The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1904-09-17
From the County Game Warden
OLGA, Wash, Sept. IL, 1904.

OLGA, Wash, Sept. IL, 1904.
Editor islander: Knowing that the
islander has all along taken firm
stand for the enforcement of the game
laws, feel that the following statement
of facts is due to the voters of orr county
at this time, and 1 most respectfully ask
space i'm your paper 10 relate one of my
recent experiences as county game war
den.
A few days ago I received rather
pointed and pertinent letter from our act
ing county attorney, w. II. Wynn, in
which he reminded me that there was
some unlawful hunting on Orcas island
and that / must look after the matter and
bring all offenders to justice, etc. Now,
| while had before faithfully tried to en-
force the game laws, at once called up
on Justice Morrow and obtained from
him the statute for the protection OF game,
which i'm part reads as follows:
Session Laws of 1908, page 96, section Z:
| QUAIL-EvERY PERSON who shall HUNT,
PURSUE, TAKE, KILL, INJURE. DESTROY
or POSSESS any Cali fornia, Valley or
| Mountain quail, Bob White quail or
other kind or quail, between the LIST day
of January and the LIST day of October of
any year shall be guilty of a misdemean-
or, and upon conviction thereof shall be
punished rs hereinafter provided"
| Now, armed with the law, and instruc-
tions of Justice Morrow, together with
the aforesaid letter from County Attor-
ney w. II. Wynn, 1 again went forth,
and climbed over the rugged sides of old
Mount Constitution, waded through the
wet and tangled fern and at last succeed
ed in locating three parties who were
then and there engaged in HUNTING and
SHOOTING quail. l secured a com mand-
ing place on an elevation where l could
lock down upon all of those parties, and
there carefully watched them for several
minutes. I could see the men. They
were armed with guns. Their bird dog
was with them. could hear and see the
fiuttering of quail as they would rise and
fly from their pursuers. Those men were
positively hunting quail. Presently Two
of the party. Mr.. Granger and son, came
along near to where l was, and L called
out to them and said: "What are you
|
wered me that he was hunting quail and
that he was having poor luck in getting
them. l then said TO him: Don't you
knew that it is now unlawful to hunt
auail?' and he said: Eyes, know it is,
but L did not think there was anyone up
here to object" then said to him and
his son: II am game warden and now
place you under arrest" They were nom
residents of our county and stopping at
East Sound. 1 then arrested the other
party and at their urgent request we ar
ranged to meet at East Sound on the fol.
reached there the next morning our
county attorney, w. III. Wynn, appeared
upon the scene and promptly butted in.
He asked me what was up. / told him.
He then asked me what my charges
against those parties were, and what evil
dence of guilt had against them. told
him all and fully as above stated. Then
one of the party said they were hunting
coons Mr.. Wynn then said we would
not file complaint against them; that we
did not have evidence strong enough to
convict, and that we must drop the case
and release the defendants. So there was
no case filed in court. / saw at once that
I was up against job and 1 came home
feeling ''like 80 cents" But as an officer,
l felt that l had tried TO discharge my
sworn duty. Our county attorney is also