The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-11-04
Hunters Pay Heavy
Fine For Violating Law


John and F. w. Bear, of Ferndale
Whatcom county, were arrested neal
their home last Thursday on war
rant sworn to by Deputy Game War
den Langell, of East Sound, anC
were brought here Friday to stanc
trial in Justice William E. Randles
court on the charge of having hunted
and killed deer without license
Both men pleaded guilty to the
charge and were assessed a fine
which together with the costs
amounted to $4,000 each, which
they paid. The Bellingham Herald
of last Sunday says:
'The two victims of the San Juan
county game authorities returned
to this city last night. after having
paid their fines, determined that the
next time they went to any part of
San Juan county to hunt they would
pay the measly little dollar for IL
cense that would give them the
right to kill the fleet-footed deer.
The two Bear brothers were ar
rested on October 27. They had
been hunting on Mt. Constitution
with a third hunter from this coun-
ty and were returning to Olga with
two deer that had been slain. In
the open road near Olga the hunters
were met by deputy game war
den. He was a pleasant sort of fell
low. passed the time of day with
the Ferndale brothers, and then asked
the hunters if they happened to be
carrying licenses.
''To be sure the hunters had their
licenses. but. unfortunately for
them, the little slips of paper had
been left up on the hillside with
their coats. The game warden took
down the names given by the hunt
ers and agreed to see them next
morning, when the licenses could
be shown.
Nov the Bear brothers claim
that they went to the justice of the
peace at Olga the next morning and
talked the matter over with him.
and say they were informed that no
serious offense had been committed
and that they could go on to their
homes. They declare that they were
ready to settle for any fine that
might have been imposed at that
time" It is only fair to Mr.. Rice.
Justice of the Peace at Olga, to say
that the men gave him assumed
names and produced licenses that
were not theirs but were borrowed
for the occasion.
The Herald further says:
Without keeping their morning
engagement with the deputy game
warden of the county of San Juan,
the Bear brothers with their COM
rade, boarded their little boat,
crossed the bay and sailed up the
Nooksack river to Ferndale, from
which place they went to- their
home. A few days later the deputy
sheriff from Olga was on their trail,
and, with the aid Of a Ferndale
man, who happened to be at Olga
when the little meeting between the
game warden and the hunters oc-
cured. succeeded in locating his
men at Ferndale. With Deputy
Sheriff Warren Slater, the deputy
warden from San Juan county went
out to the Bear ranch, arrested the
two young men and brought them
to this city, taking them to Friday
Harbor on the first boat.
..The hearing before Justice OF
the Peace Randles at Friday Harbor
was short but sweet. When the
court imposed the fine OF $lOO the
two local hunters were almost
knocked off their feet. They paid
up. however, and returned to this
city last night.
"For the last several years the
sportsmen of San Juan county have
openly sought to prevent local men
from hunting the big game on the
islands but they have found no way
to keep the nimrods out. In this
county. when q hunter is caught
without a license, the fine is usually
about $40, with some slight costs.
San Juan county looks upon this
offense with more serious frown,
apparently, when Whatcom county
man is the defendant. =
There has never been any disposi-
ton on the part of the authorities
| in this county to prevent outsiders
from hunting here providing the
law has been complied with. These
men knew the law but tried to evade
It and the islander believes that tht
fine assessed was none too heavy. i
IS true that deer at 500 each ar
somewhat Of ! luxury but that they
cost these hunters more than N.O(
each. the cost Of = alicense, IS no faul'
az the officers of San Juan county
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