LAWS RELATING TO AGRICULTURE. 199 



POUNDS AND IMPOUNDING BEASTS. 

 Revised Statutes of 1871. Chapter 23. 



Sec. 1. Each town shall constantly keep and maintain in 

 such place as the inhabitants direct, one or more sutficient 

 pounds for the reception of beasts liable b}' law to be im- 

 pounded ; and for six months neglect to do so, shall forfeit 

 not less than fifty dollars, to be expended by an agent ap- 

 pointed 1)}' the court to build or maintain such pound or 

 pounds. 



Sec. 2. The owner of every horse, horse kind, ass, mule, 

 swine or neat beast found at large without a keeper in the 

 highways, town ways, or commons of the town, shall forfeit 

 seventy-live cents for each, twenty-five cents for each goat, 

 and ten cents for each sheep so found, recoverable in action 

 of de1)t ; or the beasts may be impounded till such forfeiture, 

 with the charges of impounding and keeping them, and all 

 fees, are paid by the owner or claimant. 



Sec. 3. If such horse is an ungelded male of one year old 

 or upwards, his owner shall forfeit a further sum of four dol- 

 lars. If any ram or he-goat is found going at large out of the 

 owner's inclosure, between the tenth daj'^ of August and the 

 twentieth day of November, his owner shall forfeit a further 

 sum of five dollars. 



Sec. 4. Any person injured in his land by sheep, swine, 

 horses, asses, mules, goats, or neat cattle, in a common or 

 general field, or in a close by itself, may recover his d;i mages 

 by distraining any of the beasts doing it, and proceeding as 

 hereinafter directed, or in an action of trespass against the 

 person owning or having the possession of the beasts at the 

 time of the damage, and there shall be a lien on said beasts, 

 and they may be attached in such action and held to respond 

 the judgment as in other cases, whether owned by the defen- 

 dant or only in his possession. But if the beasts were law- 

 fully on the adjoining lands, and escaped therefrom in conse- 

 quence of the neglect of the person suffering the damage to 

 maintain his part of the partition fence, their owner shall not 

 ])e liable therefor. 



