FIRING THE WOODS, STATE STATUTES 119 



a fire in the woods or a prairie, or to allow one to escape into 

 either the open or enclosed land of another, the word "wil- 

 fully" is generally construed as involving evil intent, gross 

 negligence, or reckless indifference. l However, the mere 

 setting out of the fire is in itself evidence of an unlawful in- 

 tent 2 which is sufficient to sustain a conviction unless 

 justification can be shown by the defendant. 3 Acts of this 

 character were punishable at common law. 4 The statutory 

 offense of burning the woods or the property of another is 

 ordinarily a misdemeanor 5 but under some statutes and 



(.Footnote 7 concluded from preceding page) 

 Mass. Revised Laws, 1902, Chap. 208, Sec. 5, p. 1747 of Vol. 2. 

 Mich. Annotated Statutes, Howell, 1914, Sec. 14588, p. 5638. Vol. 5, wilfully and 



maliciously. 



Minn. General Statutes, Tiffany, 1913, Sec. 8927. 

 Miss. Code of 1906, Sec. 4988. 

 Mo. Annotated Statutes, 1906. Sec. 1980, wilfully, negligently or carelessly; 



Revised Laws, 1909 Sec. 4621. 

 Mont. Revised Code, 1907, Sec. 8768 and 8769. 

 Neb. Revised Statutes, 1913, Sec. 8624 and 8625. Cf. 8626 

 Nev. Revised Laws, 1912, Sec. 6579, wilfully or negligently; 6580, engine; 6632- 



33, leaving camp, etc. 



N. H. Public Statutes, 1901, Chap. 277, Sec. 3, 5 and 6, p. 830. 

 N. J. Compiled Statutes of 1910, p. 2335, Sec. 49. 



N. M. Compiled Laws, 1897, Sec. 3221, 3222. Annot. St. 1915, Sec. 1516-7. 

 N. Y. Consolidated Laws, Birdseye, Cum. & Gil. 1909, Sec. 1421, p. 3992. 

 N. C. Revised Laws, Pell, 1908, Sec. 3346; setting flre: Sec. 3347, camp fire. 

 N.Dak.Compiled Laws, 1913, Sec. 2797, Sees. 9774 and 9775. 

 Ohio Annotated Gen'l Code, Page & Adams, 1910, Sees. 7496-98, 8966-8971, 



R. R. fires; 12436, maliciously or negligently. 

 Okla. Compiled Laws, Snyder, 1909, Sec. 59 to 66, p. 184. 

 Ore. Laws, Lord, 1910, Sec. 1937. 1938, 5512-5518. 

 Pa. Purdon's Digest, St?wart, 1903, p. 1745-1747, Sec. 41-48. 

 R. I. General Statutes, 1909, p. 1259, Sec. 6, Chap. 345. (Cf. p. 1258, Sec. 3, 



wood) . 

 S. C. Criminal Code, 1912, Sec. 189 (Turpentine farm) ; 215; woods in general; 



216 carrying a torch. 



S.Dak. Rev. Codes, 1903, Sec. 472-473 of Penal Code, wilfully and carelessly. 

 Tenn. Annotated Code, Shannon, 1896, Sec. 3017-3018. Cf. Sec. 6496 Par. 11. 

 Tex. Penal Code, White, 1911, Art. 774, p. 1185 (wilfully or negligently). 

 Utah Compiled Laws, 1907, Sec. 4429, 4435, 4478 (negligently or wilfully). 

 Vt. Public Statutes, 1906, Sec. 5750 (wilfully and maliciously). 

 Va. Code 1904. Sec. 3701 and 3702; (woodpile, 3698). 



Wash. Annotated Codes & Statutes, Rem. & Ballinger, 1910, Sec. 5141-5149. 

 W. Va.Code, Hogg, 1913, Sec. 5199, 5200 (Chap. 148, Act. 1882). 

 Wis. General Statutes, 1915, Sec. 4405a, 4406. 

 Wy. Compiled Statutes, Mullen, 1910, Sec. 5817-5818. 



1. State v. Lewis, 10 Rich (S. C.) 20; see Johnson v. Barber, 10 111. 425, 50 Am. Dec. 



416; Nail v. Taylor, 247 111. 580 (whether flre proximate cause, for jury). 



2. Galvin v. Gualala Mill Co., 98 Calif. 268, 33 Pac. 93. 



3. See Pipe v. State, 3 Tex. App. 56. Cf. State v. Williams, 68 S. C. 119, 43 S. E. 



769 (tracks and offer to compromise as circumstantial evidence) . 



4. Black v. State, 2 Md. 376; Phillips v. State, 19 Tex. 158. 



5. Galvin v. Gualala Mill Co., 98 Calif. 268, 33 Pac. 93; Boyd v. Rice, 38 Mich. 699; 



Black v. State. 2 Md. 376 (Hay); Com. v. Macomber, 3 Mass. 254; State v. 

 Huskins, 126 N. C. 1070; 35 S. E. 608; State v. Avery, 109 N. C. 798, 13 S. E. 

 931 burning cotton); State v. Simpson, 9 N. C. 460 (burning tar); State v. 

 Lewis, 10 Rich (S. C.) 20; State v. White, 41 Tec. 64; Phillips v. State, 19 Tex. 

 158, Earheart v. Com., 9 Leigh (Va.) 671. 



