Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-05-09
MATTHEW'S.
SALE orPrRArEcRArr-As SUGGESTION
T0THE STATE.
The Release Of The Oyster Pirates-what
Their Boat Cost-Change Of
Name, &c.
Correspondence Of the Richmond Dispatch

correspondence OF the Richmond Dispatch. >
WEsTvILLE, May 6, 1886.
The three dredging vessels confs-
Gated at the April term Of the County
Court for violation Of the oyster Law
will be sold at public auction at Fitch
eit's wharf on Saturday next.
The purchasers of the G. B. Raynor,
sold in February last, did not comply
with terms Of sale, alleging that the
title was not what they desired aud had
right to expect. The State, it would
seem. has not done that which would
protect and rebound to her interest in
these vessels. She should guarantee to
defend the title to these vessels when
sold, otherwise it will prejudice the sale
Of them.
The State has TWO hired PUNCHES in COM
mission as consorts of the police steam.
er Chesapeake. Would it not be bet
ter to discard these hired vessels and
replace them with two Of the contis-
Gated ones? They are said to be ad-
mirably suited for the purpose and CON-
Portable and fast sailers.
The remnant Of the crews Of these
vessels were released from the county
jail few days since by order Of Gov
ernor Fitz Lee, the citizens having petit.
toned the Executive in their behalf.
1t would seem that this was peculiarly
case that merited Executive clemency.
Under the operation of that great
monstrosity called the Virginia oyster
law the crews of vessels found guilty
Of illegal dredging are punishable for
felony. Now it is an accepted fact that
the tramps Of Baltimore, from whom
The crews Of dredging vessels are main
ly recruited, are offered their choice
by the police of that city either to
20 to Jail or down the bay dredging.
Many Of them are foreigners, and are
apparently as ignorant Of the laws Of
Virginia as the Hottentots. They must
throw the dredge when ordered to do so,
or incur the penalty Of disobedience aud
perhaps be tried for mutiny. Thus they
find themselves between sheol and the
deep blue sea. What has the State
accomplished by Furnishing these men !?
The responsible parties, the captains,
who with the owDers) alone merited
punishment, are at large, and it seems
little less than silly to convert our
court-houses and jails into free board
ing.houses for Baltimore trsmps at a
cost in this instance approximating seven
hundred dollars, and tax the people to
pay the bills. If this business is not a
farce and a travesty upon justice and
the majesty of law, tell US, o ye So
Ions, what is.
a petition to the Postmaster-G en-
eral praying that the name of our post
tflce be changed from Matthews Court
house to Westville is being crcu-
lated here. The object will recommend
itself TO every patriotic citizen as de
sire to confer name upon our village
commensurate with its growing impor-
lance. Westville is the name of our
middle township, and in some histories
given as the name of the village.
The people of Matthews are under
wet spell. The lOcal-option election
came off yesterday. The election was
orderly, and the best of feeling pre-
vailed. 1t is generally conceded that
the prohibitionists would have carried
the county three weeks ago, but the
vets rapidly gained ground as the day
of election approached. The vote Of
the county stands thus: Westville, ll2
wet; Chesapeake, 81 wet; Whites
Neck, 90 wet; Piankitank district, l6
dry. NJ.