The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1883-02-03
A Rad on Night Shoe. =rs,

The news of Il raid upon the night gan
ners OF the Susquehanna and the arrest ,
mum Der of the men, with Iwo Of thei
big guns or swivels, reached this place o.
Saturday last. For Il long time Il certai
sci OF men have set the law at defiance
anu almost without attempt at secrecy, hav,
engaged in night shooting, with sneak skitf
and swivel guns, upon the feeding grounds
OF the ducks on the SuSqu ehanna flats, un
I'll the evil effects of such work has become
apparent i'll the marked diIninutioa of the
number Of ducks; thus Interfering greatly
| with the sport Of owners Of points and
shooting shores on the upper Chesapeake
and its tributaries, until finally the latter
| determined to break up the unlawful prac-
tice cunning detective, "A Philalelphian,
was employed, and he, 10y mingling with
the shooters and visiting their Headquarters
AT Spesutia Island, became possessed of the
evidence necessary for their conviction
ship Of one Wash. Barnes, of Havre de
trace, and at the time of the raid consisted
OF eleven men. Two attempts wer. mad.
before the capture was titcted. The first
ume, owing 10 the ice, the raiding party
could not reach the island, but becoming
stuck last, We're Rescued by the very party
upon whose arrest they We're intent. and
pretending to be 4 party of gunners were
received and entertained by their Intended
victims. The second ,ifort was more sue
cesSful and resulted in the capture of
Barnes and ten men, and the surrender of
wv" OF the big guns or Swivel< As proof
OF illegal shooting had been secured araiust
only two of the party, Barnes and another.
the owners of Tie two guns captured, tne
remaining nine were released and the two
taken before a magistrate. who fined them
each oioo and costs. Several other guns Of
like character are known to be in possession
OF members of the gang These will be
looked after. The captured pieces We're |
broken up and The fragments sold to a
tealer in junk. The guns were said to be |
me ones, one OF them having at one time
been the property of old Captain Cadwalla-
Ter, OF duckIng fame, and cost $500 The
ock was beautiful piece OF IN, c,,auism
'nd the metal was perfect. The mel, ber-
'ed and lmplorei, and even ept over part
ng with their guns, swearing that they
we're their bread and butter" These men
Ill ducks hy means of what are known as
night guns They are huge fowline-
'leces, OF the pattern of the ordina v shot
un, but weighing 30 pounds apiece, with
bora like howitZ9r, and II cap,citv f,r
t least 4 pound and Il half of powder 4
un OF this kind is mounted in the bows of
small skiff, which can either be nayigated
water or upon runners, and propelled
yer the ice. The stock Of the gun is braced
galnst block, SO that the recoil sends the
oat back through the water. and there *
olg shock as there otherwise would be.
he gun is usually painted the color of the
oat, some dull neutral tint, and is fitted
18th patent buoy, by which the owner. if ,
irprlSed by an officer of the law can pitch
overheard and return for it again when
he alarm Is over The sound of one of the '
ans can be heard live miles and the de t
ructlon of ducks is great, as they sleep a
retly upon the water. There are in v
anceS Recorded where eighty W and on.
inbred canvas backs have been killed at a =
Scharge On account of this slaughter h
e law passed by the last legislature i'm.
'ses fine of 5000 or imprisonment for
oh and every offence constituted By hay :,
In possession, using or diSposing Of auv d
nix loat, sneak boat big or swivel gun. or C.
Hing duck in the night time in anv C
amer III The Chesapeake Bay or its tribu G
lies, and the law further adds that if it IL
proved that any party so charged was !,
OF about the place at the time when the Or
ck was killed with a gun in his POSSES S,
IN, 1t shall be deemed primH. f,cie evil p
nee for his conviction. The Pnilad-lphia "
by the way, has made him. y
I very scarce-allegeS that there are still 5!
hteen OF these guns in possession of the l
ng, which will doubtless confirm, il, Il
cturnal depradations upon the ducks. b,