The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-02-28

William Shakespeare was a we'll
known game poacner before he be-
came a playwright. He particularly
liked to hunt on Sir Thomas Lucy's
estate, because SIR Thomas fiercely
objected to his doing so. The fact that
the estate was guarded and that there
was danger in being caught was just
as much an inducement to young
Shakespeare to hunt on Sir Thomas
land as the fine game to be found
there. The famous game preserve on
St. Vincent's Island offered the same
kind of inducements to three Franklin
county men the other day. The is
land is ordinarily very quiet place
and the noises from the hunting
party's artillery set a Waterman on
the island to investigating and the
hunters were caught in the act ana
so the story is out.
H. L. Flowers, a city commissioner,
DR.. Chas. H. Noble, prominent den
fist, and Brady Goodwin, collector
in the loan business, in the employ of
Mr.. Flowers, all of Apalachicola, are
the three modern Shakespeares whose
love for the hunt has recently in
volved them in a little difficulty.
st. VinCent's Island, the private es-
tate and game preserve on which
, these hunters sought their game, be
longs to DR.. V. Mott Pierce, the medi-
cine man, of Buffalo, n. Y, his two
brothers and his mother. This island
is said to be the second greatest p4.i-
vate game preserve in the United
States, there being over a thousand
! Virginia, Osceola, Sanbur and Japa-
/ nese deer on it, besides many wild
/ hogs, including some German wild
boars, several flocks of wild turkeys,
a large number of wild ducks and
some quail and snipe. The island is
/ about seven miles from Apalachicola
! and has been the home of the Pierce
family for the last ten years. Tres
| passing and hunting are forbidden on
the island and five watchmen are en-
ployed to protect the island from tres
| passers and from fires. The island
contains more than 1000 acres and is
valued at more than 100000.
But list the tale: Last Thursday
morning or the night before, Messrs.
Flowers, Noble and Goodwin, motored
out from Apalachicola with their
hunting equipment to point opposite
st. Vincent's Island, where they left
+ the car and embarked in a small boat
/ for the island, two miles across the
bay. The party landed, left the boat
/ at the waters edge and a little dis
lance up on the shore built a camp
fire and established headquarters. One
of the watchnlen on the island, A. B.
Warren, early Thursday morning
heard several shots, and investigating
came upon the camp fire and boat
but the visitors were not in sight
Warren decided not to enter the woods
in search of the trespasses, but wait
ed by the boat for them to come tt
him. He did not have long to wait
for Fl. 1. Flowers soon came up anC
in a short time was followed by Good
win and little later Noble made his
appearance. Warren warned the tres,
passers off the island and after as
sisting them in getting off, went t.
the superintendent of the island anc
reported them. The superintendent
and DR.. Pierce then went to Apalachi
cola and caused the arrest of the three
men, who gave bond and were re
leased. They will be tried for crimi
nal trespassing Thursday in the cour
of the Franklin county Judge.
But the matter is not going to be le
, drop as a petty criminal case with ;
, penalty of $50 or 60 days. c. II. B
, FLOYD, well known attorney, engaged
l bv complainants, went before Judg
~. B. Sheppard, judge of the Unite'