New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-08
FLIGHT FROM THE PIRATES
A SKIRMISH IN CHESAPEAKE BAY.
THE MARYLAND POLICE FIND THEIR GUNS
UsELEss-UNITED STATES WARRANTS FOR
THE DREDJER CAPTAINS-A STORY OF
CRUELTY TOLD BY ONE OF
THE SUFFERERS.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRrBUs


by the police and the oyster pirates and as usual the
police routed The Choptank River oyster police
slOop Eliza Hayward Captain Thomas f. Bridges.
commander, was defeated yesterday afternoon In
battle with dredgers of Cooks Point, In the Choptank
River, and beat a retreat to Oxford where she now
les with foryone rheb ball holes through mansail and
ilb largo number in the hull and deck work. and her
rigging damaged Captain Bridges thus tells the story
Of the fight:
al left the Third Haven River yesterday morning
for Harris Greek, where made an arrest. Coming
out, we saw a fleet OF fourteen bay dredgers at work
Cooks Point, which, being in the Chopank. is for
bdden ground to them. Several times before we had
run dredgers of these grounds time driving feet
Of twenty-one out Into the bay. directed tho course
Of the Hayward toward the dredgers. expecting to
drive them Off, and hoping to capture one OF them, II
possible When about mile Off, one Of them,
large pungy of forty fifty tons, opened fire on u.s.
but the balls fell short She advanced toward us.
firing all the time. the other dredgers following her
lead, but firing We kept course, but with
holding our fire, as We did not have much am
munltiop and did not want to waste
any OF II. We had drfted of somewhat to
the leeward, and seeing that the plan OF battle OF the
dredgers TO wind then cross fire. surround and
sink US, put the Hayward about got to windward
and kept there, outmanoeuvrng them In this respect
This enabled to my vessel. We began firing
when within about 400 yards, and the boats kept
approaching each other until they not than
fire, and two OF these worked badly that whom fired
the empty shells had to be showed out of the chambers
with ramrod. This made too slow work for so
hot fight The enemy's fire terrific and in
cessant, the gun used being repeating rifle, Of
hch he had at least two always loaded. In the
whole battle never tho attacking
vessel They all under The wheel and
the sheets operated by rigs into the cabin, and
the repeating rifles seemed to be fred from port holes
made through the trunk Of the cabin. l kept our
under much possible. Mate Bridges
and myself worked mansheet. In doing this We
exposed and rifle ball passed through Mr.. |
Brdgcss whIskers. None of our men showed any
fear though they had been under fire before |
and the balls whistl.ng apparently within a
few inches of their heads | think our assailants |
first object to cut down our rigging and render
helpless. Had jbstay not been re he would |
have succeeded could constantly hear tho balls
singing against the metal stay. The Hayward worked !
WE'LL but there were fourteen against one. every ono
Of them twice the tonnage Of the Hayward and some |
larger than that and they could eventually have |
taken sunk the Hayward. Seeing that ammun-
ton was getting low and that we had made no |
impression upon the enemy, my mate and had a |
consultation and determined thai having made the best
fight could, duty to the State was TO |
the boat and that the only way do this was |
TO retreat So reluctantly turned the |
Hayward toward the Talbot side of tho |
river. The dredger pursued and kept up his fire, |
but seeing that he was not gaining on US, he turned
backD
Commander Plowman has not yet armed the YES
sells with the loaned the State authorities by |
the United States Government United States Com
missioner Bond has issued warrants for the captains !
of q number Of dredging vessels, on the charge of
inaltratng their employees. The Commissioner as
sured the representatives Of the German Aid Society
hat these brutal captains, II captured, would re-
ceve the punishment they deserved The Commits
sioner released 81 900 bail to await the action Of
The Grand Jury, Captain Gabriel p. Johnson, col
ored Of the oyster schooner Minnie Eselie, charged
with malueaung Thomas Glynn, hand on the yes
sell
OF the men shipped from New-York this season.
John Steiner, German had probably the worst ex-
perience. lie arrived In Ncw-York year ago last
July, and had been employed porter by the Aron
society. He presented pitiable appearance when
summoned before the Commission. His clothing was
and ragged. One foot badly swollen and his
general appearance indicated rough treatment. Tn
able speak English, he could not give the full names
If the people on the boat with him. Through an in
erpretcr he said that he had been hired In NowYork
hy Baltimore agent 10 60 dredging, being offered 81
per month and comfortable board On Monday, Oc-
cher 3, he shipped at Baltimore the purgy
Beachman, commanded by Captain " Tom' Beachman
This worked with other vessels belonging to the
anne owners. They had the usual fare. but no bed
ding was furnished them. They offered small
gray blankets at $40 apiece. The forepeak, in which
they lodged leaked badly. Three weeks after
shipping the captain seized him from behind, threw
him violently to the deck and Kicked him with his
heavy boots the left side and thigh The only
provocaton was that the captain told him
in English to do something he did not understand
steiner also badly hurt by falling on the hatch
lie was then transferred to another pungy in
mand OF Captain John,' who treated him kindly
About six weeks ago two young men, an American and
a German, jumped overheard at night from No. 627
" Captain Sef,n on account of cruel treatment Th,
TWO boats 644 and 627 were lashed together at the
me about 800 feet from shore. Steiner said thai
he was sitting with the German the night before.
The cook, reative of the captain took hold OF the
German In Stelner's presence and held him against
The hot stoveplpe. About a m. the were
aroused by the cries of Captain Self that the
had jumped overheard. Tho yawl of No. GA
lowered follow the fgfives but the boat returned
in a short time and reported that the American wa
drowned, and that there trace OF the German.
1t was clear, plea ant night, and the crew in the
yawl say they the drown within 3
few feet Of the boat. The German could be heard
at first calling the American. No effort made
10 lind the bodies, and no report made. few
days aerward, the crew Of another pungy found the
body Of the American, with his shoes and bundle o.
clothes tied TO his back The men were not allowed
10 land al any time. \ week ago last Sunday four men
attempted 10 escape IN the yawl OF No. GA. There
was severe storm at the time,
the boat carried away from the men. The
vessel about $50 feet from the shore at the time
The four men called deck the next morning
and the captain of the three vessels had the hands
of each tied together with rope and after taking
a turn around the thumbs, the end was carried TO
the forebOom peak and the raised OIL their feet
groanng and shrieking The skin was torn from their
hands. When the boat was compelled TO go close to
shore, on account of bad weather. tho men were
shut in the fOIcpeak. They were nearly suhocaed
on occasion, as the stoveplpe was out of order
There was S2G due Steiner for wages, but on his
arrival I'm the city Wednesday he received but
- and "A bill charging him $40 agents fees, S3
for boots 81 % for oil cloth suit IL for trousers,
cents for two pairs Of stockings. besides other
items, the articles, "a rule, being worthless.
steiner said the numbers of the vessels were NJ
put up until October lG, but they began dredging on
October !. There night dredging and they
always got out Of the way of the police boats.
clnlals IL ihese Nessnls luclnded In the |