Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1904-05-13
BRATTLEB0R0 LOCAL NEWS,
FISH WERE SHORT
But They Cost the Catchers ST
Apiece and Costs Additional
Fish Warden (. H. TuthiH of Williams.
Vile Surprised the Anglers Sunday
Reports Of Some Narrow Escapes.

Reports of Some Narrow Escapes.
Little fish cost big monev-sometino
depends upon how you catch them
You can go to Mr. Johnson's preserve
iu West Brattleboro catch one or two
founders, and they only cost so cents
ur is it 75?-per.
But the tariff on little fishes Nari.e
runs all the way from 81 to $40 each:
,hat is, il the fish warden sleuths hap
pen to find you with the fish in your pos
session.
The story Of what happened to sew
raj youths Of Brattlehoro. who sought
uu Sunday to commune with nature. and
to follow the little brooks as they went
forth in their gladness, was the chapter
which set all the people of the village
talking on Monday
The piscatorians in question were un-
doubtedly thoroughly frightened and Wis
ions of paying SO for each fish under the
legal length-s1N inches-gaVe them a
very uncomfortable - hours-from Sun
day afternoon until Monday afternoon
and they felt considerably relieved when
they got off with the minimum penalty.
Brattleboro anglers have been accus-
toned for long time to plan campaigns
ON the brooks in adjoining towns on the
first day of the week. These invasions
have not been entirely relished by the
people in the sections where the brooks
flow, and i'm particular those in Williams
vile and vicinity. Last Sunday Fish
Warden f. II. Tuthil of Newfane planned
To receive his visitors. His first excur-
sion was in the direction of the Baker
brook There he surprised George Du-
paw of Brattlehoro, who Immediately sur
rendeded his fish basket without oues-
ton James II. Allen. Dupaw's compan-
ion. was next visited, and he also turned
over basket and fish to Tutil, after
spirited remonstrance This was Aliens
first experience in fishing, and he al
lowed that he did not care about paving
the fine or losing his small fish, but he
did wish to carry home his large fish as
a record of his first experience as a fish
erman. But the warden took basket and
all it contained.
Dupaw and Allen were accompanied in
their expedition by Frank Waite and a
travelling man from out of town. Waite
saw the warden approaching, and by
sprinting in something better than 20
seconds for 100 yards he disappeared and
when the warden finally saw him Waite
had no fish of less than six inches in
length. There is a certain vague rumor
afoat about the disappearance of-wen
not 40 loaves-but some 40 little fishes
Waite smiles and says that is another
story. What happened to the travelling
man deponent sayeth not.
Howard c. Rice and DR. a. L. Pettee
We're returning from an outing on the Do
Yer branch when they suddenly found the
warden's team turned at right angles
across the road, and they We're asked to
stop and be scrutinzed. The warden
found in Rice's basket six fish Of dimin-
utive stature, and in Pettees basket
three which would not touch the legal
length if measured Hopping These two
young men We're accompanied by two
companions who escaped the vigilance of
the officer, 1t has been stated that one
Of the two had his small catch secreted
in his clothing so that he was beyond the
jurisdiction of the fish warden unless that
functionary was armed with the neces-
sary papers. The fourth member of the
party, a boy of tender years. is said to
have had his fish secreted i'm an old tin
can, which was so small that the war
den supposed It to be a bait box.
All of the young men involved in the
trouble asseverated, without a change of
countenance, that they had no intention
of violating the law. and that they only
in catching, and that they had thrown
back all those under legal size which re-
tanned life enough to survive.
Two other of natures deVotees fell in
to the meshes of the law on Monday-B.
NJ. Swtzer and George Harrington. They
had been to West Townshend. and on
their arrival in Brattleboro were inter-
cepted by Mr.. Tuthill, who had come to
Brattleboro on the train. \ search OF
their baskets revealed three small fish
in the possession of each man.
With the prospect of a possible fine Of
$40 for each fish the cases assumed a
very solemn aspect. After taking legal
advice and consulting numerous friends
the fishermen who We're in trouble reach
ed an agreement with States Attorney
Schwenk to have the cases tried before
Lawyer Arthur c. Spencer who is q
justice of the peace. This was consid-
cred a wise move. as it was believed that
Spencer would temper justice with mercy
Spencer was out of town, however, anC
so F. d. Il. Stowe had to be called il
Monday afternoon as the presiding mag
istrate. Mr.. Tuthll said that al of the
young men who had been apprehendeC
had been very gentlemanly, and that h'
was willing to accept a plea of guilty o
five offenses from Dupaw, Allen and Rice
and each was accordingly fined s. will
costs amounting to $11.37. 1t is stated OF
the side that Dupaw and Allen each hat
IL puny trout and Rice six. Pettee
Switzer and harrington had only three
fish OF questionable size, and each there
fore escaped with a fine of SO and costs
amounting to 1897.
Sunday excursions to our trout stream
will probably continue, but sportsmel
will undoubtedly be wary about the re
tention of fish of less than six inches il
length.