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Show fMTICREEK B,K.B. In his "Rod and Gun" column in September 5th's Deseret News, Hack Miller tells of the arrest, fining, and subsequent jailing of two Salt Lake youths, in Kem-merer, Kem-merer, Wyoming, last week. It seems the lads were returning return-ing from a fishing trip in Yellowstone, Yellow-stone, when they ran into a "sage hen road block" on the outskirts of the Wyoming town. Among the camp duffel of the youngsters, the game wardens found some ten or more trout, two of which were in the early stages of decomposition. They were arrested on the spot, haled before the local tribunal, and assessed a fine of $100.00 for the crime of "spoiling fish." Unable to scrape together money of that calibre, the boys were lodged lodg-ed in the Kemmerer bastile, until , such time as . the fathers of the two could arrive with the cash for their liberation. Last Monday morning at around 1:00 a.m. householders living in the 100 block of Pleasant Grove's Main Street, were awakened by the squealing of tires and a splintering splin-tering crash. Hurrying in the direction dir-ection of the impact, the residents observed that a sedan, which carried car-ried four teen-age boys, had gone out of control, leaped over the curb, and sheared off a large utility ut-ility pole. One observer told me that, when he arrived on the scene, the occupants occu-pants were crawling out of the wrecked car, across the top of which the splintered pole was resting. rest-ing. How fast the automobile had been travelling is only conjecture; but to generate a force sufficient to shear and demolish the huge pole, the speed must have been terrific. One naturally shudders at the thought of what might have happened had another car been in the path of the careening vehicle. Were the youthful hoodlums arrested ar-rested on the spot, brought before the justice of the peace, and charged charg-ed with the proper offense? I hardly think so. Were they locked up until their parents could bail them out? If such were the case, I have not heard of it. Reports have it, that- they were released to go their several ways, with a mere citation for reckless driving. In due time, perhaps, they may be brought before the authorities, given the customary slap on the wrist, and a "fiddle-faced talk." If the game laws are violated in Wyoming, or in Utah, for that matter, retribution is swift and severe if the culprits are caught; but drivers may often violate the traffic laws and endanger human life with near impunity. Why in the name of common sense, would a couple of stinking fish be more highly regarded in the eyes of the law than the life and limb of human beings? "OH, consistency; thou art a priceless jewel." So long 'til Friday. |