Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1930-01-16

This class of men usually have
nothing to do but play the good fell
low, and play it they do. They drive
big cars and drink either home brew
or moonshine, and dispense the same
with a lavish hand. The crowd takes
its moral code from the good fell
low" type.
So the sneers of the unlawful hunt
ers went further to prevent detec-
ton than any other one element.
1t got to be generally understood
that anyone who followed the law in
his hunting, did so because he didn't
know enough or was afraid to violate
it. The name of "meddler' was a
worse one than "liar." Men talked
freely of the perjured stories they
would tell if called into court, as they
talk of the numerous ways of dodg-
ing the liquor laws.
Few public men dared to openly
denounce the practices of game law
violations. Many condemned the man
who helped enforce the law as a
troublemaker and "meddlesome
matty." A few preachers who stood
square for law and order were asked
to resign. A number took a hand in
the business themselves. They had to,
you know, to be good sports and
stand in with the crowd. Teachers
were frequently leaders in the un-
fair and unlawful amusement. And
teachers who condemned this kind of
outlawry became grossly unpopular
in their communities. OF course many
people never took hand in unlawful
hunting. Many obeyed the law but all
were afraid to do anything to bring
down on themselves the sneers of the
makers of Damfino County morals.
One means the game hog had of
escaping prosecution was to hide be-
hind some semi-respectable woman.
Tone could scarcely hide UNDER
woman's skirts as late as 1929
It was quite common thing to pick
up some woman who was dying for
a thrill" and take her along on some
midnight spot-lighting expedition.
Then it went against the grain of the
lslOilaId illIll w PlooNSAtC oily Va
the crowd that might be along for
such small offense as violating most
all the laws of God and man. For
was it not better to permit few
offenders to go free than to damage
the reputation of a good" woman?
1t was the settled practice of num-
Der of these game hogs to have at
least one of these delightful women
along on their unlawful hunting trips
to ward off prosecution.
Let's take a real example from life
to get the workings of the system.
A young woman came from Atlanta
and took a job as dining-room girl
in town hotel. She proclaimed the
fact that she came from one Of the
best families Of the South and that
she felt too good to associate with
chamber maids; that she wouldn't as
sociate with any but the best -peo-
pie.
A large number of the natives took
all of her talk about good family con-
nections as gospel truth. She was in
vited to go on number Of night
spot-lighting expeditions in which
deer were slaughtered by the whole
sale. She got plenty of big thrills, and,
one deer out of it. This deer was
shipped to her friends back at At
lanta as her own killing, although she
didn't even know how to load a gun.
When being censured by her pastor
for her conduct she said she had never
done much" night hunting.
I'm reminded Of a colored woman
/ saw in court in Oklahoma City. She
said she had led a virtuous life now
"off and on" for five years. pardon
the diversion.)
Well, it just wouldn't do to prose
cute these real hunters for fear of
hurting "a good woman's reputa-
ton.
One reason that successful prose-
cutions were so scarce was that a
majority Of the people were guilty of
little violations Of the law. One could
scarcely 60 into court with evidence
against the big game hog when that
same game hog knew about deer
too many that said witness had killed
some time before
And so the slaughter of deer went
on.
1t looked as if nothing could be done
about it.
Next time we'll learn what was
done about it.