“¢ 
REPORT OF THE FISH AND GAME COMMISSION, 69 
oil companies operating on the banks of Edna Creek were convicted 
and fined for permitting oil from their wells to run into Edna Creek, 
polluting the creek for several miles. 
The last legislature passed a law prohibiting the shipment of fish and 
game by parcel post. This law was ignored by the Postal Department, 
which claimed that the law was unconstitutional. 
On September 11, 1917, one Frank Phoedovius was arrested in San 
Mateo County for shipping deer meat by parcel post, and on Septem- 
ber 11, 1917, was tried and convicted and sentenced to pay a fine of 
$25.00 or be imprisoned in the county jail until said sentence was satis- 
fied, in proportion of one day’s imprisonment for every dollar of said 
fine. The defendant filed a petition in the Supreme Court for a writ of 
habeas corpus, claiming that the law was invalid. On January 17, 
1918, the Supreme Court rendered its decision, written by Mr. Justice 
Angellotti, discharging the writ and remanding the petitioner to the 
eustody of the sheriff. The respondent was represented by Hon. Carl 
Westerfeld. 
The postal laws prevented inspection of any packages shipped by 
parcel post and the market hunters and fishermen took advantage of 
this privilege and used it as a means to violate the law by shipping more 
fish or game than is lawfully permitted, and at the same time to make 
their apprehension and conviction almost impossible. 
This decision takes from the market hunter and fisherman the last 
avenue through which the game and fish of this state may be unlawfully 
exploited. . 
On December 12, 1916, Assistant Fish and Game Commissioners Ray- 
mond B. Heacock and Richard Squires, while on patrol duty on Bouldin 
Island, San Joaquin County, were murdered. The body of Richard 
Squires was found in the boat adrift on the island and that of Raymond 
B. Heaeock, having fallen overboard, was recovered some fifty days 
subsequent. Assistant Commissioner Squires was killed with a shot- 
gun and Assistant Commissioner Raymond B. Heacock was killed with 
a rifle. 
Three Italians were arrested the day following, at Pittsburg—Nino 
Lombardo, who had a gunshot wound in the right hand, Vicenzi 
Dimaggio and Frank Favalora, suspected of having committed the 
erime. Through the untiring efforts of Sheriff W. TH. Riecks, Deputy 
George McAllister and Assistant District Attorney C. P. Rendon of 
‘San Joaquin County, the suspected men confessed to the killing of the 
officers. The defendants admitted they were engaged in unlawful fish- 
ing and the murder of the officers was committed in their attempt to 
place the violators under arrest. Nino Lombardo was tried for the 
