Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1881-05-20
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Virginia Justice
To tie Editor Of he Times

To TIE Editor Of ike Times
For the thirty years have stood in defence o
the giling interest, both Of Virginia and Mary
land, and hoped that the interest VAS fuily
established and settled according 10 The com
pact of 1884 but il seems not, and We are Il
have further trouble with our n-ighbors upor
this vexed question, in consequence Of had la~,
and villainous disposition nd the selfish greed
Of the riparian fishermen, and corrupt officer:
that they hire 10 60 thsir dirty work. The
citizens OF the two States have too long allowed
this wrangiing TO 90 on between their people
Ii is high time that the people were aotihed
III It We all own equal in terest in The waters
Of the Potomac. The original charter TO Lord
Baltimore gave the entire right of the Potomac
10 Maryland, aud Mary land, in her ms guanimi-
" gave, as she ought TO have done, her sister
State equal rights in the water. OF the Potomac
Virginia now is paying us hack in her own
peculiar style. 1t has no; been twelve months
since Hendriks and Scroggins were arrested,
committed to Jail for it, habeas corpus refused,
case tried in a Circuit Court and SET up TO the
Court of Appeals at Richmend.
All this and more, because the parties, Hen
bricks and Scroggins. were trying 10 make an
honest living by giiling. The crime alleged
forsooth was that they were fishing in Mr..
Knights berth, when in fact, If they 6shed a,
knights berth simply because knight made all
the river his berth in his reach at Stoney Point.
Therefore there wars no room for any one else
without irespassing upon somebody.
Not satisfied With the glory they had schiev-
ed in the Hendricks case, the same parties now
propose to try their hand upon me aud my men
and upon Marylanders generally. On Friday
last, May 6, J. Owen Kerby, doubtless by Sc
cret orders given, proceeded to take up J. s.
Jones and hand, Joe johnson and hand, Frank
Holt and hand, and their boats and nets, and
took them and their nets ashore upon the Vir-
ginia side instead of delivering them TO the
Maryland authorities as the subsection 10 OF
Marylan law $50 requires. That law says
"In case the State of Virginia shall adopt a
law similar in its provisions TO this act citizens
of either State, when arrested for The violation
OF the provisions of this article meaning
the W hole law-'by the police force or other
off ers of either State shall he delivered up for
trial to the police force or other officer of the
States ofwhch the offender is a citizen,.' &c.
Subsection 6 laws of ls7Ol says: Upon
information, given upon oath 10 any justice Of
the peace having jurisdict ion, of any violation
of any of the provisions Of this Article he shall is
sue his warrant for the arrest of the offender Or
offenders and for the seizure of the seines, nets
boats and other fishing outfit in cases when for
fixture of the same is provided, which shall be
directed 10 the sheriff or any constable of the
county, or other office authorized to arrest un-
der this article to be dealt with according to
law. And it shall he the duty of any sheriff,
constable, or other officers so authorized under
said article, with or without warrant TO arrest
any person or persons violating the provisions
of this article, &c.
Now, in view of these two articles, it can be
clearly seen that j. Owen Kerry has violated
the laws both of Maryland and Virginia in
making arrest without oath from any infor-
mant; in himself arresting without sheriff or
constable or other officer authorized" &c. J.
Owen Kerly was not only informant, but also
"csnstable, Shorthand other officer authorize ed,
&c. and Judge as well-one man power. The
great Magma Charter fought for by our forefath-
ers, and won and handed down to posterity as
the great chart of our liberties has been Sc,
aside by J. Owen Kerby, and himself installsd
. the Great Mogul of Virginia. Vir1inia's
great seal contains this beautiful sentiment.
''Sic semper tyranis," bnt if Virginia allows