Thursday,
April 29, 1915
As a result of the war it is freely stated that the whole world will be in debt. This thing of debt is a two sided proposition. For every debtor there must be a lender and at the end of the war the books will balance, as usual. The loss will be the killing of men and the destruction of property.
FISH
One of the best laws passed by the recent session of the legislature was the act protecting the fish of the sucker variety. Under the law, these fish cannot be taken in any way between the first day of April and the first day of July, and they cannot be taken at any time, except by hook and line. The sucker is a harmless and useful fish. Like the poor man in human society, the sucker is the rock bottom and main dependent of the fish world. It has no power to destroy. It lives on such crumbs as fall from the rich fishes table and it feeds on the bottom entirely. It acts as the scavenger of our streams and plays no little part in keeping the water pure. There is no substance putrefying in the water but what the sucker will clear away. It spawns by the countless millions and in this way furnishes food for the game fishes. It is a wet nurse to the little bass which have been deserted by their mothers and left to shift for themselves.
These little fellows hang around the big suckers as it roots in the mud on the bottom and as it displaces food units the little bass swim in and get them. The sucker is a most excellent food fish and can be taken in great numbers by pegged down bottom fishermen from the first of January to the first of April and the fish comes to the table at a time that no other is available in this latitude. Last but not least is the suppression of gigging or spearing parties in the night time. There is nothing more disturbing to the fish life of our clear streams than to have no periods of rest. The bass are pursued all day when the water is low and as soon as night falls there are the flaring lights and the murderous spears of the night fishermen. Fish cannot thrive under these conditions any more than can sheep that are raided by dogs. There is no rest for the fish and the natural result is that such as are not destroyed are driven away. We are in favor of protecting the sucker and we are glad to know that he can no longer be stabbed in the back with impunity.
FUGITIVES CAPTURED
At the last term of the Pendleton court, Charles Vandevender was convicted and sentenced to the pen for four years on the charge of grand larceny. He lived in the same neighborhood with Paris May years ago when the peddler was killed and was at first a suspect and then a witness in the case. He is a native of the Sinks Country, a part of Pocahontas county which is so inaccessible that very, very few citizens of Pocahontas have ever seen it. Feeling peevish over the action of the court. Vandevender absented himself from the Franklin jail and striking west came to Pocahontas county and there went to work in the lumber camp on Thorny Creek. It was norated around that there was a reward of $100 for him and word was brought to Paris D. Yeager Monday morning that a man on whom the State had a claim of four years service was at Thorny Creek. On the same day the fugitive betook himself to the Old State, and as he crossed the line he saw a man coming this way. Both ran from each other and both were seeking to avoid observation so it is presumed that at the exact moment that Virginia got an immigrant from West Virginia, that we relieved Virginia of an undesirable citizen.
Vandevender put in for work at one of the camps, J. E. Moore Lumber company. Monday night he made sixty cents fighting fire in the woods and saw an automobile pass with Sheriff Cochran and Paris D. Yeager in it. He went to bed thinking that they had passed on but in the cold gray dawn of Tuesday morning he looked from his chamber and saw the dreaded officers approaching the camp. Vandevender thereupon crawled under the bed – a ruse to escape. It proved futile with such sleuths as were on the trail and they pulled him out by the leg. The prisoner came back willingly and was landed in jail at this place.
He protests strongly that he has been convicted for stealing his own hog and that he is an innocent and injured man. We understand that the hog had his mark on it, but that there was some question about his having previously parted with it through bargain and sale. Anyway he is here to make a corporal’s guard of five, headed toward the pen from this jail.
FROST
Farmers in this section are plowing and fighting fire.
Mrs. Upton Sharp and Mrs. Paul Crummett and children were calling at Scott Kelley’s Wednesday.
The infant son of Austin Sharp is very ill with grippe.
The flag was raised at Cove Hill school Saturday, which adds much to the appearance of the grounds.
DENMAR
Courtney, son of Mr. and Mrs. G. W. Bowen, had the mishap of a severe wound on his chin caused by a fish hook penetrating deeply into the flesh and it had to be removed by an operation.
Maryland Lumber Company is planting a field with potatoes which will require 200 bushels for seed.
S. L. Painter, who was injured in the wreck of a carload of steel rails, is improving.