The morning journal-courier., 1908-11-06
Gang of Five Arrested at Union Tuesday by Deputy Game Warden Pease After
 Six Week Vigil.
PLEAD GUILTY TO CHARGE
And Are Fined $40 Apiece on Recon. mendatlon of State Wardens--- Civil War Veteran Among
 the Number.

Tn the round up of a gang of five bird snarers which occurred Tuesday noon at the town of Union. the game wardens of the state are of the opin- ion that they have broken. up one of the worst gangs that has ever carried on business in this state. The round up was only accomplished after six weeks of the most arduous duty on the part of the deputy game war dens in which 1t was necessary for them to get in on the inside of the gang and obtain evidence which final- ly led to their arrest and conviction.
 The town of Union, which is located about ten miles northwest of Stafford Springs, is the smallest town in the state, having only 70 voters and Is a typical country town. Because of this fact the efforts of the deputy game warden of that section to obtain information were practically futile. and tho only way by which the round up could be accomplished was to bring an outsider into the town giving him a non-resldenoe hunting license and have him deal with the violators.
 This was accordingly put into effect some six weeks ago and E. Linn Pease, deputy game warden was se- ected. Since that time Mir. Pease has managed by hard and faithful work to get into the good will of the snarers and by offering a very high bid was able to purchase a number of birds. The caution with which the dealers proceeded may be shown by the fact that they refused to treat with the deputy warden until he had shown his credentials which consisted of bank book showing an account in Rhode Island bank and an order from his employers to buy birds
 The traders finally after conducting him to tho barn of one of their num- her shut and locked the door and there completed the deal. The gang of five was made of rather old men among the number being a Cicil war veteran, Francis Martin. The rest of the hand was made up as follows: | Charles Scranton, Oscar Wiley, In whose barn tho trading took place, William H. Curtis and Edward Dim | ock.
 On Tuesday noon MT. Pease, ac- companied by another deputy whom | he had succeeded in introducing into the condolences of the gang, made his last visit to the barn and there show ing his shield placed the men under arrest. After the members of the band had recovered from their sur- prise they went along with the deputy and his assistant, offering no resist ance. Yesterday noon they were placed on trial before Justice Connor of Stafford Springs and all pleaded guilty to violating the game laws of the state.
 AS tho mon were very penitent and swore to quit the practice for good, the justice at the suggestion df the counsel for the state fined them each $40 Tho attorney for the state was William Leete of Hartford and the state war dens present were George T. Mathews son of Enfield and John M. Crampton of this city It was at the warden's sug- gestlon that the plea of leniency was offered as they said that 1t was not their object to prosecute but simply to wipe out the trade and as the men were old and penitent they thought that the minimum fine ought to be im- posed. If the counsel for the state IA