The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-09-14
TRIED FOR CATICIDE.
Englishman Pays Heavy Fine In Italy
for killing Feline.

iUE hulluS Fcllucs
In Harper's w. L. Alden writes anus
ingly of an incident in his wanderings
In Itaiy, where ne Defriended a touring
Englishman accused of running over
and causing the death of a cat. The
author volunteered as Interpreter and
this Is his account of the trial.
The Judge bowed to me in recogni-
ton OF my good Offices. and was
about to ask for his permission to
make statement, when he waved his
hand. implying that / should wait I'M
til the witness had been examined. l
knew what that magistrates hand
wished to say as If he had spoken au-
dibly and at length.
Five men and two women severally
swore that they were onwers in part
of the deceased cat. and that it had
been wickedly and purposely killed by
the accused. Four other witnesses,
who disclaimed any ownership to the
cat, sustained the testimony of the
seven cat-owners. and described the
death of the animal with wealth of
Indignation that would have been JUS
tilted only in the case of wanton kill
ing of an exceptionally valuable baby
Then the magistrate turned to the
Englishman and solemnly said: 'Ac-
cused! 1t Is established by the testi-
mony of these good people that you
have killed cat. Moreover, that it
was an important cat, belonging to the
seven bereaved persons whose names
the clerk will now read aloud
THE seven names were read, and
the magistrate asked the Englishman
If he had anything to say in his de-
tense.
Il replied for him. saying that he
did not understand Italian and wished
me to act as interpreter. l said that
neither of us could understand how
the cat could possibly have seven own
ers. and that the Englishman wished
to have this matter explained.
Here in Piacenza. replied the
magistrate, gently. 1t is not uncom-
mon for prominent cat to have
several owners. If a person cannot
afford to keep an entire cat, he joins
with others who take shares in the cat
and become its joint owners. This
lamented animal who met with such
a sudden and painful death was. as
have said, the property of the seven
persons now in court, and they are
entitled to payment for their sad loss
II translated the magistrates ex-
PLANTATION to the Englishman. whore
ceived it with an impassive face and
the remark that it was 'deuced rum
To my inquiry as to what he might
wish me to say in his defense he re-
piled:
"'Oh, killed the cat straight
enough. Tell the beak that I did it
because I was trying not to kill an
old woman. Tell him l did knock an
old woman down and am ready to pay
damages for it. but blessed if I'm
going to pay for beastly cat
"The magistrate waved the matter
of the old woman aside as of trivial
Importance.
NO complaint has been made as to
the complete or partial killing of any
old woman. he remarked. What is
now before the court is the far more
important affair of the cat. havf lie
most profund respect for the noble
English nation and would gladly show
to your friend any possible favor, but
justice must be maintained. there
fore decree that he shall pay to each
owner of the deceased cat francs.
besides a fine of 10 francs more. maxi
ing in all IS francs. Unless this is
paid must commit him to prison.
THE Englishman. after some little
argument on my part, decided that
resistance Was useless. He paid over