Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1885-03-14
A Reply TO Charges Of Cap.. Reed.
MATTHEW'S G. H., VA,
February 2.ltll,,lSS5.

llSlleu Ill IL rcctlll lSSleol lOul litpel W
scthcr with an editorial clipping COM
mcnting on the same, charging the ln-
dersigned with mbeconing and lmaw-
full conduct i'll the recent trial of Capts.
Reed and Edward Richardson, before
the undersigned justices, for violating
the oyster law i'll dredging in prohibited
waters.
As Your paper. so far rs we know, h1s
no circulation amongst us, and us You
did not see fit TO send us, or either of lis,
the copy of your paper containing the
aforesaid articles; this is Tie first oppor-
tunity afforded us to reply othe letter
of Capt. Reed.
Capt. Reeds letter would lead you TO
believe that ne and Capt. Richardson
were arrested without any charge Or cv-
idcncc against them whatever, Of viola-
tion Of law. He simply says that the
steamer. while onner way to William $
whmf. overlook us and took us along y
He studiously avoids giving any of the
evidence or facts proved against them,
but would have the public hclirve that
Il couple of entirely innocent gentlemen,
pursuing Il lawful calling. had been set
upon hy Il parcel Of vile and lawlesS oili
GERS of the law. their liberties restrained
and their money eXtorted from them,
without any cause Or provocation, they
bcing entirely powcrless to resist or pro-
lect themselves.
The facts Of these eases, rs detailed
before the court by MI l.illups and
other witnesses. are these: On the
morning of the 97tt, of January lust, as
the steamer Chesapeake" MUS steam
ing down the bay. two vessels We're
sighted back of Gwynn's Island, some
mile or two west Of Il line drawn from
the lighthouse on RappahanlocE spit to
the lighthouse on Wolflrap spit. gong
lll the n,meuverin@s Of dredg-
ing. Mr.. Billups who WIS i'll charge OF
the steamer, directed her course to-
w;udS tic vessels, and approaching near
enough to them. SAW tll;lt they were not
throwing their lrrClges. He passed them
and confined his course down the bay,
hut OF getting some three or four miles
below the vessels. he concluded that Us
they were i'll prohibited waters. and
continued to tack and do us in done by
all vessels WHEN engaged III dredging.
tia; ii would he prudent for him 10 80
back and investigate the matter, itld
personally interview them. He did So,
and approaching one OF the vessels
which proved to be Capt. Richardson's,
lie hailed her and asked hecaptain what
lie WIS doing? Capt. Richardson re-
Spohded looking for an oyster rock
out here, Mr.. Billups then said, 'lllve
Won found it?'' OF today. said Capt.
Richardson: Il found it yesterday, but
can t find it to-day-tsal you tell me
where it isl" WHO WIS with you When
You found il Yesterday" asked Mr..
Billups. "That vessel there pointing
TO Capt. Reeds vessel and myself
tredgrd on it yesterday" replied Capt.
Richardson. Thereupon Mr.. Billups
said. why, captain, do you not know
that these are ,lnlawful grounds foryou
to dredge??" No, sir" said Capt. Rich
ardson. Mr.. Biluls then arrested the
captains, seized the vessels anil took
them with him TO East river. Although
arrested on the 9th, the warrants
witlldicdging on the Goth,
and not on the 9th. as Capt. Reed says:
These facts us before said. were teSti
fled to before the court, III the presence
of Capt. Richardson, his crew and Capt.
Reed. ard their attorney did not at
tempt contradiction of the collfes-
sions OF Capt. Richardson, nor will
lie do SO today, for ne not only made
this confession 10 Mr.. BillupS i'll the
presence Of Il humber Of the crew OF the
/ lesapeake, some of whom also testi-
fled to the sane thing, and before any
arrest was made or threatened, vOlun-
tarily and freely, without any hope of
reward, or fear of punishment held out
TO him, but in conversation with others
had here, he stated the same thing,
THAT lie and Capt. Reed
drcdged on the aforesaid rock all day OIL
the 10Th Of January.
These cases were not argued before
the court. and they were allowed to go
free because the court believed that
while they were rtally guilty, they were
ignorant of the prohibited line, and had
unintcntiolally violated the law But
as they by their own acts. and the con-
fession Of Capt. Richardson had caused
their arrest and prosecution. and also in
consideration of the fact that they had
ri board oysters then, that really did
not belong to them, but was the proper
ty of the Comth., that the Comth. ought
not, in justice and right, be saddled
With the costs, but that they, the cap
tains, ought to pay the same. There
was no argument of this question before
the court, and TO objection raised to it
by them. and ne never heard. Of any
until this letter of Capt. Reed was pub
lishcd.
Now, Mr.. Editor, we have given all
Of the facts in this whole matter, with
out adding to or taking from. and failed
to see any injustice done to these cap
tains. and feel satisfied that i'll unprej-