Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-02-11
The MARYLAND OYSTER Rebellion.

NEWS FROM THE SEAT OF wAR-cAPrURB OF TWO
fIkAIlCAL vEssELS-THB RI NAHDI OF THE oYs-
TER REBELLION.
The New York SIM saws. Two vessels of the
Maryland oyster navy, the Leila and Gov. Hamil-
Ton, rendezvoused in Fishing bay, Dorchester
county, Nd. yesterday afternoon. Their object
was 70 overawe the dredgers who proved too strong
lor capt Insey Of the police sloop julia Hamilton,
last week. The steamers found the bay deserted
oy the dredgers. who had gotten wind of their ap
and while In Hooper straits fell in with two
ssnooners rom Baltimore, but owned by Leslin S.
McNainara, OF Cambridge, Md They were acting
susplclouSly when first seen, and the Hamilton,
having hung her ensign to the breeze steered for
Tue uecks cleared for action. In the wake OF the
hamiiton came the Leila, whose men were well
aa Inc brass 12-pounder in the bow was I'M
IEnr,tu On approaching the two dredgers the
hamilton lay to, and first officer Copper took the
captains gig and boarded them. The Moore
found with her deck and dredge lines wet and the
presumption was that she had been dredging. on
tne mcnamara the evidences OF recent dredging
M mer mucn stronger the deck being solled and
arrested on the charge Of dredging on Sunday and
IheiI vessels taken in tow by the steamer. The
captains Will be tried to-day.
A PIRATICAL VICTORY
The police schooner, the Julia Hamilton, was
found lying in Goose creek. Capt Insley, ex-com-
mander OF the Julia Hamilton, states that he has
been having trouble with the dredgers for some
Time past, owing to the scarcity OF oysters in the
lines OF demarcation with one sail vessel The
OredgerS were also aware that he had inferior arms
ana ana small supply Of ammunition. Some time in
last December, he says, he attempted to board the
schooner Tangter, owned by Joseph Beard, OF Bal
tlmore put the captain and several OF the crew met
MIN with hatchets, handspikes and other weapons,
and threatened TO kill him II he stepped on board.
He returned to his schooner, and when he reached
ner the dredgers opened fire, which he reciprocated
NO one was injured on either side. The dredger
got away, and no arrests were made. For month
past Violations Of the law, especially at night, have
Deen frequent In Tedious creek. branch Of Fishing
bay, and number OF arrests have been made.
Mllburn Cannon, OF straits district was seen by
Capt lnsley dredging In forbidden waters and at
tempt was made to arrest him. His brother, Syl-
Eester Cannon, 1t is charged, threatened to shoot
Capt 1nsley II he boarded Mburn's boat, and drove
him off. A week later James L. Cannon, longer,
volunteered to assist Insey In arresting Milburn
cannon. and while he was absent In the discharge
OF That duty, his canoe, anchored In shoal water,
and rendered useless. Nilburn Cannon was tried
and fined $50, but appealed. The father OF the two
Cannons, X. p. Cannon, who is said TO be the
CHIEF OF THE TERRoRIsTs,
and the GEL Mahdi" OF the oyster rebellion went to
Criseld, and there, 1t is said procured three re-
peating rifles and ammunition. On his return,
Monday last, the Cannons started with their two
boats from their home, of Fox creek on a dredging
OF warning to the pollce-boat and the tongmen on
reaching the dredging ground they anchored and
as soon as the breeze sprang up began operations
and continued to work all night The oyster police
boat, which was in charge OF Jerome A. Robinson,
mate, was stationed about hundred yards away,
and shortly after they had anchored the dredgers
opened fre In her direction their balls falling 100
yards away. This drove Ins!ey off. That night
meeting OF tOngmen Of the neighborhood was held,
s winch the Capt ney and his
10 proceed TO Annapolis and ask for help in beating
on the pirates The tonglnen are Jubllant over
the arrival OF the Leila and Hamilton, and last
night fleet OF their canoes gathered around the
steamers. Capt. GOrdy delivered I'VE rifles and
supply or ammunition TO the Julia Hamilton, whose
DCl>a tol-a
mana LII day or two.
PHANTOM FLEET.
special dispatch to the Philadelphia Times con-
corning the oyster war. furnishes the following
information: For the last ten years the conflict be-
tween the state authorities OF Maryland and the
oyster dredgerS has been Increasing. but the pres
ent war promises to be more serious than that OF
three years ago. when in the fight of Thomas
Point one OF the dredgers killed by the police
ana several were wounded on both sides. The cause
OF the warfare is that "private beds and "tong1ng
beds" are forbidden the dredgerA The result Is,
these beds have become highly valuable and there
long to appropriate their wealth. These dreig-
ers are peculiarly lawless and venturesome.
IL was suspected on Sunday last that trouble was
brewing. for little fleet OF dredges seen living
to In small cove of Deals Island Each vessel
was minus the license number, which must be dis
prayed on The fore or luarSail, and the We're
engaged In ob!teratlng all distinguishing names
and marks. On Monday morning the boats each
OF about ten tons buthen were 50 alike that an ex
pert eye could not detect a difference between
them. The deck houses. which are movable had
been taken below, and the little vessels showed a
smooth sweep OF decks and dirty bulls and sails
The latter had been Smeared with mud to produce
aunlform appearance, and the crews were disguised
IN fantastic costumes They were then known as
a ''phantom fleet" since the police on approaching
could not recognize either crew or boat with Suff-
Gent accuracy to swear to the necessary identity
In a court OF law. The news OF the encounter in
Iiungars river with this fleet on Tuesday and the
de1eat vi the police boat spread with wonderful
rapdity over the waters Of the bay. and the law
rttc
pratlca ghosts, anxious to share In the spOliation
OF the valuable beds In the river and Fishing bav
one OF the features OF this guerrilla warfare is the
great chance taken by the dredgers. The law pro-
Vides for the forfeiture OF boats, implements cargo
etc, ana imprisonment, together with a heavy fine
desperately.