The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-09-25

ccrncd, may be over, hut the end is not
yet
wAESER AND THE ISLES or
SHOALS.
The Isles OF Shoals have within the
prominence, and were. during the past
season. among the number of popular
places OF summer resort" Two or three
guide books. and as many histories, have
been, during the same time. written about
these Shoals, and brutal murder has add
ed 10 making ii particularly interesting
We say "again brought INTO prominence"
because they were formerly regarded as of
some consequence, and were the seat of a
considerable business. They were dscov-
cred by John Smith, whose name is closely
identified with the early history of Vir-
gnia, and were called by him Smiths
Isles" From the fact. however. that they
were little else than bed of rocks raising,
here and there, their unsightly heads out of
the water, being covered only with
slight coating of soil. they took their
present appropriate name. Their situation
was, however, very advantageous for the
carrying on of fisheries, and as q headquar-
tiers for fishermen and flsh-traders, and
they. Mt an early day, became very thckly
settled, probably containing more inhab-
itants to square mile than any other
portion Of the country docs even at the
present day, outside, of course, of the
larger cities. This was their condition for
nearly century prior 20 the Lreaking
out OF the American revolution. at which
time they could number a population of
six hundred souls having court house on
one Of the islands, and meeting house"
on another Even at the close of the rev.
OlutiOn, they had not lost their CONNER
cial importance, as we read that from
three to four hundred thousand quintals of
fish were, annually, caught and cured
there, and seven or eight schooners, be-
sides numerous boats, were employed in
the fisheries. Their importance was
speedily lost, so that two years ago no
traces of their former business or pop
ulaton could be found. In 1870, the cen
sus returns them as uninhabitcd. \ brutal
murder has, however, again brought them
into notice tourists flock there steamers
make them stopping place; large summer
hotels have been erected, and persons
travelling in pursuit of health or pleasure
pretend to believe that the one or the other
can be found on these bleak, barren. unin-
viting rocks.
A gazetteer, speaking of them some years
ago, dismisses the whole subject with the
simple remark that tho "Isles of Shoals is Il
name applied to cluster of eight islands
part of which belong to York county
Maine, and part to New Hampshire. u
Wagner, probably, had this idea in view
when he committed his murders, tor when
arrested by New Hampshire authorities he
claimed that they had no jurisdiction ant
when, subsequently, sent to Maine for tria
he strenuously contended that New Hamp
shire was the place. There seems to hay,
been no doubt of his guilt, but he resteC
quietly iii Jail, waiting for the decision OF
the all important question of who owned
the rock Getting tired of his confinemen
it will be recalled, he quietly walked GU
of his cell, one night, and disappeared, bu
was soon, thereafter, recaptured. A stor,
is told of him, which is vouched as bein!
true, that few days before, he Informed
his keeper that he might chain him and sc
cure him as best he could and he would
meet him in given part of the building il
a given time. The test was made and Wag
ner kept his word. The supreme court o
Maine decided few days since that Main
owned the rock, and passed sentence o
death upon the murderer. Preferring free
dom TO DEATH he, again, on Friday of las
week, took an airing. After his forme
commcndablc to the authorities of tina
state, and has no tendency to convince al
outsider that crime will or can be punished
there. 1t is fortunate for Smutty Nos
criminals that they belong to Maine, but i
would subserve the ends of justice if tn
court would ''stretch point" revers
their former decision and let New Hamp
shire have all of these Isles of Shoals, in
GLIDING "Smutty Nose that they wanted
} We could thea have the Question-of s,
much interest to prison rcformers -decde
Of the relative merits of the pentcntiar
systems of the two states. Wagner woul
solve it right speedily. As the case stand
now, Maine is ahead. Her jails are I'll
most roomy, airy, open and commodous
aud afford the greatest facilities for ope
air exercise, and plenty of it. Wagner is
sort of public benefactor to that part o
the country. He has repopulated islands
built summer hotels, established lines o
steamers, made handsome profits for book
sellers and the writers of guide books, be
sides introducing to the world the safet
and security of Maine prisons. Perhap
these Maine officials will conclude, after
time, that the benefits outweigh the Grim
and brutality, and will let him depart !
peace, and without pursuit, the next time.