Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-27
Bird Shooting.
To the Editor Of The Evening Star:

10 the Eultor Oh lne Evening
Here in my EMPOWERED home, sitting at
my open window, the song birds are
numerous and joyful as ever. chirping and
carolng as merrily and sweetly as before
the rumpus that was kicked up the other
day. Even the mischievous and saucy
crows. always rather shy and hard to get
shot at, are passing temptingly near. The
rascals seem to know when Sunday comes
1t may be somewhat gratifying to The
Stars correspondent of the 18th instant
to learn that the song bird and / have
made up and resumed our former friendly
relations. They know that the standing
order on my premises has been: Don't
disturb the BIRDS No man Is a better
friend toibirds than am, and always have
been In our conference they admitted
they had treated me badly in devourtng all
trying toaget "a share Of them. Forty dol
lars worth of cherries means something
to an amateur fruit grower
Technically. l admit that by shooting GER
tain birds l violated law Of the District
of Columbia, but circumstances alter cases
There Is law against one man killing
another; but homicide Is not necessa rily
murder; 1t Is sometimes 1ustifable. Moral
science teaches self-protection Is the first
law of nature. The defense of home and
property Is equally incumbent upon every
one. In killing the birds / was only irving
to save my property-not "a few berries"
letter Of the 14th instant I said nothing
about berries.
Maj Sylvester and Sergeant Anderson
have known me well for many years. They
are broad-minded men, know how to dis
criminate and are fearless in the discharge
of their duties. and / am satisfied that they
regard me as man of similar cast AS
to the verdict of your fair-minded readers
l have no misgivings. The law here as
cited by Mr.. Evans, is altogether too sweep
Ing and arbitrary. Good reasons may arise
why we should sometimes take such a law
in our own hands in my case No one
would more strenuously advocate and en-
force law against cruelty and wantonly
killing the kind of birds referred to than /.
The mistake / made was in shooting Some
other way must be adopted to prevent their
ravages.
1 am glad that the above was not SUBJ
mitted several days ago for a lady has
entered the arena with her pen dipped in
gall and bristling all over with fight But
she can get no fight out of me. l am both
TOO smart and too much of ladys man
to engage In a controversy with a woman.
especially with one In the mood In which
Miss or Mrs! Armour seems to be.
IT Will be remembered by many readers
Of The Star that this is not the first time
l have been under fire and charged with
violation OF the law. Some years ago when
l was in dread Of chicken thieves one morn
ing. from all appearances. one had been
shot on my premises. The hen house door
was despatched with blood and there was
a pool on the ground close by. There were
spots Of blood traced through the premises
to the outer fence l had 100 large posters
printed and stuck UP for miles around Of
ferfng $25 reward for the name Of or such
Information as would lead to the discovery
of the party who had apparently been so
seriously wounded and possibly killed. But
still had my SIS. An old rooster whose head
had cut off had supplied the blood The
ruse was a perfect success. But 1t Is still
believed by some, perhaps. that had killed
imam and brother" Some years after 1t
was reported in long article published In
one OF the city papers that a black thief
had been shot and killed in my garden or
watermelon patch. short time after a
negro boy was killed on Florida avenue by
lady. hence the readiness with which the
head line and catch word readers believed
that I WIS In for 1t. But the late Col
Moore. chief OF police, was up to the trick,
He told those who were clamoring for my
arrest that there was no law against KILL
ing crows. w. LEE WHITE.