Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-16
GOVERNS BEE TREES
IN NEW YORK STATE
Lawyer Finds HimselfIIelp-
less Before Woodsman' S
Logic, Who Has Put His
Mark on an Oak.

Persons who are returting to New York
from their vacations are telling the usual
hear and fish stories that have gone the
rounds for ages, but an unusual tale
has been brought to town by ]. 3. Scott,
a lawyer Of New York and Newburgh
Mr. Scott entertained a group of his old
classmates at the Yale Club the other
dav for half an hour by telling them
how. deep in the Catskill woods he
learned something about "the common
law of sullivan County" which he had
never seen in any law book.
The lawyer was spending his vacation
at n fishing club on the Orchard Lake
TROUT Preserve, eight miles from Living
ston Manor in Sullivan County. He has
been the clubs counsel for years and is
familiar with every acre of the clubs s
domain. 1t was while he was tramping
over the Catsklll ranges early in August
that he was startled by the sound of a
tree falling about half a mile away.
with Nir. Scott we're several other
members of the club and the assistant
gam, neepcr oil the preserve. The lawyer
expressed the opinion that some woods
man must be trying to steal a tree, and
he proposed to investigate The fisher
men went to a meadow bordering the
woods and in the distance they saw
smoke curling from the top of the forest
They cut into the woods again and went
as fast as possible to the smoldering fire.
Soon the group of investigators, with
MIR. Scott in the lead, saw the lone
woodsman. The woodsman was saving
through q big oak tree which he had
felcd He was making so much noise
and was so much engrossed in his work
that he did not see the group OF men
who were surrounding him His head
was bent low and the club members
could sec nothing but u big brimmed
black head and a sack which the man
had over his shoulders. All about him
was smoke and he coughed occasionally
as If suffocating. Mr.. Scott was within |
ten feet of the woodsman when he called |
out:
''What does this mean and who are
you?"
Bees" the woodsman replied, with |
out showing the least concern and with
out turning up his face. He just kept |
on saving.
"Who gave you permission to saw down
tree in these woods?" Mr.. Scott de-
manded.
Bees" again replied the woodsman
Don't get so close or you'll get stung"
The party retreated at this warming
and from a safe distance they continued
to ask questions. but they could get no
satisfaction until the trunk of the tree
was severed. Then the wOodsman
Strengthened up. He was fully six feet
three inches in height. Around his face
and neck he wore pink mosquito net
ting which appeared to have been ripped
from peach basket. His whisiers stuck
out through the pink netting. Thousands
of bees hummed all about him, but he
was not worried in the least.
what you all want?" he clustered.
Look out for the bees They won't hurt
me because they're afraid of the smoke,
but they might sting you.'
I'VE want TO know who gave you per-
mission to cut down tree on this pre-
serve Mr.. Scott demanded.
"rhc tree was no good; it was rotten"
replied the woodsman.
why did you cut 1t down."
'Want Il bit of honey for the winter
Can't yc see what I'm doin'?"
But who gave you permission"
Don't need no permission" came the
reply Got my initials on the tree"
What intials?" asked the lawyer, not
grasping the situation at al.
Il found this tree some time ago." said
the man. still at a distance. II don't
want the tree, but I want the honey. It's
my initials and therefore it's my honey,
don't yc see?'
The lawyer, who had visions of an au-
tomobile trip to Livingston Manor for a
court summons, became Interested and
braved the bees. He went up to the
smoking tree and looked for himself.
He found that the wOodsman, after cut
ting down the tree, had built n fire near
q hole in the trunk where the bees had
their hive. and that he had then cut out
the section containing the hive
It's like this" the woodsman explained
through the peach basket netting. up
here in sullivan County mans got a
right 10 all the honey he can find. These !
Mid bees don't belong to nobody, and the
Noodpeckcrs eats them like crumbs. The
nan who spots a tree in which there are
bees gets the honey if he ~uts his initials
Il the tree. l cut my initials in the tree
u the spring, and | figured that there
vas quite 4 lot of honey by this time, and S
don't want anybody else to rob me of i
But what about the tree?" asked the ,
aWyer
That belongs to you, of course, and l o
alnt got no right to the tree. but the a
ohey.s mine. If there's going TO be any
usS about this I'll buy the tree from you 4
r else you'l buy the honey from me. I
HatS my right, and you can't keep me l.
rom having what's right" b
me lawyer took sensible view Of the
nWntten law and told the woodsman 5
Hat ne could have the honey, and that a
his time. a
hut don't let me catch you on these il
Ieilllses again." he warned the woods =
nan We nave signs all over the place II
y Nm,ainlns ,i,.i that trespassing is forbidden" n
iuey naint got nothing TO do with
,es, r"torted the woodsman. f
All lEit,' said the lawyer, IF that's Il
i' IN sullivan County Wen have to live a
? 10 the law" and the group of inves- Il
J"l'Ia lett the man scratching the in l'
oney. d
SHOTS SMASH TARGETS IL