The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1912-04-26
ENGLAND'S SACRED BEAST.
Onwritten Law Against Shooting Even
Hen Eating Foxes.


Down In the country the other
day There was village sensation in
which | was called upon 20 adJudi-
cate for tic farmers assembled in
the parlor of the only village inn,"
writes the '.onlon correspondent of
Town and country. "One Of their
number hal lot fox which had
prowled a 4 among the fowls for
SO mans l. ghts that fowl keeping
was becom z risky business.
"The or. mary farmer does not
mind losiE., al occasional hen, but
reynard is Il greedy beast and kills
for the mere pleasure of the thing,
and the hunt does not always pay
up promptly. So here was fine
point in sporting etiquette to be
settled. The farmer had shot fox.
He did not deny it. In fact, he pre-
ferred to throw out his chest with
pride, as if in defiance of all the un-
written laws of British sport.
"Now, custom from time imme-
mortal has decreed that the fox
shall be as safe from gun and trap
as ii he were sacred. He belongs to
the hounds and must be allowed to
roam through the covers and farm
yards at will, devouring what may
Happen in his way. Custom, too,
demands that the hunt shall pay
the damages. The hunt generally
paws, though in innumerable cases
the secretary is we'll aware that he
Is being swindled.
"But this particular farmer said
ne had hunted for many years him
self and had never made claim for
lost heus. A year or two ago, how
ever, a fox had paid a nocturnal
visit to his fowl yard and had played
havoc with the feathered denizens.
A night or two after it happened
again. A third time the fox came
Ground and made most deplorable
moss of lot Of fine Wyandottes
and some expensive Buff Orping-
tons.
"Then the farmer wrote to the
hunt secretary and asked for dam
ages. The reply was that the claim
would be attended to shortly, and
at Christmas the settlement came
In the form of-a ham. Thereupon
the farmer declared war on all foxes
and killed them ruthlessly. And
this was the pint which puzzled tho
farmers on Saturday night.
Jim Crawford shot fox last
year, said one Of the men, and no
good has come to him since. It
amt lucky and it amt sportsman-
Like. Let 'em kill your hens. That's
what they are there for, and'if one
hunt secretary IA mean there are .
hundred who are generous
"There YOU have it. Sport is
sport and its rules are adamant. It
must, however, be put to the credit
of British hunt clubs that they
spend millions of pounds a year in
v les and Ireland for the
upkeep of 1 .sport.
'"Think e the hunters that are
bred and s. ID annually, the packs
of hounds, - hunts an, the stable
people, tie doze- Z hangers on
rho make living out of il With
out the hounds certain districts of
England would be depcpulated. ,
Leicestershre aud the midland
COURSES would be almost impover-
lshed if law were suddenly put in ,
force to make an end to the rich ,
mans pastime. Country houses in ;
districts may be had al.
most for the price of cottage in ,
Leicestershire, whereas in the ,
Quorn and Pytchley country a coun- !
Try house is as expensive, If not
more so, than a London mansion. /,
Instead of diminishing, hunting has !
yrcwn In popular favor"