Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1888-12-13
TIE oHEsAPEAKB PIRATES.
NVenty-five Victims of Inhun,sn
treatment I'm One Hospital.

Nicttms OF HnhanIRfs
treatment I'm One Hospital.
special from Baltimore says. Twenty.
hve miserable specimens of humanity are
now lying in the Bay View hospita, At.
n,c1eu M with diseases caused by exposure.
lh.reatment and insufficient food, while
~ ~ WORK at oyster dredging in Chesapeake
pay. The stories Of some of these rneu
snow that many Of the dredging boats ,n
winch the men received cruel treatme i,t
nan from New York and Philadelphia
sno large number from Virginia. Th {
oIeagers work through the whole winte
ana return TO New York and Philadel
phia In the spring. They ship thei
oysters north from points on the eastern
shore Of the bay. When new hands are
wanted they are obtained in New York
on the pretence that they will receive
coed pay and fair treatment. The euper-
intendent OF Bay View Hospital said yes
terday that of the 20 sufferers nboye
referred to, not one had sustained i'll.
treatment on Baltimore vessel. Score
tary Feirehild, to whom the committee Of
the Gernen Society of Maryland sppeaIed
TOR revenue cutter TO watch the dredgers
has given the committee enoonragement,
but nt the same time intimates that he Ia
not sure Of the law in the case. AS soon
ss he 10 sure that he can legally do SO, he
Will detailed special armed reyenus
cutter to cruise in Maryland waters to
protect the dfedgers from the cruel cap-
tains and the brutes who boss the drade-
ing machines.
Surgeon Wyrnan of the United States
Marine Hospital Service, In special re.
port prepared for the German Soeiaty
aud submitted to the Secretary of the
Treasury, tells of the number of cases
treated by him last winter. His report
also contains these significant statements:
The surgical statistics have given you
are mot so dreadful es are the other facts
which have been brought out-that men
are "sharghaied," taken to the oyster
fields without proper clothing, kept there
against their will, allowed to remain for
days in the cold forapeak, when sick and
wounded, without any attention, beaten
to make them submissive, and knocked
overheard to prevent troublesome claim
for wages, or report of brutality when
they get to port. Another very Import
ant matter Is the dilemma in which they
find themselves with regard to the Law.
The vessels on which they serve are
registered, and they are seamen within
the meaning of the United States statutes.
II they disobey their brutal and
piratical captains, they hre subject to
fine and imprisonment for nutiny.
II they obey, they are made
to violate state laws and are exposed to
bullets from the state navy. You need
expect nothing from the state of Mary
land regarding this matter, and I will tell
you why. The oyster captains supply
and are Interested with the oyster packers.
Oyster packing ia one OF the chief indus
tries Of Mafylend. The packers are,
therefore, q very important political
factor. They stand by tha captains aud
have great deal Of political influence.
My article was copied into some of the
Baltimore papers, and the reporters told
me that the papors were roundly abused
by the packers and their friends for pub.
lishinRit. A revenue cutter would do o
GOOD deal Of good in elioiting facts and
giving aid. The time for the vessel to 90
should be just after hard storm OF
severe cold spell of weather.
The state authorities meanwhile are
making efforts with their small feet to
stop the piratical dredging. A dispatch
from Annapolis gives the details Of the
capture of one OF the dredging boats
after IN exciting chase. The state police
steamer Governor Thomas, Captain
Loker, met at the mouth of the Chester
river yesterday morning about O'Clock
three vessels which were thought to have
been violating the oyster law, but owing
to the darkness, the captain was unable
to distinguish them. The nearest one,
which proved to be the pungy G.. A. Ker.
wan, Captain Alonzo Evans of Baltimore,
was requested to heave to, but failed to
surrender. A lively chase ensued and
Captain Loker kept the vessel in sight
until daylight when he arrested the
dredger. The captain says he uould
have done so before, but fsared that
in the darkness he would do damage
to both steamer and dredger. The
other boats disappeared in the darkness.
When Captain Loker made second at
tempt yesterday morning TO capture the
Kerwan. her captain, 1t is said, threatened
to attack him IL he came on board. The
dredger was then in the bay, sailing to-
ward Baltimore. The steamer had been
following close behind awaiting o favor
able opportunity to tecure the prize. Il
was not captured, however, without a
struggle, and Captain Loker says he was
never before given so much trouble in
making an arrest. The captain of the
dredger, although entirely powerless to
defend himself, stoutly refused to surren-
der until the steamer had run into his
vessel twice, doing conaiderable damage.
The only shot fired was from the police
steamer as q signal for the dredger to
heave to. Charges of having defacsd num-
bers, having unculled oysters on board,
and resisting arrest, will be brought. Gap
tain Evans was held for trial.