Show IA SAL JURY UPHOLDS TRAPPING OF BEAVER W W gowan who was arrested last thursday on geyser creek charged with the illegal trapping ot beaver was acquitted by a jury at la sal monday gowin was arrested by por est ranger S cooper smith and shorty boardman deputy sheriff in response to complaints made by citizens that illegal trapping of beaver was going on in the la sal mountains he was camped at the goudelock cabin having taken possession there in spite of no trespassing tres passing and no trapping signs which are posted on the goudelock lands he had in his possession tour beaver hides and admitted that he had caught the beaver in geyser creek and in the irrigation canal which flows out of geyser he informed the officers that he could show them the carcasses of the beaver it they desired to see them gowan was taken to la sal and the state fish and game department was notified of the arrest game wardens turpan and larsen were sent to la sal to assist in the prosecution chef case was set tor hearing at la sal before justice of the peace M W ray A B barton san juan county attorney having charge of the prosecution gowin pleaded not guilty but admitted that what he told ranger smith about catching the beaver was the truth he demanded a jury trial and the following citizens of la sal were chosen as jurors charles redd leland redd ted stephens and roy larsen the jury rendered a verdict of not guilty and gowan was released in spite of the state law which prohibits the trapping of beaver trapping has been going on for some time past last spring when stockmen stoc kmen went on the mountain they found that several streams in which there had been many beaver the tall before had been cleaned out the skinned carcasses of many beaver bearing testimony to the illegal trapping that had been carried on apparently trappers this tall and winter intend to exterminate the remainder of beaver in the la sal mountain streams the unaccountable action of the la sal jury in exonerating a trapper caught red handed with hides in his possession probably pro bibly aul wul not prove of very great assistance in enforcing the game laws of southeastern utah |