Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1907-05-24

To the Editor of the Statesman-De M
ocrat;-
| have received many calls
from residents of the County inquir-
ing about the stock law voted upon in
fine several districts at the last election.
In order that everyone may have the
benefit of it l take this occasion to
furnish you a copy of it and trust you
will see fit to print it in your paper.
II is as follows:
3a. [. THAT it shall be unlawful
for any cattle, mules, horses, sheep,
hogs, goats or geese, to run at
large, aud should such stock
while running at large destroy
or injure the property of an
orher, the owner of such stock, shall
pay to the party whose property may
be Injured or destroyed, the amount of
damages sustained by him, by reason
of such destruction or injury. And
the party 50 injured, may, if he find
such stock on his premises, retain
them or a sufficient number thereof,
until the said damages, and costs of
keeping, be paid.
3a. H. 1t shall be the duty of the
person retaining such stock to imme-
diately notify the owner thereof, if he
be found in the county, of the injury
or destruction of such property, and
the detention of his stock, the amount
of damages he has sustained thereby,
and the costs of keeping the same.
Such notice shall be in writing And
fthe said damages and costs be not
psid, or are considered excessive, the
owner of such stock shall forthwith
give notice in writing to the person so
OBTAINING his stock that he has APP
pointed one freeholder, naming him to
ascertain the damages the person de-
tanning his stock has sustained, by
reason of said stock running Mt large.
On receipt of such notice the person
detaning the stock shall forthwith APP
point one freeholder, and the two free
holders thus appointed shall appoint
a third freeholder. After being duly
sworn, the said freeholders together
shall ascertain the injury, damages
and costs the person OBTAINING the said
stock has sustained, the cost for feed
ing, which in no event shall exceed
that allowed a sheriff for feeding like
stock, and fifty cents each for the
aroltrators; PROVIDED, lhal the per
son asking for the arbltratlon shali
pay The costs II ne falls To reduce ths
amount claliaeu oy tle person ue-
tanning the STOCK. Anu II Tie arol-
traitors nhd tnat the amount OF dshla-
ges claimed was excessive, the person
so detalnlng such STOCK snall pay the
costs, OUT III elther case ne snall re-
ceNeaL damages the sslu aroltratTs
ma ne has sustained. Shoulo either
party TAIL or refuse 10 make the aP-
polnVment TINS act requires Wlthin
tWenIy-four hours AFTER receiving sue n
notice, any justice OF the county may
do SO on application OF elther party,
And the hnding or the arnltrators shali
be final. II the oWnerer aSeas u any
such stock be not found IN the county,
tneperson SO detaining the stock shaii
advertise 1t for sale, by posting at lease
three notices at three pubic places IN
the county, in which notices snail De
stated the time, terms and place OF
sale, together with description OF the
property to be sold, for which notice
he shall be allowed forty cents. After
having posted notices as aforesaid Tor q
be lawful for the party so injured TO
sell said stock for caah, to the highest
bidder, unless the damages and cost be
sooner paid. In either case the person
so injured may, after tie damages and
costs have been aseertained as provld-
ed in this act, deliver the property 10
constable of the district TO be sold as
IN other cases. The proceeds whereof,
after deducting the amount of dam
ages and costs, shall be paid to the
owner of said stock, if he shall make
application therefor, within six months
after said sale. And if no such appli-
cation be made within the said six
months, the said residue shall be paid
INTO the hands of the sheriff, for the
benefit of free schools of the district
wherein such sale takes place, and the
person paying over to the sheriff said
residue shall take from the sheriff duT
ileatd receipts therefor, one of which
he shall retain, and the others shall be
delivered 10 the clerk of the eOuQty