Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-04-30
WAR WITH NEW JERSEY.
DELAWARE STANDS UP FOR HALL
THE BAY.
No FUSS 10 be Made About the Twelve
mile Circle, but Deln,vare's Right
10 the West side of the sRay 90 be
Maintained.

mile Circle, but DehtiNvare's Rigb
90 the West side OF the Esay 10 b,
Maintained.
Special to Philadelphia Press.
DOVER, April 22.-Governor Stockle,
and Attorney General John II. Payntel
have been here all day in consultation
over the dispute between Delaware ant
New Jersey as TO the ownership of til,
fisheries in Delaware river and bay. It wai
decided that the United States Supreme
Court injunction of 1877 undoubtedly
prevented any interference by Delaware
with Jerseymen fishing in the river, but
nothing was said in that injunction about
the bay, and the governor decided that il
was his duty TO maintain the right Of
Delaware to absolutely control and regu.
late as 1t pleased the fisheries in the bay
from the Delaware shore to the centre Of
the channel.
The governor at first announced that
he would issue o proclamation to this
effect, but late this afternoon determined
that this was unnecessary. He declared
that he will enforce with all the power OF
the state the Inv passed a few weeks ago
prohibiting fishing by non-residents in
Wheoab DOtuMhiCb luiibhltbiOlg anu
notified the Kent county authorities TINT
he would sustain them in their attempt to
drive OFF the Jersey and Pennsylvania
fishermen who are swarming along the
Delaware shore from Bombay Hook down,
making their headquarters ut Bowers
Beach, nm isolnted spot. twelve miles from
here, and remote from any railroad or
telegraph communication.
The facts az to the efforts of the Della
ware officers have been uniformly mis-
stated. There have been no arrests. On
Saturday Inst Squire Jester issued II num-
Der of warrants simply directed against
certain persons not residents of Della
ware." This winters law provides that
in such warrants the names of the
offenders and their boats need not be
given. Sheriff Robinson on Saturday
sent d deputy to Bowers Beach to warn
of the Jerseymen, hut did not attempt to
serve the warrants, and on Monday re-
turned them TO the justice, refusing to
serve them unless the names of the parties
they were directed against were inserted
in them.
New warrants were thereupon issued by
the squire against Ezekiel Gilman, Peter
Fedderson, Charles MCGEE, William
French, Jacob Lewis, Luke Hawkins,
Henry Blohm, James Knox, George Knox,
William Simons and Benjamin Keiser, ,one
Pennsylvania and 10 New Jersey boat
owners. These warrants the sheriff took
to Bowers Beach and served upon the
fishermen, but did not take any one into
custody, they all declaring themselves to
be residents of Delaware, and he accept
ing their promise to come to Dover this
morning 10 appear before the squire and
make the afhdavits required by law as to
their residence.
The first four named duly appeared this
morning, but the other seven hld hoisted
their sails during the night and silently
stolen over to the Jersey side. Gilman,
Fedderson, McGee and French swore
that they had been residents of Delaware
for the space of one week, and intended
to stay 10.
These affidavits were submitted to the
governor and attorney y-general, and they
decided that anybody was resident of
Delaware who had been five minutes in
the State, and said he came to stay The
four Jerseymen newly baptized into
Dolawareans were thereupon told to
depart in peace and fish where they
pleased. They were warned, however,
that copies of their affidavits would be
sent to New Jersey, and care taken to see
that they did not double-up their citizen
ship, and fish on one side of the channel MS
Jerseymen, and the other Us Delawareans.
Later in the day the encouragement
learned that the new-made citizens had
been living in their boats, having pulled
down and carried of for fear of confisca-
ton by the sheriff the little cabins which
they set up on the beach when the fishing
season opens and live in for the six weeks
that it lasts. Under these circumstances
he said, he was inclined TO reconsider his
decision as to the validity of their resi-
dence, but no action has yet been taken.
Sheriff Robinson refuses to say just
what steps he will take, but declares that
he proposes to prevent illegal fishing at
all hazards. He is expected to take
posse to Bowers Beach within day or
two and capture or drive off the non
resident fishermen, or get himself killed
in the attempt.
A prominent lawyer here, interested in
the case, said to-day that the interests in
volved were too small to Justify the at-
tention they were receiving. The trouble
was, he said, that the Delaware fishermen
found themselves being crowded out by
the big sturgeon fishing companies of
New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and, partly
in revenge and partly to protect them
selves, had had passed the law that was
making the trouble. He had no doubt
that Delaware was in the right legally,
and that the law ought to be enforced by
the whole power of the State. He be-
lieved that the Jerseymen were only play
ing game of bluff.
A fisherman loafng around Squire
TESTERS Office, stating the case ON behalf
OF group of other oilers in canvas
clothes, said: "These here Jerseymen
have driven us out of our own fisheries.
They're swarming all along the shore at
Jones', Murderkill and Mispillion creeks,
and, besides spelling the fishing for rock
and other small fish, they actually drive
US off. l am doing nothing to-day just
because dassent go down there to fish,
We amt afraid of 'em man to man, but
there's too many of them for us. Out of
1870 at Bowers Beach only % are Della
ware men. Eight schoOners, with 18
small boats and 36 men, sailed AWAY last
night to get rid of coming here to-day, but
they'll be back again. hive n gun in
my boat, and, l guess most of
us Delnware,,ns has, and if we
are sure the Guv'nor will back
US up wen go there and fish and tako our
chances of getting our slilre If the
catch. don't know wiluthcr the Jersey
men carry shooters or mt, but guess
we won't oouc out second hest il it comes
down to tiiat kind of fight. There amt
no sturgeon ON the Jersey side till almost
the end OF the season, and thuts why
they come over to our side after them.
The season ends the middle of Mny, but
this here trouble won't end then. It's
been going on for yearstill we can't stand
it no longer, and we are going to stop il
or quit fishing. There amt no money in
it for us the way it is now"
Delaware people hold that the rivel
ends and the bay begins mt Reedy Island
near Bombay Hook, and the fight for tn,
control of the fisheries will be from that
point down. ..--.
LOST $4,000 At COLON.