Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1888-12-06
THE oHEsApnAKE PILATES.
Vigorous Meavnres 20 Ise Taken for
the Release OF the Hll-Ireatesi
Crews.


vigorous Measnres 20 I8e Taken for
tho Release OF the Rll-rreated
Crews.
A special from Baltimore SAYS The
United Statea authorities will probably
take hand in abolishing the kidpanpipp
and cruel treatment Of unfortunate men
who become the dupes of the heartlesg
oyster-dredgipg captains. United States
Marshal Cairnes, in an interview with a
committee from the German Aid Society.
expressed bis willingness to do all he
coald to Put an end to the cruelty, but
soid that he must have an armed vessel at
MA disposal as he wonld have desperate
set of men to deal with.
A committee from the German society
and the Prisc7srs' Aid ssciaty will eo-
cordingly go to Washington TO day TO re-
quest that an armed revenue cutter be-
placed ct the disposal OF the United
states marshal. This inhumsu treatment
OF poor Germans and oolored men who
innocently become the victims OF these
chesapeake bay robbers, is q greater evil
than the illegal dredging. Only the Fed
etsl authorities can act in the matter.
One who has been investigating the mat.
ter sRya:
Escape from one Of these boats ia
almost as impossible as from the Mary
land Penitentiary. The boats are good
distance from shore. Tho yawl boats are
kept chained. When the captain goes
ashore at night hs will simply put his
men under lock below deck. AT night
the men aleep without covering. II the
police sloops are seea cruising around,
the captain will keep carefully out OF the
Way, 90 that the men whom he holds IN
captivity cannot come within calling
reach. Ibess vessels do not even
land as any wharf for the pur-
pose OF sending their oysters up,
but another vessel known as the supply-
boat will come alongside at certain in
tervals out in the stream, and take off
TIE cargo Of oysters. If the vessala are
pursued by the police boat or by the
United States marshal, and it Ia known
that an attempt wall be made to release
particular man, they will frustrate every
attempt by transferring the man from one
vessel to another. They will even change
the number OF the vessel or the name.
The commanders OF these vessels say
there is no law upon the Chesapeake"
The mother OF Orndorf Karn, a boy CT
sixteen, has appealed to the German
society to save her son, who was enticed
aboard dredser and who, sha fears, will
be killed. John Howard, another victim,
who made his eeeape from The captivity
of the dredge, brought news Of the poor
German woman's boy. Howard says that
he and the boy Karn were both duped
into signing with q dredging vessel.
"We were short handed, says he, "and
because we could NOT get mp the dfedges,
the captain and mate would swear at r1s
10 the most brutal way. saw the cook
choke the boy while he was winding and
then knock him down. The boy was still 1
on the boat when escaped. We were
compelled to sleep in the forepeak on
rough boards, and the boat would leak,
and, OF course, We would get wet.
Our food was very poor-eorn-
bread, soda bread and cabbage made tho
bill of fare. Sometimes we got meat, but
mat was ssii6ni. We sasftes "a WORK az /,
daylight and worked until night, sone-
times fs late as 10 o'clock. Que week I
before my month ives up told the
captain l wanted to 60 horne. lie
laughed at me and asked what was
The matter. l told him was siok
md could not work. The other men
Also complained OF being sick. The
'aptsin paid no attention to me. Ga
November goth escaped. The captain
vent home, and the mate and cook went
Istors in the yawl boat. Upon retuFuinz
hey left the boat in the water, forgetting
0 pull it on deck. About O'Clock in
be morning I crept into the boat, cut
Ter loose, and made for shore.
landed on saudy reef, and after walk
rs ssyen miles came TO s'rean 200 fees
1ide. had to swim this, and then
truck the main shoie. 1 was len miles
rom the road that leads to Washington.
had $l.25, and with this purchased
to eat. After tramp of fiye
ays I reached Washington, and then
anne to Baltimore"
The state authorities, with the aid Of
ederal cannon, will deal with the pirates
! the matter of iilega, dredging. and the
nitsd stetes authorities will compel the
lseals to stop the inhumsn treatment of
leir employees.