Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 257, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 November 1918 — GOT THEIR HIDES TOO SOON. [ARTICLE]

GOT THEIR HIDES TOO SOON.

Game Wardens Bert Hisey and J. S. Madden, armed with search warrants, swooped down on the vicinity of Newland on Thursday in quest of v.oialors of the law which, protects fur bearing animals until November 21. At •Hie home of Charles Blacker thiT found a small quantity of fur which. Charley had been collecting while recuperating from an attack of the “flu.” He' was brought to town and on a plea of guilty in justice court was assessed the minimum fine and costs, amounting to $17.10. The premises of George Bowman were also searched and the highly trained olfactory organs of the sleuths led them unerringly to the back door of the barn, where they found, nailed to the door, the pelt of a flne specimen of mephitis mephitica. However, the genial George duced evidence to prove beyond the possibility of a doubt ‘that in order to aid in the prosecution of t)he war; in self defense, and for the protection of his home and property from gas attacks prohibited by the rules of civilized warfare —as well as for the purpose of making Newland safe for the Democrats—it had been his patriotic duty to assassinate the aforesaid skunk and that the matter of nailing the hide to the barn door was simply symbolical of the fate which will soon overtake the head of the polecat in Berlin. . Upon this .showing he was permitted to go an peace.