GAME LAW ENFORCEMENT 209 



charged with shooting at ducks after sundown, contrary to 

 the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. According to the pro- 

 tector the shooting occurred about forty minutes after sun- 

 set, when it had become so dark that the flashes of gunfire 

 could be plainly seen, although no ducks had actually been 

 killed. The protector according to custom allowed the de- 

 fendants to go upon their promise to appear in court when 

 summoned, but held their guns as evidence. 



The accused, all of whom were well known professional 

 men from a neighboring state, boasted at the time of their 

 arrest that they had sufficient influence in the right quarters 

 to escape prosecution. Immediately upon their return home 

 they secured an attorney who wrote to the United States 

 Senator from their home state, a personal friend of his, ask- 

 ing that the Senator use his influence with the Department 

 of Agriculture to have the charge dropped. The attorney 

 pointed out the disgrace prosecution would bring upon the 

 defendants, their well known good character, and pleaded 

 that they be excused this time. 



The Senator in question forwarded the letter to the Chief 

 of the Biological Survey together with a request that the 

 charges be dropped if possible. The Chief of the Survey, 

 who at the time happened to be Paul Reddington, replied 

 that he believed the Government had a good case and there- 

 fore he could see no reason why the case should be dropped. 



In the meanwhile pressure was brought with greater 

 success upon the United States district attorney for the 

 district in which the arrest had been made. He wrote to 

 Washington that the violation was a petty one and in his 

 opinion should be dropped, stating that 



... a number of Federal Judges have taken drastic action 

 to prohibit wholesale and what they deem, unjustifiable use of 

 the process of the Federal Court with the resultant congestion 

 of the dockets, Judge Hutchison of Texas, Judge Bourquin 



