Nj Rauers asked Mr.. Conner
what his business was, and there was a
/ quiet smile wher he replied that he "didn t
/ know" He was president of the Central
| of Georgia Railway, he said, but hooked
| after several private enterprises at the
! same time. He was not able to indulge in
! the luxury of a $3.50, 900 island for a game
| preserve but IL he were, nothing could in
! duce him to sell it,
! Mr.. Julian Schley who has hunted on the
/ island recently by Mr.. Rauers' permits
| sion as a number of other Savannah gen
/ tlemen have, stated that he regarded the
| island as being worth $3.50, 600 to $500 GEO.
| Mr.. Schley said he had had an option on
Ossabaw island in 1888 before the panic,
! from the owner at about $4,000, and he ex-
! pected to sell it at about 100000. but the
deal did not go through. ST. Catherine s
! island was the very best i'm the world
| that he knew of as a game preserve. He
! believed that a lighthouse on it would in
! jure its value in that connection fully Sc
per cent
Mr.. Dent thought that the island was
/ highly valuable viewing it from the stand
| point of the game privileges He valued
/ rice lands on islands at different figures
! Mr. Dent admitted thai deer migrate and
could go from one island to another, as he
! mad heard from Jekyl to st. Simons, as
! they were great swimmers Deer, he un-
| derstood. even went far out into the surl
| when hunted, to escape the dogs and cir
c.ed about TO make land and elude the
! hunters. There was additional information
! brought out from other witnesses as &c
the migratory character of deer. one wit
| ness stated that If there were doe on
! Blackboard island and bucks on ST. Cath
/ crimes island. one and half miles away
the bucks would swim over to the other
| island even ( IL were three miles away
Mr. Rauers was placed on the stand
again and testified that the island was re-
turned for taxation a 5000. This was
done by the county which assessed it al
that value, and at this ii had been return
Ell for several years.
This closed the evidence and the asses
sors directed the district attorney to begfr
the opening argument. Mr. Leaken gave a
summary of the law of the case tendins
/ to show that the market value of land as
land, and without regard TO any particular
use, was the only ground The assessor.
| could act upon He took the position thai
| game belonged to God and the state anf
thot the stale controlled it to such an ex.
tent that it passed laws under which Mr.
| Rauers could not shoot dear on his oWr
| island al certain times without subiectins
| himself 20 punishment Mr. Rauers did not
return the deer and other game for taxa
| ton as they were not his propertv The
only interest MIR. Rauers had in the wiz
game and fowl was a qualified one. He baf
the right TO prosecute any one for tres
passing on his land, but he could no.
/ prosecute anyone even Is every bit of gam
on st. GATHERINGS was taken awav- He
had no ownership in the game and comic
| not claim damages for il.
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