POACHING in Clackmannanshire was rife during the 19th century.

This was mainly due to the low wages, and fish and game poached on local land supplemented the diets of the locals.

At night, boats left Alloa harbour to fish for salmon, but it was rabbits, hares and other game that was the poacher’s choice in the farming communities.

However, the activity was illegal and the penalties was harsh.

Two local men, Robert Allan, known by the nickname Gaddle, and James Snadden, known as Thicky, were miners living in Coalsnaughton.

One evening, the two were caught by police constable Andrew Wylie of Devonside on the public road between Coalsnaughton and Sheardale, around 200 yards from the entrance of Muircot Farm.

He suspected them of poaching and when he stopped them, he found they had 14 rabbits and a leveret on them.

They were liable for a fine up to £5 and were to also forfeit their haul. On default of payment, they would face prison.

At court on Wednesday 18th August 1897 before Sheriff Substitute Tyndall Bruce Johnstone, Wylie told the sheriff that he had been on his bicycle and at around 6 o’clock on the evening in question, his attention was drawn to three men, who also had three lurcher dogs with them.

Their appearance was suspicious to Wylie as their jackets bulged to quite a considerable extent.

His suspicions aroused, he started to make his way towards them, but they spotted him and ran into the local woods where he lost sight of them.

The constable then saw Hugh Stirling coming along with his milk cart and motioned him to enter the far end of the wood while he entered the wood at the end closest to him.

No trace of the men was found, but one of the dogs seen with the three men was spotted on guard at the bottom of a tree.

The constable chased the dog off and there discovered eight rabbits and the leveret. Further on in the woods, another six rabbits were discovered.

The rabbits were still warm, and it was clear they had been recently killed by the dogs.

The case against the two men was conducted in their absence.

The sheriff fined the men £3 with the option of 30 days imprisonment if it was not paid promptly, and all the game was forfeited.

As the two men did not appear at court, arrest warrants were issued by the sheriff, but the pair soon faced justice.