Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1829-10-01


| fell to the earth devoid ofexstence. The
old rooster not knowing from whence he
had obtained assistance, or thinking per-
Ilaps il was the dirctnl effect of his own
! prowcss, commenced a shrill sort of tri-
umph, and Immediately commenced a new
attack upon the dead carcasc of his fallen
| foe, which he handled in no very gentle
manner and with proud satisfaction. This
in ordinary eases would not be considered
! an act of hcroism on the part of our hero
| Of the BAN yard---hut hr probably viewed
his enemy in the light Of a pirate, aud
therefore thong Int the ,,sagcs of honorable
warfare might well be dispensed with in the
| present ins,ance.-I'rOp. Pat.
ELiZABETHT0wN, Sept. Is
During nearly the whole of last week,
the good citizens of this State, residing in
and about Perth Amboy, were kept in a
state CT excitement by the depredations of
some two or three hundred oystermen,
(most Of them, we believe, from Staten Isl.
and) upon the oyster beds opposite that
place.
Tho facts connected with this unpleas-
ant affair, as far as we have been able TO
ascertain them are these: Three or four
years since, company Of gentlemen, re-
siding in New Jersey obtained permission,
under an express law of the State, to occu-
! ny a certain portion of the waters near the
mouth Of the river Raritan, for the purpose
of planting and raising oysters; and for
this privilege, they were bound to pay
valuable annuity 10 the State. Relying
upon the protection of tho State, the com
pany proceed to occupy the ground in the
manner contemplated in tho act. They
have actually expended, we are assured,
ten or twelve thousand dollars in tho en-
terprize and had, one short week since,
fair prospect Of speedy and ample remu-
ncrati"n--the oysters having become SO
large and fine as to command good price
! in The market.
On Tuesday last a numerous company
| Of oystermen from the State Of New York
commenced taking up the oysters planted
by the company; they were Immediately
told that they were committing a trespass
and cautioned against proceeding in the
business. The oystermen disregardec
these warnings, and the first day carried
off a considerable quantity Of oysters be-
longing TO the company. On tho mex
morning "wednesday they returned witt
increased numbers, and again commence
their work of plumber. The company il
the mean time, had not been altogether in
active they applied to the Court of Gen
eral Quarter Sessions of the peace ther
sitting in New Brunswick, in and for the
noon, and the Court directed tho Sheriff
Of the said county, under special writ
to take all persons trespassing on the COM
pany's oyster ground, and to raise posse
comitatus, if necessary; he found il so,
and on Wednesday morning proceeded to
the oyster beds with his posse, and reason
! ed with the oystermen, and entreated them
to leave the ground. They cursed him,
and stated that they cared nothing for the
sheriff Of Middlesex, or all the sheriffs in
New-Jersey,or even Newt ersey ITSELF
Finding it impossible by civil means and
process to prevent the marauders from ta-
king away the property of the citizens o.
New-Jcrsey, and the said company having
obtained four-pound gun and ammuni.
ton, consisting of ball and grape-shot, tho
Sheriff ordered tho gun to be fired, first t.
the right, and then to the left of them, anc
finally directed il to be fired in the mids
of the depredators. The oystermen ther
becoming alarmed, made off, thrcatenin:
vengeance upon the company, and also
threatening to burn the town. In THU
stage OF the business information Of the sit
uation of affairs was conveyed to tho Gov.
ernOr.
On Thursday morning tho oystermcr
appeared with numbers still augmented
They were again warned of, but mani
Testing no disposition to obey the warning,
some boats were manned at Amboy which
succeeded in capturing sloop and five or
six mcn-thc sloop was secured at Am
boy, and two of the men conveyed to
| New Brunswick Jail.
On Friday and Saturday the oyster
men returned to the spoil in great num-
bers; and the company, being left unpro-
tected by tho authority of the state, the mi
litia who were called out having returned
to their homes, tho whole extensive bed
Of oysters, worth, it is said, from TWEEN
| ty to thirty thousand dollars, was surren-
dercd without further effort.
The occurrence above recorded is a
subject OF deep regret. We have no dis
position TO east the blame upon our New
York neighbors indscriminatcly it was
4 A. Al. r.Tp