The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-06-19
ENFORCING T6t LAW
AUDUBON SOCIETY MAKING ITS
POWER FELT.
Secretary Rice Has Ferreted Out Men
Who Raided Breeding Colonies Of
Herons Near Charleston.

l..
tary of the South Carolina Audubon
Society, was in Charleston Wednes-
day, and stated to a representative
of The News and Courier that he
had succeeded in dealing telling
blow to those who pursue the unlaw-
full business of shooting herons for
their plumes. Two weeks ago, Mr..
Rice was informed that plume hunt
ers were at work near Charleston.
Two men visited two colonies of
breeding herons near that city, and
either shot, or tried to shoot, the
herons in order to obtain the plumes,
which they wear during the breed
Ing season, and for which millions
are willing to pay a fabulous price.
Mr.. Rice did not say much, but he
did O great deal. He notified the
Clyde Line and the Southern EX-
press Company not to ship any heron
plumes. and he sent orders to the
game wardens all along the coast to
be on the watch; and, as result,
the guilty persons were identified
in very short time.
At about Midnight on Monday,
Warden L. A. Beckman, of McClel-
lanville, learned that plume hunters
were at work in the preserves or
the Santee Gun Club. The colony
of American Egrets on these pre-
serves is the only colony known to
exist north of Florida, and the birds
are afforded the strictest protection
by the club authorities. Warden
Beckman summoned two men to
help, and at once started for the
scene of the trouble. The warden
himself did not catch the men, but
his two assistants saw them shoot
ing the herons and picking up the
dead birds and recognized the men
az Arthur Lambert, white, and Rob-
ert Green, colored.
Mr.. Beckman then hunted up Mag
istrate Moore and swore out warrants
for Lambert and Green. They were
on the boat which was about to leave
for Georgetown, and the magistrate S
constable endeavored to serve the
warrants upon them on the vessel.
This, however, Capt. Graham refused
to allow.
The constable then went on board
the boat and made the trip to George
town with the two men. In Sampit
River, opposite the Winyah Lumber
Compan's plant in Georgetown, Lam
bert seized a life-preserver and
jumped overheard. He was strong
swimmer and managed to reach the
shore and make good his escape.
In Georgetown the warrants were
countersigned and were placed in
the hands of Deputy Sheriff Jake
Ward. Green was arrested. The
white man, lambert, has SO far
evaded arrest, but She1iff Scurry
is using every effort tc apprehend
the man, and there is every likeli-
hood that he Will soon be captured,
Secretary Rice states that his in
formation is that Lambert is an ex-
perienced plum hunter, who has been
in the business for several years
He will be tried, in the event of his
capture, along with Green at McClel-
lanyille, and Secretary Rice will be
present at the trial Mr.. Lotion, OF
McClellanvillc, will represent the
State.
Secretary Rice is confident. that
this piece of work on the part oi
the Audubon Society will do much
to discourage the plumers who carry
on their cruel and unlawful business
on this coast. He states that the
Society has never failed to catcl,
a man, when once his trai! has been
taken up, and that the prosecution
Of the work on the coast will be
pushed with the greatest vigor. This
particular instance is Of special in
terest in Charleston. since Il branch
of the Audubon Society was organic,
ed there recently. and since the