ARREST: Senior Judge John Cleland, Kane native and longtime jurist in McKean County, shared with us a pretty neat piece of presidential history with ties to Kane.

“Recent news articles in the Washington and New York City newspapers have reported that Ulysses S. Grant was the first President to have been arrested,” the judge wrote.

“The articles cite the fact that in 1872 Grant, while President, was stopped twice in two days by the police for speeding on the Washington, D.C. streets while driving a two-horse carriage.”

While the speeding citations are accurate, the account of it being Grant’s first arrest was not, Judge Cleland said.

“Actually, those were the second and third times President Grant was arrested while in office. In 1869, a few months after his swearing-in as President, Grant spent several days at the home of General Thomas L. Kane in Kane.

“During the visit, General Kane and a guide took President Grant trout fishing — out of season. All three were placed ‘under arrest’ by Constable Ostrander, and taken before Squire Parsons in Wilcox. There they were all found guilty, including President Grant, and fined. A gracious host, General Kane paid the fines amounting to $125.”

Using an online inflation calculator, that would amount to about $2,765 today.

Everyone knows today that the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission takes their work seriously.

Yet we can certainly understand that the lure of Pennsylvania’s pristine waters does prove quite tantalizing. Pennsylvania is home to some of the best trout fishing in the world. Wild and stocked brook, brown and rainbow trout are found in Pennsylvania waters. Lake trout are found in Lake Erie, Raystown Lake and the East Branch Clarion River Dam.

Trout season is open now through Labor Day.