Fergus County argus., 1901-10-23
DID NOT VIOLATE TINE LAW.


The BioIsaical People We're Not Guilty Of
an Infraction Of the Game Law.
After careful investigation OF the
facts In the case, extending over sew
eral weeks, State Game Warden W.
f. Scott exonerates Professor Nor
ton j. Elrod OF the state university,
from the charges made against him
and other attaches OF the Biological
station In Flathead county, OF ille-
gally killing various kinds OF game.
The charges were preferred against
the professor and bis assistants In
August and the Kalispell Bee took
the matter up first, asserting that
local sportsmen were indignant over
the report that the biological station
people were killing geese and ducks
'in defiance OF the law" The Bee
also stated editorlally that an exam
ination of the state game law had
been made and that 1t was "hard for
for a man to understand why a duck
or goose killed in the open season is
not just as good for scientific pur-
poses as one killed in the closed sea-
son and In violation Of the law"
In the same editorial Professor El.
rod was called upon to explain
these violations of the law" by the
people for whom he stands SPONSOR"
reference being made to the fact that
the professor has always posed as
an ardent stickler for the protection
OF game birds and animals. The
Bee also alleged that other people
might also plead the excuse of scien-
tific researches for violating the
game law.
A subsequent edition OF the Bee
gave public rtion to letter from
Professor p. M. Silloway, who was
with the party at the biological sta.
tion In the capacity OF ornithologist.
during the time when the violations
of the game law were said to have
taken place. He called the atten-
tiOn of the Bees editorial writer to
the section Of the law which legal
lied their actions at the station,
which is as follows:
Section 25.-NOne of the sections OF
this act shall apply to persons hunt
ing or otherwise engaged In collect
ing specimens under the direction of
and In the interest of any state edu-
catiOnal institution OF the state of
Montana.
Professor Silloway further said
that the actions OF the station peo-
pie had been perfectly open at all
times and that they are unable to
work afield In the collection of speci.
mems during the open season, which
the law itself contemplates by its
provision. He answered all the
other contentious In the report and
editorial reference.
In the natural course OF business
the charges made against Professor
Elrod and his assistants came to the
attention of State Game Warden
Scott and he took up the investiga-
tion. He was interviewed on the
subject at the time and expressed
himself very strongly 10 view Of the
alleged facts presented.
Mr.. Scott has now Investigated
the charges, through his deputy, and
takes a different view OF the entire
affair. He said to The Record yester-
day:
"If these charges were as they were
represented by the Kalispell Bee, i
was determined to sift the PROPOSE
tion to the bottom, and II the parties
were guilty, to prosecute them the
same as anyone else.
taking into consideration that
Professor Elrod was the representa-
tive OF the League OF American
Sportsmen In the state OF Montana.
/ believe that, II he had committed
the crimes he was charged with, he
deserved more than Others to be
prosecuted to the fullest extent Of
the law.
81 have siited the matter to the
bottom and am now convinced that
Professor Elrod and other members
of the biological station stat have
been misrepresented. and that the
charges were dictated by personal
spite"