Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1912-10-03
SHORTAGE ON
GAME LICENSES
STATE GAME WARDEN so RE-
PORTS TO GOVERNOR.
SEVERAL COUNTIES ARE INVOLVED
State Game Warden Finley Reports
Shortages of Thousands of Dollars
Since New Law Went Into Effect
in 1907.


in 1907.
Salem, Oct. 1.-State Game War
den William L. Finley has filed a
sensational report with Governor
West in which he charges that the
state of Oregon has, in the last few
years, been defrauded out of thou
sands of dollars by various county
clerks. All this has been done since
the present code of game laws went
into effect in 1905.
Amount POcketed.
Getting down to brass tacks, the
game warden states the sum in all
amounts to $10,761.S6 and that it
clerks of the counties of Curry, Jack
son, Lake, Tillamook and Lane, al
though there may be later revela-
tions that will implicate other Off
cials. By October 10 Mr.. Finley
hopes to have the information in
such shape tnat the governor or the
state board can, if it wishes, begin
legal proceedings for the recovery of
the money. This immense amount,
he says, was filched about equally
from the receipts from the fines and
from the game license fund.
Special Cases Noted.
Referring to some of the more ag-
gravated cases the warden says
Il wish especially to call your at
tention to some of the following
cases: In Curry county we find G.
w. Smith, county clerk, behind
81 ,5S5, which is due the game pro-
tective fund. In 1905 Smith issued
hunting licenses to the amount of
$196, but remitted only $40; in
1906 he collected $9O6, but remitted
only $19; in 1897 he COLLECTED $2S5,
but remitted nothing; in 1908 he
collected $45S, but nothing was re-
mitted.
In Jackson county, w. r. Cole
man withheld and used for his own
private purposes over $4,000 in
back license moneys. This we COM
PEELED Coleman to pay in some time
ago. In going over the records of his
office more carefully it was found
there were duplicate stubs for the
years 1906, 1906, 1907, 1908; for
the years 1909, 1910 and 1911 ii
was found Coleman was still 1915
behind. Although we have no license
stubs for the years 1905 and 1908,
the records of the state treasurer S
office in 1905 show $436 was turned
in; in 1906, $3.50; in 1907, $2,149;
! in ions Q1 GA will
that whereas the money has been in
creasing very rapidly from 1906 tC
1907, in 1908 it dropped to 81, 1,614
which was $685. lower than the pre-.
vious year AS there are no records
in Coleman's office we cannot show
the cause for this big decrease.
In Lake County.
In Lake county we find that while
E. w. Jaquish was clerk in 1907
there were issued hunting licenses
amounting to $S7 According to the
records of the state treasurer's office
the amount was never paid into the
game protective fund. Jaquish is M
longer in Lakeview but in California
In Tillamook county we find ]
c. Holden, the county clerk in 1909
according to the records, issued an
glers' licenses amounting to $551
the combination licenses amounted tt
$16O. We find no duplicate stubs
showing the number of hunters Ii
censes that were issued. The record
show that $771 was due the gam
protective fund. The records of th
state treasurer's office show $50
was remitted during the year, whicl
) leaves $113 due the game protectiv
fund.
Requirement of Statutes.
According to the statutes, one
half of the fine moneys collected TO
violation of the game laws shoul
be paid to the state treasurer. Dur
ing the time William Reid was jus
tice of the peace in Portland, we fin
twelve different cases where fine
were imposed for violations of gam
laws, and fines to the extent of neal
ly $500 were assessed, and $3.50 j
still due the state. We find no rec
ord where this money has bee
turned into the county treasury b
Reid, Reid was elected June 2, 1870:
and served three terms. Reid RI
ferred us to the records of the offic,
-. but these show no indication wher
I this money is.
In Lane county during sever;
years past we have a record of 4
;; different cases of violations of gan
laws where fines were assessed. A
ter the amount of costs has been d,
h Quoted in these cases we find SOFAS
'. is due.
t "As some of this money has r
y Gently been sent to the state trea
; urer's office, we shall have to chez
). over these accounts. By October ]
r we shall be in position to furnis
you a'complete report of the mon,
# still due the game protective fun
- and at that time we shall be reaC
h to proceed legally to collect tn
= money"