The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1921-03-02
GRAND JURY'SRE-
PORT ON DOG LAW
Made at February Term Of
Breckenridge Circuit
Court.

To The Judge 'Of The Breckenridge
Circuit Court:
We would respectfully report tina,
we have completed our work, return
ing the Indictments herewith handed
you. We have examined the jail and
county property and find same in good
condition
The Commissioner of Agriculture
has earnestly appealed to our loca
officers to enforce the Dog Law, even
directing the County Attorney to is.
sue warrants against all offenders. The
local dog and sheep conditions re.
ceived the serious attention of the
Grand Jury about a year ago. Not
withstanding the law had then been
repeatedly advertised in all the county
papers, at great expense, the Jury re-
commended that the law be again ad.
vertised and that the warnings of its
enforcement be again given.
The last Grand Jury had the matter
up and passed the same to us for &C
ton and to give still further time and
the last warning.
500 Licensed in 1921
Licenses were paid on about TWEEN.
ty-three hundred dogs the first year
1919. There was money then to pay
all sheep claims. In 1921. there were
only sixteen hundred listed and but
eight hundred of these are licensed
Next year, unless something is done
there will be no licenses and no sheer
funds. The situation that now con.
fronts us and those in authority, i:
that the sheep of men who have obey
ed the law and licensed their dogs are
being killed, usually by dogs of mer
who have ignored the law and repeat
ed warnings are killed, their own
ers get nothing because insufficient
funds have been paid in. 1t is
manifestly wrong to collect from
one man and permit his neigh
bors to escape. Dogs seem to be in
increasing. sheep decreasing, and il
is matter of enforcing this law as to
all, or destroying its usefulness to any
One man wanted this jury to 'investi-
gate and indict somebody because
there is no money to pay for sheer
killed in this county by dogs 1t is
demanded by those who do pay license
on dogs and who favor this law tina,
it be enforced. Some have openly and
continuously dehed the law. So you
see our position.
Not Enough Blanks.
We are indicting many of those who
own and keep dogs without a license
There were not sufficient blank indict-
ments to finish the lists, so we direct
that information issue against these
~, Ill h.
licensed and unassessed dogs, and that
information be used in case of any
errors in these returned, that the en-
forcement of the law may hereafter
be uniform and that all be treated "a
like, when only sixteen hundred dogs
are assessed this year, it is evident
that the assessors have not made full
list. The man who has neither assess.
ed nor licensed his dog, but who col
lects for sheep killed by dogs just the
same should be looked after; the as
SCISSORS should be required to revise
and complete their reports, and dogs
with out owners should be disposed
of. as the law required. at once; and
everybody should work together to
create sufficient sheep fund, to rid
thS SOuity Vi WOitHlCSS uOSS, anu 10
get all possible benefit of this law.
Fine and Costs $40.
The punishment for the violation of
this law is fine of $500, or less, and
also, Imprisonment, if the court so
adjudges. 1t is our purpose to start the
enforcement of this law, but to work
as little hardship as possible. We call
ed in all the officials concerned, and,
by agreement, it was so arranged that
fine and all costs will only amount
to $1,000. Summons will be issued in
stead of warrants; and, when sum-
moned, if the defendant fails to appear
judgement by default will be entered,
thus saving the parties the trouble and
expense of appearing in court The
fine and cost can be mailed to the
Trustee of Jury Fund, P. M. Basham,
Hardinsburg, thus ending the matter.
In acting on so many cases, we will
make some errors, but such is not our
purpose. Wherefore, we ask to be dis
charged that this report be entered of
record, and that certified copy there
of be Dub1ished in each county oanar