The Wheeling Daily Intelligencer

Hacking Shade Trees.—Two youthful Washingtons provided themselves with hatchets, yesterday morning, and proceeded to unlawfully cut, box, bore, break, bark, bruise, pound, bump, gall, girdle, hack, hew, cut down, injure or destroy, the shade trees growing on Fourth street, between Monroe and Union. While engaged in this Washingtonian business, they were observed by Mr. Alex. Wallace, he of the lock-up, who gave chase at once and after a smart run captured the two. As 'Squire Johnson was ready for business they were taken before him at once, and with many tears and sobs, confessed to having used their hatchets as charged. They are very good boys and never tell lies, so the 'Squire believed their story and fined each one dollar and costs. As the preservation of shade trees is a matter of considerable importance, we publish the following act of the Legislature, to provide punishment for the cutting down of trees, &c., in order that boys, or others of a larger growth, may know what to expect in case their destructive propensities get the better of them:

"That if any person or persons shall unlawfully cut, box, bore, break, bark, bruise, wound, bump, gall, girdle, cut down, injure or destroy, any fruit, ornamental, shade, or other tree or trees, vine, bush or sapling, standing in gardens, orchards, nurseries, streets, sidewalks, groves, fields or forests, or take or destroy any fruit or garden or farm products, the property of another, of any value whatever, every such person or persons shall be deemed guilty of misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be fined in any sum not less than one nor exceeding ten dollars and costs, or be imprisoned in the jail of the county not exceeding ten days, at the discretion of the Justice, and shall, moreover, be liable to the party injured in treble the amount of damages by him sustained."