93 GAME COMMISSIONS AND WARDENS. 



Fortunately the governor's requisition for Federal troops resulted in ridding the 

 State of these Indians, who not only slaughtered our wild game but were a very 

 serious menace to the lives and property of our citizens. (Ann. Kept. State Game 

 Warden, Wyoming, 1906, pp. 17-19.) 



ALIENS. 



In concluding this discussion of game law enforcement it seems 

 desirable to call attention to a problem which already has assumed 

 alarming proportions. 



In the last few years our game laws have been defied by a certain 

 lawless element of unnaturalized foreigners who, in some of the more 

 northern States, persistently and willfully violate them b} T hunting in 

 close season, and especially by killing nongame birds, which are pro- 

 tected at all times. These people appear to assume that the United 

 States is a country where unrestrained license should exist, if it does 

 not, and defy officers of the law and disregard the rights of property. 

 They roam the woods and fields with guns, paying no attention what- 

 ever to signs forbidding trespass, and frequently either insult or 

 assault landowners who protest against their illegal acts. As several 

 usually hunt together, and are ready to assist each other to the last 

 extremity, the warden who undertakes to execute the laws often finds 

 the task difficult and even hazardous. In several instances wardens 

 and constables have been fatal ly shot or stabbed when attempting an 

 arrest. Four wardens were killed and several others seriously injured 

 by aliens in Pennsylvania during 1906. Railroads in certain sections 

 of the country emplo} T foreigners as laborers on their roadbeds, and 

 camps are established along the right of way. On off days, especially 

 Sundays, these laborers scour the surrounding country in pursuit of 

 any and all kinds of birds. Fines assessed against them are paid with 

 remarkable readiness, even when the amount is large, for the reason 

 that several form a pool, and out of the sum thus obtained pay any 

 fine imposed upon one of their number. 



One of the most important cases of this kind occurred recently in 

 Iowa, where 113 Italian laborers were arrested July 11, 1907, near Rock 

 Rapids, charged with violating the -game law. Eighteen of them plead 

 guilty, and the total fines exceeded $500. The details were as follows: 



Deputy Game Wardens A. M. Green and H. H. Yordy, with Sheriff Wheatly and 

 20 special deputy sheriffs, reached Rock Rapids on the Great Northern at 1 o'clock 

 this morning [July 12] with 113 Italian laborers., together with 18 shotguns, traps, 

 dead game, and other evidences of hunting. 



All of the defeudants were arraigned in Justice George Monloux's court at 9 o'clock, 

 and agreed to deliver up the ones guilty of violating the game law if the officers would 

 withdraw the charges against those they claimed were innocent. Eighteen were then 

 accused by their fellow-prisoners and pleaded guilty to 25 counts, and were assessed 

 a fine of S29.60 each. This they paid and were discharged." 



«Am. Field, LXVIII, p. 51, July 20, 1907. 



