The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-05-15
THE DOMINION.
The Seizure of the David j. Adams.

OTTAWA, May lion motion to go into
committee on supply last night, the Hon.
Peter Mitchell asked for statement by the
government in regard to the recent SEIZURE
of the American fishing schooner, David j.
Adams. The minister of marine and hsher-
les said the schooner, which was owned in
Gloucester, Mass, was in Digby Basin on
Thursday and Friday of last week, where
she was buying fish in cOntravention of the
terms Of the treaty of 1918. She was also vi
olating the customs laws of Canada by stay
ing in the harbor more than "a hours with
out reporting to the collector of customs.
Capt. Scott, of the government steamer
Lansdowne, having been advised OF these
facts by the Digby collector, went from St.
John, N. B., where his vessel happened to
be, and after an examination seized the
schooner. Legal proceedings were being
taken against her, aud she would be llbeled:
DIGBY, N. S., May 14.-Captain Scott OF
the steamer Landsdowne, accompanied by
the Queens solicitor in the case Of the David
j. Adams, arrived here this afternoon from
Halifax. Soon after their arrival the war
rant to seize the schooner was received by
the sheriff of Digby by mail and under the
instructions of the solicitor she was seized
this afternoon by the sheriff, who boarded
the vessel and nailed the warrant to the
mast. This warrant was issued by the vice
admiralty conrt and acts on the vessel and
her cargo, the same as eopias acts on an 1n, IN.
dividual about to leave the provinces. That
is, she is now in the custody of the hlgh
sheriff of the county of Digby as deputy of
the marshal of the vice admiralty court.
The Adams is now held by the customs and
the sheriff conformity. The LandsdOwne
will proceed to sea tonight or tomorrow
morning to look after more bait buyers. All
of the commissions have been distributed for
cruisers and a dispatch has arrived for COM
missioned officer W. o. Hodge of Digby to
prepare to take charge of a cruiser. Several
fishermen belonging to the United States are
seeking bait in the bay. The Adams has
been mOored to the wharf, her sails have
been taken off and two men are placed on
guard.
HALIFAX, May 14:-Messrs. Meaghsr,
Drisdale and Newcomb, members of one of |
the prominent law firms OF this city, are to |
be retained for the defence in the case Of |
the seizure of the Gloucester schooner David |
j. Adams. Consul General Phelan called on |
them today and engaged their services. They |
will act in both cases, that covering the seiz- |
ure itself in the vice admiralty court, and the |
action against Capt. Kinney in the supreme |
court for violation of the customs laws.
Consul General Phelan today received |
from Capt. Scott letter said to contain an |
explanation of the seizure OF the schooner, |
but Consul Phelan declines to show the let |
ter or make known its contents. He admits |
that il is reply to the demand addressed by |
him to Capt. Scott on Tuesday, asking for /
the delivery of the Adams and an explana-
tlon Of the proceedings with regard r. IT % she
ington tomorrow morning his statement of |
the whole affair, accompanied by the deposit
tions of Capt. Kinney and his crew, and oth-
er documents respecting the seizure which
have come into his possession. 1t is believ-
ed that the matter will not come before the
courts here for three or four weeks.
NEW YORK, May 14.-The United States
despatch steamer Tallapoosa is still an
chored off Staten Island, and it is rumored
she is detained to carry dispatches between
the cabinet at Washington and the comman-
ders of war vessels that have been ordered
home should there be trouble in Canadian |
fishing waters.