The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-10
RENOWNED HUNTERS RETURN ID FRIENDS Birmingham Men Discuss Ar-
 rest In Louisiana WERE GIVEN NO WARNING They Had Hunted in Same Place for Last Eight Years and Were Not
 Aware of Law Passed
 Last June.

After thrilling adventures, which caused their friends at home no little ex- citement, the duck hunters are again in Birmingham.
 They arrived on an early morning tram yesterday, and as soon as they arrived in the business section of the city they walked into the wide-stretched arms of their friends
 The friends of the hunters had prepared a brass band reception to welcome the re- turn of the adventurers, but they were not expected on the first train of the day. So the station was comparatively empty when they ahghted.
 Arch Henderson was the first to put his foot on the ground. He expressed rehel that few people were abroad. In raplu succession F. L. Brown, E. K. Campbell Hamilton Stiles, J. D. Kirkpatrick, Frank Fowlkes, A. w. Nelson and W. H. 1onn- ston dismounted from the Pullman. They shook hands and scattered. But ourinS tne day they were rounded up and forced to tell all about their adventures
 Several days ago, while shooting ducks in Louisiana waters the aforementioned Birmingham men were arrested for vio- lating the game laws of that state. They were carried to New Orleans, where after certain delay, they were given trial In sl. Bernard parish court over which Judge Hingie presides. Bach of the hunt CTS was dned $50 for violating the game laws. and the party was fined s5 for hav- ing in it's possession 80 ducks. In addition to this $500 ar additional s2oo was tackled cn to defray the costs of the court
 The judge was exceedingly ienient, it is stated in assessing a fine as small as $iooO. Frank M. Miller, the Louisiana game commissioner. endeayored to have the full force of the law vented on the Alabama marksmen. Had this point been carried the fine would have totalled sSSO0, for the party, when arrested In lAko Borgne, had in It's possession about 26o of the web-footed water fowls.
 From the time of the arrest until tho trial Tuesday afternoon the adventure Of the Birmingham hunters was the talk of the city. At the clubs the sad result Of
 
 mept. A number of humorous telegrams were sent to the prisoners, and more than one Birmingham man offered to go to the scene of the trouble. When The Age Herald announced yesterday morning tnas on the previous afternoon the men had heen brought to trial the adventure be- ceme even more amusing, and plans were
 fun ot the K pense of the, hunters. It was planned to meet the train on which they were to re- turn with a brass band, and to have large number of people present But probably due to the fact that the party suspected something of the kind, the re- turn home was made on the A. G. s., which reached Birmingham in the early morning hours. But this ruse did not put an end to the fun. Throughout yes- terday little parties visited the business offices of the eight adventurers to extend congratulations and sympathy.
 The gentlemen talk freely of their little misfortune They do deny, however, that they had been warned against hunting in Louisiana waters. They claim that they had hunted there every season for the past eight years, and did not realize that they were breaking the game laws or the state, which went into effect last June. In th,s connection E. L. Brown makes the following statement:
 "On account of the reports sent broad cast to the effect that we were warned of the laws, or that we intentionally vio- lated the laws of Louisiana, we feel It due to ourselves to state that such statements are untrue. A party of us have Tor SIX O, eight years past been going to the gulf and amending a week in duck. hunting. w. did this year just as we have done in tbe past. and sailed from Pass Christian, where we have several times sailed from before. and we go there because 1t is more convenient by rail to reach that point. We were ignorant of the fact that a license to shoot was required, and no one warned us or notified us that H. cense was required in Louisiana After being charged with the violation of the law we were informed that the law has been in force in Louisiana since last June, It did not occur to us to make any in uuiries because in former years there has been no necessity for us to do so. After hearing the reports that we had been warned we voluntarily returned to New Orleans to correct the false impression made by the report. We went to the au- thorities and paid a heavy penalty for our action We were told that ours was the first party that had been overhauled un- der the operation of the game laws. We repeat that we had no warning or notice beforehand"