The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1888-12-14
y r. /. 4 I r, NJ d,
Friday Morning, =. December IA, 1888.
A Fight With Dredgers on the Bay.

EiIudJ hViu'HHj D6CeWubT ifS lOoos
A Fight With Dredgers on the Bay
The daily papers of Wednesday contain
accounts Of a desperate engagement, on Mon
day night in Chester river, between the State
steamer McLane and number of dredging
vessels Two of the oyster vessels were sunk
but no lives were lost. The fight lasted from
to half-past eleven O'Clock. The McLane
was commanded by Capt. Thomas Howard.
When his vessel approached the dredgcrs be
ordered them 10 haul down their jbs. His
order was disobeyed and a volley Of rifle
balls was fired at the steamer, smashing in the
windows of the pilot house. The McLane
then fired half dozen rifle bullets over the
heads of the men in the fleet. The fire was
vigorously returned, apparently by every YES.
sci in the fleet. The McLaue had been pro-
vided with underground cannon, from
which loads of grapeshot and canister were
hurled at the fleet the steamer retilinc after
each discharge, in order to reload.
The dredgcrs kept up the fight with a bray
cry worthy Of better csuse, and Capt. How
ard, finding his CANON inefficient, ran into
the schooner Julia Jones, sinking her, Her
crew jumped on board the adjoining vessel
the schooners being all dashed together. One
OF the crew Of the Julia Jones, however.
climbed on board the steamer and was plac,d
below.
Charles w. Frazier pilot on the McLone
was struck in the feshy part of the arm and
slightly wounded, This was the only casu-
atty on the McLane.
The fleet still refusing TO haul down their
sails Capt. Howard ran his steamer into the
pungy j. G. MahoDey. turning her ON her
Dean ends and sinking her. Five of her crew
oil twelve men took to their yawl and
escaped.
After sinking the Mahoney the vessels scat
tered and escaped in the darkness. The Nc
Lane went to Centrevile, carrying nine Of
The crews OF the sunken boats. and one
schooner captured with uncu!led oysters on
board.
Hls SAID that after the battle many of the
dredgers ran their vessels ashore and scatter.
ed through the woods.
Capt. Howard is warmly commended for
his bravery This exhibition of the mower
ana determination of Gov. jackson to enforce
The laws OF the State will no doubt have
salutary effect, and make it much easier in
tue future, to protect the oyster beds from be-
ing despoiled.
Upon his arrival at CentrevlIle Capt. How
ard telegraphed the result of the engagement
10 Commander Plowman, at Annapolis. The
latter Immediately ordered the steamer To.
ker, also armed with twelye.poupder IN On
to his assistance.
some excitement was created ia Anrapo.
lis, wednesday night, by report that thirty
or forty dredging vessels intended to attack
The State sloop Folly, off Hackel,'s Point
Upon request of Gov. Jackson Commando,
Sampson, of the Navy Yard, offered the use
OF Two large steam launches. The offer was
accepted, and the launches were armed will,
failing guns and placed in command or the
gallant Capt. Howard Naval officers olso
volunteered their services. The expedition
was fitted out at once
IL Is gratifying TO know that our Stat All.
'horllles have at last taken active stems To on.
iofce the laws on the Chesapeake bav and IN
project 'he travelling public from danger.
Last saturday night as the steamer
o"ts'c" was on her way from Cen
treYllie to Baltimore, with about 40
passengers on board, at the mouth of
Chester river she passed fleet of oyster
uredgers. A series of yells came from the
VESSELS which was followed by volley of
Oul!ets aLd buckshot, fired at the steamer
ehu"ngeFlng the lives of those on board II
wouii DC charitable to suppose that these
misguided aud desperate men mistook The
"'rslca Tor a steamer belonging to the oyster
aVy' Out they are too observant not to he
iole to distinguish II passenger steamer from
police boat. Their act was therefore miro
wanlonness and reckless disregard of conse.
quehces' 1t was humiliatipg enough to our
o'a'e pride to have her officers Of the law de-
ned and driven of by these oyster poacbers
ana the firing upon the Corsica was the crown.
Ing act OF their iniquity. They had grown
SO bold and defiant by their success hereto.
lore in defeating the inefficient vessels sent
against them that no act was deemed too hoz.
ardous for them 10 attempt
The fault of not unfolding the law is no,
altogether with the oyster navy, but rests, in
great measure, with the laws intended for
It's regulation. Every attempt to properly
arm the oyster fleet was resisted in the Lepis-
lalure, and it was left to contend, by moral
suasion alone, with set of desperate law.
breakers.
The laws of the State must be enforced
nevertheless, on the water as on the land. and
when men band themselves together with
arms in their hands to resist the lawful All.
thority of the State and fire upon passing
travellers, 1t is time they were taught lesson
of obedience TO the law at the muzzle ofa
cannon.
The people will sustain the Board of Pub
lie Works in taking such strong measures to
Vindicate the dignity of the State govern
ment.
Breakers Ahead.
Before President elect Harrison has enioy-
cd the sweets of Office he ia taSti,r so,oo = E