LAW FOR THE FARMER. 311 



town, the town is liable to indictment ; but there can be no legal 

 impounding of beasts where there is no pound in the town. 



If you wish to impound a beast which you have found on your 

 premises, you should first ascertain that there is a pound in the 

 town ; secondly that a pound-keeper was chosen ; thirdly, that he 

 was sworn ; fourthly, that he gave bonds; fifthly, that those bonds 

 were approved by the municipal officers of the town ; sixthly, that 

 the municipal officers have fixed and caused to be recorded the 

 pound-keeper's compensation for keeping and feeding beasts com- 

 mitted to his custody. Then you must proceed strictly according 

 to law. You must take up that beast, and within ten days you 

 must drive that beast to the town pound, and make a certificate, 

 stating your name, your resideiice, a description of the animal, the 

 close in which the damage was done, the name of the town in 

 which the close or farm is, and make a claim for your damages and 

 unpaid charges ; then the pound-keeper, if properly chosen and 

 qualified, may receive that beast, may keep him enclosed in the 

 pound the first day, and after that in some secure place where it 

 may be more convenient if necessary. If a claimant appears and 

 objects to the damages, or if no claimant appears, the pound-keeper 

 shall appoint two disinterested appraisers to appraise the dam- 

 ages, if damages are claimed, and shall issue his warrant to them. 

 They shall thereupon be sworn by a justice of the peace or by the 

 pound-keeper, give reasonable notice, and go on and make an esti- 

 mate, and make a sworn return to the pound-keeper of their 

 doings. If the animal was taken up in the highway, and a penalty 

 is claimed, that penalty should be claimed in the certificate filed 

 with the pound-keeper, and then no estimate of damages is neces- 

 sary. 



The pound-keeper, in the first instance, when he receives an 

 animal, shall immediately post at his own dwelling, and in two 

 other public places in the town, and keep posted for three days, 

 notice of the fact that he has received the animal, stating the name 

 of the impounder or finder, the time and cause of impounding, a 

 description of the animal, and calling upon the owner thereof to 

 pay lawful damages and charges, and to take the beast away. 

 Notice by the town crier, if any in town, must be given. If the 

 value of the beast exceeds $10 notice must be inserted in a news- 

 paper, if any in the county is published. This is an extraordinary 

 provision. When a constable posts the warrant for a town meet- 

 ing, if it remains posted never so short a time, it is enough ; but a 



