The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-04-02
TO PROTECT
HORSEMEN
STOCK MUST BE INSPECTED
BEFORE SHIPPED.
HAND|CAPs HORSE THIEVES
New Law Also Demands Filing
Of Shipping Permit with
Railway Agent.

Railway Agent.
Owners, purchasers and shippers of
horses will be interested in the law as
amended by the last legislature relat-
ing to the inspection of horses before
they are shipped out Of the state. One
provision Of the new law provides that
railroad companies, or their agents,
before shipping any stock must obtain
the duplicate certificate of inspection,
which must be filed with the agent at
the point of shipment, and kept there
for inspection. Under this provision
it will be difficult for those who at
tempt to ship horses out Of the state
without inspection to do so. The rail
road or its agent who neglects to obey
this provision Of the law is subject to
all of it's penalties.
The title OF the law, which was in
troduced in the senate by Key of
Sweetgrass, is one Of the most peculiar
of any on the statute books. 1t reads:
can Act to Protect the Owners of
horses, and to Cause the Inspection Of
the Same" Several attempts were
made in the senate to amend the title
but they all failed, and those who care
to may insist that the law provides
for the inspection of the owner as we'll
as the horses. The bill has been signed
by the governor, and is now a law. 1t
provisions in full are as follows:
''Section /. From ana after the
passage of this act, it shall be the
duty of any and all persons removing
or taking from this state in any man.
ner whatsoever, any horse, mule,
mare, colt, foal or illy, Immediately
before the shipment OF removal Of the
same, and at the place from which
the shipment is to be made, 10 cause
the same to be inspected by a stock
Inspector, or the sheriff Of the county,
from which such stock is to be re-
moved, as hereinafter provided.
"Section , On receiving notice
from any person that he desires to re-
move or take from this state to be sold
or used outside of this state any of the
class of animals mentioned in section
/, it shall be the duty of any stock in
spector, or the sheriff Of the county
from which such animals are to be
taken, to inspect the same, by care
fully noting the brands upon such ami
mails, and otherwise describing such
of said animals as may have no brands,
and to keep a record of all such in
spections in a book to be provided for
that purpose by the county commits
sioners Of each county. Such descrip-
tions shall contain:
~. The brands of all animals
branded, and a description of animals
not branded.
$50. The number of animals in
spected for removal.
SO. The name Of the owner, or per-
son removing the same.
~. The date of such inspection,
. with destination to which such ami
mails are to be taken.
''If, in the opinion of the officer
making the inspection the person
proposing to remove such stock is
rightfully in possession OF the same,
he shall grant such a person a certifi-
cate of inspection in duplicate, con-
tanning the matters herein provided,
with the further statement that per
mission is granted to such person to
remove such animals from this state.
The person so receiving said certificate
must deposit with the agent OF the
railroad company at the point from
1rhiOh tho rhi,n,o ont Sc Yno1o tho 10n1i-
cate certificate referred to, which said
duplicate must be fled by the agent,
and must be at all times during bust
ness hours accessible to the public.
The agent must at the time of the re-
ceipt of the duplicate indorse upon the
original certificate the date of the re-
ceipt of the duplicate.
eff, however, the officer making
such inspection shall be of the opinion
that such stock, or any portion there,
of, is stolen, or otherwise wrongfully
in the possession Of the person propos-
ing to remove the same, he shall with
hold such certificate and permit to re.
move until satisfactory assurance is
given him of the rightful possession OF
such properly by the person proposing
to remove the anne
"Section 3. Any railroad company
or agent shipping or permitting to be
shipped from any station, siding OF
stockyards, without first receiving the
duplicate certificate herein provided
for, and indorsing on the original the
date of its receipt, any Of the animals
mentioned in section l of this act, and
any person removing or attempting te
remove any of said animals without
first securing a certificate of inspec'
tion, or any person in any other way
violating any of the provisions Of THU
act, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor,