New Britain herald., 1924-04-09
SHERIFF AND LIONS
 IN DIFFICULTIES
Trouble Came When Attachment
 Vas Served on Troupe
By GEORGE HuLpEBRANDT.

y
 To the average layman the office
 Of sheriff is a loEIy one involving no
 great respons' 'bility and requiring nc particular ability. Such idea is clear ly erroneous. His duties are many and his responsibilities great. He must take the cath of Cfiic" and furnish bond for large amount He must serve summons, subpoenas and attach ritnts. He must make arrests and II the prisoner escapes he is liable on his bond. He is usually the iailcr m the smaller communities. If a prisoner is to be hanged or eloctrocute,l he must do it a. the time and place designated in the judgment. He is, contrary to general opinion, the pre- aaftef 'ot the peace and must uucll riots and disturbances. If he and his deputies arc nos able to do so alone he must call upon the posse comitatus Of the county.
 The posse comitatns consists ot the body of men which ho is empowered to call into service 10 aid and support him in the execution of the law in case of rescue Of a prisoner, riot. dis turbance, forciLle entry and occupa- ton. It usually includes all male persons above the age of fifteen. Since suffrage went into effect it is possible he may call upon female persous also io help him enforce the law and pre- serve the peace.
 No governor will send troops 10 ouell riots and disturbances until the sheriff has proven himself unable to cope with the situation.
 He must be well advised as to tho law Of tho state and sometimes it is even necessary to know the laws Of other states.
 ], short time ago an attachment writ was placed in tho hands of New England sh"riT in a suit brought
 -ainst Agnes Costello. Such wriis do not ordinarily de5eribe the proper ty to he levied upon or attached. nor its location. The writ simply com luandod the sheriff To altuch enough Of the property of the defendant ia his county and make his return trc- portD to tho court of his joines.
 Such n caso requires diligence on the part Of ihr officer. II thr de- iendant has property in his bailiwicli lot exempt and he allows it To get away hr and his bondsmcn arc liable. IT ii turns out the prop.Ity he lcvios cn does moi bolone to tho defendant he is lGhlc to the owner. This clear- ly places him in a critical position. cs- pcciully in the ease Of personal prop erty where thcrc is no title Of record.
 The only property n" could fin'l ! which seemed fo belong 10 Miss Cos tcllo consisted of five lions confined in a cagc. She wns in poss, ssion---in . fact, she performed with them every i day and moved from. place to place i, quick action was necessary else th" ! lions would bc removed outside his jurisdiction.
 He did on May Gth. 1921. what he thouyat was making levy un tlle !. lions. This consiEtcd of goiri, in wiiere they were coniiaed In inc cpgo and announcing to the hystan,irr rs in ! lond voice thut he was ic,yins his ! writ of attachment on thu lions. He nl-o notified Miss roetclto to that rf- f ftct. In addition thereto hc also pasted notices on tiip ragn doors that luc had levied on thn lions. ll" did . nothing about the cage. He then de- raricd. The notices wore promptly flo returned for short time p.eli day for nfc lHts and looked l c,rr the liona. In ihr n,aniin'r fhe went on with her performances at the place ~hoft the attempted levy Was ipa,lr.
 He permitted tbis with ihc hope hat sle would ray tiit dcht and re. liosr him Uf tine rnplnn"ut mud .o lnWi.ft ha2ar,laua tiutF of 'ta'iEs l.o.xes ion of thc lions and 'retaining ontrol of them nItlll lac could sell ih.m. There is where hr madr hi1 laigtakr. She had no intention Of t.ayine tho debt. SD he sborid nrail, nn Nay 1itit. 1921. took actual pos- .-4icn" of three uf thu lions and ii Inc following February sold tic'n Tor ! 1 .0gn.on.
 In Inc meantime one. Lillian Wr,ls. .isined 10 tb. sh, rif that she was th" .,ai owner of inc lions including the age. II rn was a sit'utipn in u hirh ! sheriff often finds himself lf Il" i, lrascd his leyy on the lions and T .i,rp1d oir that Miss Cost 'lo wsls :. nils tb~ owner hc would bc iidbic