Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-01-15
BRYAN FACES ARREST
Alleged to Have Broken the Game
Laws Of Virginia.


Alleged to Have Broken the Game
Laws Of Virginia.
William Jennings Bryan read in g
newspaper this afternoon that the
game warden of Fairfax county, Vir.
ginia, had announced that he intended
to ask for the arrest Of Mr.. Bryan and
his extradition to Virginia for trial or
charge of having violated a county
ordinance forbidding nonresidents tc
hunt game within the county lines
says a Washington letter Of Sunday
Mr. Bryan admitted that he had gone
rabbit hunting in Fairfax county or
Christmas day, but insisted that he
had not seen a rabbit or even the track
Of one.
Secretary Bryan indicated that he
knew the game warden couldn't prove
that Mr.. Bryan had shot any rabbits
The Bryan smile expanded, and the
Bryan laugh would have shaken the
rafters, If there had been any, as the
premier Of the cabinet read the news
paper article aloud with parenthetica1
remarks Of his own.
William Jennings Bryan, secretary
of state" read Mr.. Bryan, lis to be
hailed before the court Of Fairfax
county, Virginia, for violation Of the
county game laws, If H. C.. Cockrell
nf 10
out his expressed purpose. Mr.. Cock
rell today said he intended to ask that
a warrant be issued for Secretary Bry-
ans arrest and that he would prose-
cute the secretary Of state the same as
If the great commoner was an 'ordi.
narv wood chopper (Now what has
wood chopping to do with it?)
THE offense charged against Secre-
tary Bryan is alleged to have been
committed Christmas day. when the
secretary went to Fairfax county to
spend the day with John S. Barbour, a
member Of the Fairfax county bar
The two in hunting garb and armed
with shotguns, it is asserted, spen,
part of the day tramping over the hills
and deals in the vicinity Of Mr.. Bar
bours country place, but not even sc
much as a single rabbit rewarded their
efforts" ("That's right, and not even
a rabbit track.")
THE fact that the two hunters re-
turned with empty game bags, how
ever C"quite correctly "is not to save
Secretary Bryan from prosecution
declares Game Warden Cockrell. Vir-
ginia's game laws are peculiar in many
respects, one Of these peculiarities be-
ing that authority Is given to the board
of supervisors Of the counties to es-
tablish such regulations as they may
see fit in regard to hunting. Another
feature Of the state game laws is that
hunting Of any kind Of game is not
permitted when the ground is so COW
cred with snow as to make it possible
to track game.
THE hills and dales Of Fairfax coun-
ty were covered with several inches of
snow Christmas day." ("Now that's
spreading it pretty thick; there wasn't
enough snow to show a rabbit track" y
Furthermore, the board of supervi-
sors of Fairfax county, at meeting
held November "a last. adopted reg
ulation declaring it to be unlawful for
any person not a resident Of Fairfax
county to hunt at all within the coun-
tvs boundaries.
$50 the secretary of state is alleged
to have violated two portions Of the
states game laws The fact that the
violation was unwilling, 1t Is declared,
does not render Secretary Bryan i'm
mune from arrest and punishment
("Let me see: doesn't the secretary of
state have jurisdiction in eXtradition
matters? Id have to eXtradite myself
like that fellow in the .Mikado op-
era.")
Mr.. Cockrell, discussing the alleged
violation Of the law, said for publica-
ton:
Can we officers of the law halt into
court humble woodchoppers." c'That
woodchopper again') for violations of
the law, see them pay their hard earn
ed money into the Golfers Of the COM
monwealth Of Virginia and then, with
any degree of satisfaction, stand idly
by and wink at violations Of the same
law when the violators are men occu-
pying exalted positions in their COM
munity or in the affairs of the ma
tion? Personally speaking, l cannot,
and If witnesses can be found to tes-
tify to the fact Of the reported viola =
ton of the law by Secretary Bryan
and his host l shall at once ask for a
warrant for their arrest" c'But we
didn't even see rabbit or rabbit
track.D
There is entirely too much of a
spirit Of antagonism already among
the masses in regard to privileges
granted to the classes to allow this
matter to go unnoticed." Cum um.'O
have the highest personal regard for
the tu.- gentlemen, but If they are
guilty of the violation of the law with
which they stand charged in the pub
lie prints. desire to do my duty"
("YOu NAV say that the secretary OF