Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1914-08-07
TO ENFORCE FRESH
WATER FISH LAWS
Commissioner sterett Gave Out State.
ment Of Facts on the Law.

Austin. Texas, Aug. 7.-Game Com.
missioner Sterett has sent out the fol.
lowing:
This is the time OF year when
most violations OF the fresh water fish
laws occur The streams have run
low, and II has in the past been a com
mon practice to trap, net. seine,
muddy. ditch and dynamite the fresh
water streams for the purpose OF tax.
ing fish from them. This department
is very anxious to enforce the law
this year against such depredations.
We will certainly appreciate all
efforts made by you to prevent such
depredations and to prosecute those
who have and will hereafter break the
law. We are writing this to you for
the purpose OF especially calling your
attention TO these facts and OF urging
you to get busy. This is also the
time OF year when violations OF the
game law are frequent. especially in
the killing OF doves and quail.
As you doubtless already under
stand, II is unlawful TO take FISH from
the public fresh waters OF this State
except by the following manner:
Hook and line (which includes Do.
wagiac and all other lure bats used
at the end OF line); trot line, drag
seine. the meshes OF which are not
less than three inches square; set net
(which means what is commonly call
ed fyke or hoop or barrel metz the
meshes OF which are not less than
three inches square; and trammel net,
the meshes Of no part Of which are
less than four inches square.
"The law OF this State declares that
all streams so far as they have an
average width Of thirty feet or more
are public streams. A part OF a
stream being in land survey does
not change any part Of the stream, so
for as its public character is concern.
ed. relative to fishing and hunting.
It is all public. Lakes lying in the
valleys OF public streams and inclosed
in land surveys are not ordinarily pub.
lie fresh water.
1--WE have found by experience that
a most excellent way to discover the
guilt of parties who have deprecated
is to institute courts OF inquiry before
magistrates. This is usually done I'M
der articles 967 and 977, page 27S OF
the code o. criminal procedure adopt
ed in the revised statutes OF 1911.
which read as follows:
Article 976. Justices may summon
witnesses to disclose crime.-When a
justice OF the peace has good cause to
believe that an offense has been or Is
about to be committed against the
laws of this State, he may summon
and examine any witness or witnesses
in relation thereto, and II II shall ap-
pear from the statement OF any wit.
ness or witnesses that an offense has
been committed. the justice shall re-
duce said statements to writing and
cause the same to be sworn to by the
witness or witnesses making the same
and there-upon such justice shall is
sue a warrant for the arrest OF the
offender, the same as II complaint had
been made out and filed against each
offender
Article 977, Witnesses may be fin.
ed, etc, for refusing to make state.
ments. etc.-Witnesse summoned I'M
der the preceding article who shall re-
fuse to appear and make a statement
OF facts under oath shall be guilty of
a contempt OF court, and may be fined
not exceeding 800. and may be at
tached and imprisoned until they
make such statement"
80.