Fellow HistArchers:
I don't have a case of prosecuted privy pilfering to offer, but remind
everyone of the stir caused in January-March 2000 by Dr. Peter H. Gott's
nationally syndicated column. In that piece, he told his readers that
historic privies present no dangers to diggers and recommended that they
dig early ones.

With a presumably respectable physician publishing a syndicated column
that promotes such activity, I think it will be very difficult to
convince anyone--including judges and juries--that any crimes have been
commited other than trespassing and bad manners. I know of no other
nationally circulated columns promoting other sorts of crimes.

I might add that someone should send the learned doctor a copy of David
Poirier and Kenneth Feder's book, Dangerous Places: Health, Safety and
Archaeology.

Jim Gibb
Annapolis, MD  USA