State Bee-Keepers' Association. 73 



"'As this case was a very important one, a statement of the facts, and a 

 pretty full report of the arguments of the attorneys for the Union, will be 

 interesting to all . They are as follows : 



"In May, 1887, the Arkadelphia City Council, Arkansas, passed an 

 ordinance, which, with its preamble, read thus : 



"The preamble states that, 'Whereas, a petition from many citizens of 

 Arkadelphia, having been previously presented to this council, setting forth 

 that the raising of bees or keeping them in the city of Arkadelphia was 

 injurious and destructive to property, such as early fruit, and dangerous to 

 citizens when riding in vehicles or on horseback upon the streets, and a pest 

 in many of the houses in said city, having stung many persons, and especially 

 children, while walking the streets and sidewalks.' 



"The ordinance as adopted is substantially as follows: 



" 'Be it ordained by the city council of the City of Arkade'phia: That it 

 shall be unlawhil lor any person or persons to own, keep or raise bees in the 

 City of Arkadelphia, the same having been declared a nuisance. 



" 'That any person or persons keeping or owning bees in the City of 

 Arkadelphia are hereby notified to remove the same from the corporate 

 limits of the City of Arkadelphia within thirty days from date hereof.' 



"Section 2 provides a penalty of not less than $5 or more than $25 for a 

 violation of the ordinance. 



'"The cause for this action was the fact that Mr. Z. A. Clark, who has 

 kept bees in that city, was not in political harmony with those in power, and 

 the latter sought to punish him and get rid of his presence, by prohibiting 

 the keeping of bees within the corporate limits of the city. 



"Some of the more ignorant ones declared that his bees were 'eating up 

 the peiches !' and others, that they were 'eating up the young ducks !' 

 Preposterous as it may appear to those who are better informed concerning 

 the formation and habits of bees, yet it is true that many accepted these 

 ridiculous charges as truth! 



"Mr. Clark was ordered to remove his bees by June 6, 1887. He did 

 not remove them; and on January 2, 1888, he was arrested and fined, day 

 after day, for ten successive days, for maintaining a nuisance, by keeping his 

 bees in the suburbs of that city. 



"Not paying the fines Mr. Clark was committed to the city jail, by order 

 ofthemayor. 



'Mr. Clark, being a member of the National Bee-Keepers' Union, very 

 naturally appealed to it for protection. Being clearly in the right and 

 worthy of defense the Union engaged the services of Major J. L. Wither- 

 spoon, ex- Attorney- General of Arkansas, and several other attorneys to 

 defend the bees and their keeper. 



