EE

THE CASE OF WILLIAM KERR AND ROBERT POOLE

Market Hunters Market Hunters

vs.vs.

sportsmensportsmen

on the prairieon the prairie

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MM

By the Civil War, By the Civil War, overhunting had decimated overhunting had decimated eastern bird populations.eastern bird populations.

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TTMore important, local people More important, local people started to profit from sportsmen.started to profit from sportsmen.

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AA

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To Crawford, the commission To Crawford, the commission was unjustly targeting legitimate was unjustly targeting legitimate

businessmen like Kerr while businessmen like Kerr while ignoring well-connected sportsmen ignoring well-connected sportsmen

whose reckless shooting was whose reckless shooting was really behind the declining really behind the declining population of wild birds.population of wild birds.

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In the end, nobody knew for sure In the end, nobody knew for sure exactly how many ducks were exactly how many ducks were taken, shipped, and stored.taken, shipped, and stored.

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OO

The jury deliberated for “about an The jury deliberated for “about an hour” and found both men guilty.hour” and found both men guilty.

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FF

The morals charge, trumped up The morals charge, trumped up or not, provided an alternative or not, provided an alternative means to get a conviction and means to get a conviction and

get rid of William Kerr.get rid of William Kerr.

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DD

NotesNotes

60 Minnesota History

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