Waging war on renegade goats

Aug. 16, 1920: Justice Department officials declared war on a band of “outlaw” goats in Angeles National Forest, and the U.S. attorney’s office filed a lawsuit against owners of a forest herd.

Meanwhile, a forest ranger said he had shot and killed seven of the remaining renegade goats.

“The ‘outlaws’ were among those left behind when the federal government recently ousted Mrs. Hyrel C. Gill and others from the forest for conducting a goat farm there,” The Times reported. “These goats became wild and often did battle with wayfarers in Millard Canyon east of Pasadena.”

The lawsuit was “an ouster action against Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Everhardy, who are said to have 30 goats at the forks of the San Gabriel River,” the newspaper said. “The government asks damages of $1 for each goat for each year within the forest, for a period of 14 years.”