Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1908-06-26


For some time past there has been
at intervals mem hers of dogs poisoned
about town, The werk has evidenti,
been done by some party or parties
| who by their acts show tnemselye!
most mean and conte mptible.
Last week there were again several
valuable dogs, animals that were
| highly priced by their owners, killed
by poison and among the lot was q
very excellent bird dogs owned by
States Attorney A. B. Noll.
Mr. Noii very promptly denounced
the act through the public press and
offered a reward Of 500 for the infor
nation which would lead to the arrest
and conviction ofthe p erson who com
| mitted the act. Dog poisoning is &
crime and the fellow who engages in
the act will have to ply his acts with
| great secrecy or he will land in prison
In speaking of the law on this mat
| ter Mr.. Noll says:
Our legislature at its special session
in 1907 enacted the following INV:
"That il shall be lawful, if he 50
choose, for the owner Of any dog to
have the same listed by the County as
SCISSOR of any county in this state, the
same as all OF aer personal property is
listed aud taxed; and when the owner
of any such dog shall have paid the
ia xes assessed against the same, such
dog shall be deemed property in the
meaning of the law"
This law was passed March 4, 1907,
and went into effect 90 days after its
passage. Under this statute | had
"Jackp assessed, along with my Other
pc rsonal property, in the manner re-
quired by law at valuation of $50. /
have paid the taxes and he became as
much my property under the law az
my horse or any other article l pos
sess.
The legislature at the same time
enacted another law which is as fol-
lows.
.Any person VIII o shall willfully,
unlawfully or maliciously steal, poi
son, wound or kill any suc Oh dog OF
Aogsr shall upon conviction be punish
ed as provided by law for stealing,
poisoning, ~onnding Or killing other
property; and the owner of any sue
dog or dogs, so stolen, wounded, pois-
oned, or killed, after complying with
the provisions of this act, may Ihave a
right of action in damages against any
such person or persons guilty of the
violation of the provisions of this act,
for the same not exceeding the assessed
value of such dog or dogs
Turning to the general statute re-
ferred to by this act find the follow
ing.
"If a person maliciously administer
poison to, or expose it with intent that
| it should be taken by any Lorse, cattle
or other beast, of another person, or if
any person maliciously MAIN, kill OF
cause the death of any horse, cattle OF
o her beast, of another person, of the
value of twenty dollars or more, he
hall be confined in the penitentiary
! not less than one nor more than five
years; and if of less value than twenty
dollars. he shall be confined In Jail
not morel than three months, and fine
not 10 IRE than fifty dollars, on the
| discretion of the court. Provided that
this section shall not be construed to
include dogs.
The exception to this act which was
passed in 1882, has been repealed by
the foregoing acts relating to dogs sc
that it now includes dogs, provided
they have been made property under
the foregoing statute.