RUSSELLVILLE — Two Amish men were jailed Thursday after refusing to pay fines for violating an Auburn city ordinance requiring horses to be outfitted with waste collection devices.
Logan District Court Judge Ken Williams ordered Amos Mast and his son Dan Mast to jail for being in contempt.
Amos Mast will serve 20 days in the Logan County Detention Center for failing to pay fines for two violations of the ordinance. Dan Mast will serve 10 days for one violation.
A jury found both men guilty of the violations in May, and the pair were ordered to pay $193 for each violation: $50 in fines and $143 in court costs. After the Masts serve their jail time, they will be released with credit served and will no longer owe the fines, Williams said.
As each man stood before him Thursday, Williams asked if they had the ability to pay the fines. Both answered yes.
“Are you intentionally and willfully refusing to pay that?” Williams then asked.
Both men responded in the affirmative.
The Masts’ lawyer, Jay D. Joines, told Williams his clients wanted the judge to know that they mean no disrespect to Williams or the court system.
“They just don’t believe in the validity of the law,” Joines said.
Williams said he did not feel disrespected.
“I didn’t take it that way,” he said.
After the Masts were taken into custody, Joines told the Daily News the two men asked not to wear the orange jumpsuits typically worn by inmates. Amish believe bright colors call undo attention to them, which is against their faith. Joines believes their request will be granted.
While the Masts are in jail, members of the Amish community will continue to discuss the waste bag ordinance with Auburn officials. Joines said the Masts authorized him to pay the fines if the city will stop writing tickets for failing to have a collection device on their horses.
“The Amish are still willing to strictly comply with clean up” of their horses’ waste, Joines said. “They just don’t think the collection device is the correct way to deal with the issue.”
Last week, the Masts tested waste collection bags on two of their horses, but Joines said the Amish community is still concerned about using them.
“We tried the collection devices with two very experienced drivers and they had a hard time handling the horses at trotting speed,” Joines said. “The collection device starts rubbing and hurting (the horses’) legs and it spooks them.”
Not only would the devices give the horses sores, but when the animals get spooked, “they just run wild and you can’t stop them,” Joines said.
“They’re a danger to themselves and others,” he said. The Masts “would rather go to jail than put the lives of any of our community at risk.”
— Follow faith/general assignments reporter Laurel Wilson on Twitter at twitter.com/FaithinBG or visit bgdailynews.com.
