Bounty on Varmints

Following is the text of the scalp bounty bill as enacted by the recent legislature:

Be it enacted by the state legislature of the state of Washington:

Section. That section 1 of an act entitled, “An act to provide for the extermination of coyotes and wolves in the state of Washington and for the payment of bounties for such extermination, and making an appropriation therefor,” passed the house, notwithstanding the governor’s veto, January 24, 1905, and filed in the office of the secretary of state, January 27, 1905, be and the same is hereby amended to read as follows:

Section 1. Any person who shall kill and destroy any coyote, wolf, lynx, wild cat or cougar in the state of Washington shall be entitled to a bounty therefor in the sum of one dollar ($1) for each coyote and wolf killed and the sum of two dollars and fifty cents (2.50) for each lynx or wild cat killed, and the sum of five dollars (5.) for each cougar killed.

Section 2. That section of said act is hereby amended to read as follows:

Section 2. Upon the production to the county auditor of any county by any person of the scalp or scalps of any coyote, wolf, lynx, wild cat or cougar killed in such county, each of which scalps will show two ears, eyeholes and skin to the tip of nose, the county auditor shall take proof by affidavit, that each of such coyotes, wolves, lynx, wild cats or cougars was killed in such county, and hereupon it shall be the duty of such county auditor to issue and deliver to such person his warrant on the current expense fund of such county for the sums hereinbefore provided, and shall take and preserve a voucher showing the number of scalps so produced, the amount paid, and the date each of such animals was killed, which voucher shall be signed by the person to whom such bounty is paid.

Section 3. That section 3 of said act is hereby amended to read as follows:

Section 3. Any person claiming any such premium shall produce such scalp or scalps to the county auditor of the county in which such coyote, wolf, lynx, wild cat or cougar shall have been killed, within three months after such killing, and shall take or subscribe the following oath before such auditor or any other officer authorized to administer oaths: “I do solemnly swear that the scalp or scalps here produced by me this — day of —— are of a coyote, wolf, lynx, wild cat or cougar, (as the case may be, giving the number) killed in the county of ——, State of Washington, and that said animal, or animals, was, or were, killed not prior to ——.” To which the auditor or any other officer authorized to administer oaths, shall append the usual jurat, subscribed by himself and deputy.

Section 4. That section 6l of said act is hereby amended to read as follows:

Section 6. Any person or persons offering for the purpose of obtaining said bounty the scalp of any coyote, wolf, lynx, wild cat or cougar killed prior to the passage of this act or that were killed outside the boundaries of the state of Washington, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall pay a fine of not less than $10, and of not more than $50 for the first conviction, and for any subsequent conviction for the same offense shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $500 for each such offense, together with all costs attending such suit, one-half of such fines to be paid to the informer and the other half into the general school fund of the county wherein such conviction was obtained.

Section 5. The auditor, treasurer and chairman of the board of county commissioners shall at least quarterly check over the scalps on which bounties have been paid, and at such time and in the presence of each other, reduce said scalps to ashes.