Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-10-23


If the fish and game laws Of the
State Of Maine are not enforced as
they should be and if the violators Of
these laws are not caught. the lesson
that it is a costly practice, it will not
be for the reason that Chief Game
Warden Bertrand Smith has been lax
In his duties of enforcing the laws, for
he is "on the job" all the time and is
seeing to il that the laws are enforc-
ed to the best of his ability. And it
might be added that he is doing good
work along that line. as a reference to
the records Will show. He COW
ers a wide range Of territory in Ken
nebec county and is making things
very uncomfortable for those hunters
and fishermen who show a disposition
to do as they please in regard to TAX
Ing fish and game regardless of the
provisions of the law. as not a few
Of them have found out to their cost
Warden Smiths latest piece of work
was the capture Of two Belgrade men
and one Augusta man and rounding
them up on the charge f illegal fish
ing. These cases were heard by Judge
Lancaster Of the municipal ocurt, one
Of them Monday morning and the
other two in the afternoon. and we're
the result of a trip last Saturday night
by Warden Smith and Deputy Warden
r. J. Upton, who went out to Belgrade
n for reasons of their own visited
HoNt brook, a tributary Of Snow pond.
1t is understood that they were sus-
picious that something was going on
along the brook in the way of illegal
fshing, and on their arrival in that To-
cality at about midnight their sus-
picions We're verified as they found
three men industriously Engage in
fishing.
The fishermen were Joseph Ashland
n his son, Albert, of Belgrade. the
latter a youth Of 10 years. and Henry
Roderick Of Augusta. and the party
was using a spear. Hoyt brook is clos
ed TO all fishing but that apparently
made no difference to the trio and
with the aid of a lantern 10 light the
waters Of the brook they had taken
n trout weighing four pounds nv
impaling the fish on the spear. The
fish was a female and was full Of
spawn il being estimated that the fish
contained at least 5000 eggs. The fish
ermen We're al n by surprise by the
wardens' caught in the act, as 1t were.
= matters We're soon arranged for
their appearance Monday morning be-
fore the Augusta municipal court.
IF the three men, Henry Roderick
was the first a~rraigned, the charge
against him being that Of illegal fish
ing in closed waters. to which Ne
pleaded not guilty, his claim being
that he was not fishing but was sim
ply a spectator, The court found him
guilty however and imposed a sentence
a nm costs, but out of considera-
ton Ct the fact that the man has a
large family and that his wife is i'll.
sentence was suspended and he was
allowed TO 70 upon payment BY him Of
the costs of court.
Joseph Ashland was arraigned on
two charges, that Of fishing in closed
waters, also that of having a trout
IN his possession in closed time and
Tor using a spear, to which he plead
ed guilty. In his statement to the
court he said that he had lived near
AA'S : 1AocN " ~ NtdIS pul udU 0DI
fshed it until last Saturday night. and
when asked how he happened to
choose hat particular night he re-
piled that he had heard others talk
ing about the fishing there and tina
he thought he would try it. On the
first Cargo he was fined $40 and costs
and on the second $40 and costs. AL
bert Ashland. the son, was arraigned
on the charge of fishing in closed wat
ers and that also for using a fish
spear and was found guilty In each
case. III reason given by him for
fishing in the Hoyt brook was about
the same as that given by his father
that he had heard folks talking about
IL and so thought he would try it
himself. Albert was given a sentence
Of SO and costs on the first charge
and $50 and costs on the second. The
cases We're finally disposed of for the
present by the father and son paying
the smaller fines of $40 and costs each
and being given a reasonable length
Of time to pay the other fines and
costs assessed against them.
Another case in which no small
amount of interest centered and which
was heard at the morning session Of
the court was that of William and
Martha Pinkham of Togus and RAN
dolph. who created a slight wave of
excitement last Saturday in the town
Of Sidney by taking their three chill
dren from the home OF Mrs. Annie
Cunning Of that town, where they had
been placed by Mrs. Ada F. Hunt of
this city. State agent for the proven
ton OF cruelty to children. and car
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