The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1888-01-06

- UnUonD1 Uagy MnA1n9 1o1n0e Asvo@v
~ - Cnsanpsnns oysope Piraeee-A
ulanlsAe D,es.uore 80 Capsurs-Cun-
nias Insssss - ~ Psaenlng npsag~rs.
BALzrnOnR Ma, Dc. 1A-Ths pirates
- che Chesaprake bay made things lively
Or ne STATE Navy again wednesday
night 0cet q schooners aud pungies
gslurned % the scene % Mondays rkirm'
ID ready for light. but they we're t.
uomin iously routed and one a their ves-
eels was seized - prize and b nov u
Annapolis harbor.
Just before dusk Wednesday evening.
che Governor Hamilton dropped anchor
about : mile on swan Point, the mouth
Of Chester river. and the scene o. Monday
nghtss attack. The moon Vas out. but
IL RAYS were confin 1ally obscured BY
heavy clouds. A 6set Of the pirate ves-
sells rode ~ anchor q : distances cf .
Aalf milN shortly after darkness had
settled over the bay, the Thomas glidsd
uoi<sls>s past the Hamilton and took up
her position n the shelter Of The mouth
Of Chester river. She carried no lights
and her approach had not besn observed
by tho oystrrmcn. II was believed that
che Hamilton would b again attached
and then the Thomas Was % swoop down
On her unsuspecting assailant< commo.
dcrs Piowman was aboard the Thomas.
which carries . crew cftwelve men armed
with Winchester r;les (rcpeating)- The
Hamilton Vas also vel equipped.s
Every thing was quiet on the water ill
nearly midnight. Then the lookout
aboard the Hamilton heard the clanking
OF anchor chains in the vicinity Of the
oystermen. and . few minutes later the
rcd and green lights Of the feet began &c
draw near. All hands Immediately were
piped up and orders were hastily given.
Tie little steamer weighed anchor and
her whistle blew two shrill blasts that
were responded 20 BY her consort
She headed straight for the ap-
pro ching lights and they separated
Captain Turner singled out one Of them
and started in pursuit. There was .
strong breeze blowing and the hying
scbconer crowded on every bit OF canvass
che could carry. but the Hamilton Eradu'
aily gained upon her until they were neck
= "a neck and mot one hundred yards
anart- The captain wss ordered TO hsavs
%, but paid no attention till . volley was
Arcd across her bow. Then he weakened
and the Hamilton ran in close 20 her. COW
.sr,nr her pilot with rifle and notified tho
entire crew that they were under arrest
A lire was thrown 20 her, but she refused
90 take it and man had 70 b placed
aboard
The prixs proved 60 b the schooner
shiloh. Captain Frank Egan. Of Balti-
more. The bow OF the Hamilton Was
.siiehtiv injured in boarding the Shiloh.
While the Hamilton had been engaged IN
che capture, the Thomas Was enjoying IN
exciting chase after two other schooner
They secured the best wind BY heading
across the bav TO the northeast, and when
they found that their pursuer was gain
ing on them. they put out their lights
and disappeared One Of them was
chased 70 the mouth Of the Gunpowdez
river. distance Of over ten miles,
out she had too good : start and too fair
wind to permit Of her being overtaken
before she was safe in shallow water.
The prize schooner was towed to Annapo'
lis and placed under guard
The correspondent Who had made the
Trim with her learned some interesting
facts from Commodore Plowman- "Ihcse
pirate~.n says be, @are . tough lot and
want % get all they can lay hands on
They don't believe the Legislature hai
anv right 20 exempt any Of the oyster
grounds and argue that the waters Of the
state are free TO all citizens The ones
we have the most trouble with are from
IL. lower counties You will ind thu
crew all in partnership with one another
and they divide the spoils share and shars
alike. except that the captain generally
gets . little extra II reminds one Of ole
Captain Kidd and his crew The captain
= usually : big burly fellow that ha
shown himself to be the bsst mai
among his followers. You will never se'
: colored captain, although the crews ar
about half white and half black The'
would not dare 70 commit the acts they d.
uhiIe they ere ashore. but when they ar
on the hay there u not much chance o
th.ir being caught. With . good stiff
kr>exs they win run ten knots an hour
and even Il we succeed in overhaulinf
them We can not bring them to withou
stunning them down or firing into them-
reu throw them line they Won't take. an
the only thing 70 do il 10 run close along
side and board her. That II the way y
take most Of our prizes, but it u danger
Gus and exciting work, . you can see b!
Thursday nights experiences
In addition 70 the three steamers men
toned, the Navy has three schooners {
thirty-dve tons burthen each and eigk
sloops of about twenty tons. The Chess
peaks bay il divided into districts, an
Che sailing craft ere assigned to variou
POINTS along either point for police duty
They carry rifles and small cannon. an
nnow how 90 use them In cases Of eme
xency. The steamers cruise about a
waters from place 90 place, and are .
ways ready 70 suppress any disorder an
enforce the Law. Oftentimes : fleet I
one hundred oyster boats viii come I'M
forbidden waterR The sioop In thI
quarter will come In among the
and they will b afraid 20 p
down their dredges- Bus they will 8
che best Of the sloop By dividing into ~
neets, and while one half gees east q
others will 20 vest The sIoop can n
follow both. and the ones left 20 then
-selves will dredys for oysters. Il d anu
ing 70 SO them work that y ~ and ke'
whipping about - the sioop goes bas
and forth between them You can =
catch more than one boat, Tor On q
water Il 10 like trying % catch chicken
they al spread out and yos can onl y =
.one down"
The oystsrmsn o. TIE Chesapeake b
Number nearly twenty live thousand NJ
The Maryland navy numbers hundr
end one men, and they have - gua
eight hundred square miles Of vat
which includes Tributaries u the b