Chicken Thieves Sentenced to Cut Wood, 1944

From the June 15, 1944, issue of the Wilmington Star

The judge of a Recorders Court in one of the state’s coastal counties has found an effective method to break up chicken stealing and to add to the national supply of pulpwood. 

Recently, when two Negro men accused of stealing chickens were brought before him and the evidence proved them to be guilty of the charges, the judge sentenced both to work out their fines by cutting pulpwood. The culprit who actually broke the lock on the chicken house door was fined $50 and costs and had to cut 20 cords of wood on his inability to produce the cash. The fellow who only eased the chickens from their perches was required to cut only 15 cords. Both are now definitely better citizens.