The Evening post. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1888-1889, 1888-12-13

uOWn OIl tub NuGsdptdhC DelWcb1 Nldlg
land and the oyster dredgers. Secretary
Whitney has directed Commander
Sampson, at Annapolis, to furnish the
State Of Maryland with arms and am
munition. Two steam launches, one
armed with n howitzer and one with a
Calling gun, will be used.
1t is stated that the dredgers are medi.
tating revenge for the damage inflicted
on Monday night by the steamer Nc
Lane. Reports reached Annapolis last
night that an attack would he made on
Captain Clarke of the State Fishery force
schooner Folly ut Hacketts Point, four
miles from Annapolis.
Captain Howard of the McLane will
be in command of these boats, that are to
be manned by his crew, and they will 90
to Hacketps Point at once.
OFFICIAL REPORT or THE FIGHT.
Captain Howard makes the following
official report Of the encounter OH Mon
day night;
ave left Annapolis at $40 p. m. Monday
afternoon, at my own suggestion, for Chester
River, as lad heard OF the violations going
on there 1 arrived about O'Clock and found
o fleet of boats-about ten or tifteou--uuder
Wickes Beach. / did not board them. al
though felt certain they had bceu dredging
all that day. / proceeded up the river and
found still larger fleet anchored at Halo's
Point, except one schooner which | saw com
ing down the river. | boarded her, expecting
to find unculled oysters, but she did not have
any.
OPENING FIRE.
ave got under way and went up the river,
aud just opposite Judge Robinsons found
three or four boats at work dredging, two Of
them pretty close together. The first boat
signaled to haul down its jb The captain
paid no attention TO Il. / then called to him,
aud he still refused to comply with the order.
then opened fire on him with rifles, first into
the rigging aud then into the cabin, when he
| asked for quarters. | stopped firing, boarded
| him, lowered his sails and told him to remain
where he was. saw five or six bullet holes
In the cabin Of the dredgcr. The boat nearest
| to him aud to the windward hauled down the
sails, saying: Balls came too fast for him.
| He didn't want any aboard of his boat
Gust TO the wndward of this fleet on
| Piney Point bar were fifteen or twenty drcdg
ers at work. They started up the river. They
had considerable start of me. The first vessel
! saw was lacking TO the westward. She ran
ashore, l firing rifles at her all the time. Just
outside OF this vessel l boarded a schooner
| found unculled oysters, arrested the captain,
put a tuau aboard and started down theriver
! The balance OF the fleet to the eastward
started down the river while ] was boarding
these boats to the westward. 1 followed and
passed them and met aud anchored two more
boats. Iagan started up the river. The wind
was blowing fresh from north northeast, the
moon was up and though the weather was
not clear, could see well.
MAKING FOR THE STEAMERS.
81 then saw ten or twelve boats made fast
together and coming down in solid body,
showing red and green lights. knew that
meant fight from the manner in which they
had acted previously told my men to get
| the rides out, see that they were properly
loaded, to keep cool, and not to shoot until |
gave the order. had six men on deck, and
the pilot and myself in the pilot-house made
| eight shot great deal. met these boats
and gave them the signal to haul down their
jbs. They paid no attention to 1t. / then
called to them to haul down their jibs. got
I no answer. ! ordered rifles fired across their
bows They promptly returned the fire. /
then, hauled right across their bows barely
nvoiting collision. ! was afraid | would get
tangled In their bowsprits.
"When got the cannon to bear on the
centre Of the fleet / gave the word to fire.
The piece was loaded with grape and canister,
and the load struck half-mast high, doing
great damage to spars, rigging and sails. As
soon as fired the drcdgers ra tied away at me
heavily again had to keep the men down
below the bulwarks 10 prevent them from
being shot. This gave me great difficulty In
loading the cannon. | got it charged again,
however, and ran right under the stern Of the
vessels and let go into the centre of the fleet.
This shot rhked and tore the sails, being
right top of them and only twenty feet
away. The dredgers had gone below when
they saw Inc getting ready To fire the cannon,
but. as soon as It was discharged, they began to
fire away lively at me again ] told the boys
to load the cannon and get 1t ready, but that
| was going to run into the dredgers.
"The steamer has an iron bow. / ran into
the fleet, striking the Julia Jones on the star.
board quarter, aud let go the cannon at the
same time. backed out with one dredger OIL
board, who had jumped on deck to save hi;
HE, aud begged like = man. told him &c
throw up his hands, which he did. | dom
think he ever stretched them so high in hii
life. AS backed out one ball came into the
pilot-house aud struck Mate Charles W. Fra
zier, who was assisting ME in steering II,
said:
Captain Tom, I'm shot; I'm done for;
can't help you any more
"'old boy said |, i hope not seriously
Lay back In the corner.
RAMMISG THE MAHoSEY.
81 backed out, got Frazier down the cabin
saw the extent Of his wound, which was no
fatal, bandaged his arm and took Perry Field
dredgers aud hauled dead for them. strucl
the j. Z. Maloney on her port quarter anI
hung up and could not back out. | wen
ahead on her with full force and threw tn
Mdhoney on her beam ends and came bacl
with full steam aud cleared. In the meantime
the Jones had sunk. While we hung in tn
| hull OF the MahOney was the hottest time o
the fight, the dredgers-about eight boats
pouring broadsdes into Us and my crew re
turning the fire Ms fast rs possible
I'VE backed on and the dredgers then dis
pcrsu,l, each looking out for himself and get
Ting away in the darkness in range of the flee
on llale's Point, and | was afraid 10 shoe
there rs would hit innocent perCons on tn
boats anchored there. The Mahoney sunk al
ter rammed her. The crew crawled upon III
: bow, calling for Gods sake TO save them; the
had had enough Of dredging. There wer
.. eight, aud took charge OF them, gave theI
supper aud put them In Jail the next day
Ceptrbyillc.
~ laid too all night, which was very dar
and stormy,and the next day took the schoouC
COrbett 10 Centreville and had the crew triC
before Squire GoldsborOug for naviug uncullC
oysters and Captain Jones was fined 500 an
, costs. / then returned to the scene Of actio
and lay all Tuesday night among Il fleet
dredgers of llale's poiut. / saw no dred sinj
l certainly am proud OF the way my ere
acted; not man shirked his duty"
Fined For Keeping Sunday Bar.
Timothy Reagan was on trial this mornil
, in the Police Court charged with violating Il
p Sunday liquor law, The testimony show
that an old sailor named John Horau had be
given number Of drinks in his saloon. Jud