West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1888-12-20
OYSTER plnArEs.

Tho fcrcest battlc in tho whole list Of
Maryland oyster wars has been fought, and
the result was victory Tor she Ststc's
oyster navy. Ever since tho present sefson
began the pirates have boon "wallopng" the
State authorities. They have gone 50
far as 60 capture, a, police sloop, cut
her rigging, send her crew ashore.
and throw her guns overheard. They have
deprcdatcd on tho best beds and terrorgel
the whole bay So belligercnt did they grow
that they attacked n passenger steamer ano
fired upon her. which Is now tho subject OF
official investigation. About the only thing
tho oyster navy accomplished was TO Kill
dredger wound two Others, aud get defeated
OF all occasions
Two weeks ago Governor jackson said the
rebellion should be put down at all hazard.
Cannon were secured from the Federal
Government The largest steamer, thu
Robert Nj. Mclane, named after the prescnt
big gums Tho McTAne Is about i0) foet
long, and is trim vessel Of
good speed and substantial design
tain Thomas Howard who s the most deter
mined and most elllcent mnn ia tho force
For several days he has been rowing around
the bay Last night he directed the stcampr
mp Chester River. Within che mouth OF She
river are rich oyster hcda which are forbidden
by law 90 ali dfcdgere
Tho McI.ane proceplcd carefully and
"
tho bend OF the river bctwucn Queenstown
Crock and Carpenters Island. Captain
Howard ordered the cannon loaded and pre-
pared Ter hostilitioA AZ fist he fired high
to irighten tho DIRE lgers away. There weru
nc least forty vessels, and they refusod
90 retreat Tho Mel .ane drew closer, and
then the pirates opened fire with their riileA
Tho Mclano guns were dlrecled nt the rig
giug OF tho oyster boats. and great damage
was done, The pirates tried TO surround the
steamer, hut tho Mel aue wigRlod out OF tho
network OF boats
Then bolder plans were attempted. Two
OF The larger vcssc's approac he,l, one from
either side tho others holding bac a. the ra-
servo. Captain Howard saw the design. Ho
did not fire, but orderol fun steam on
AMI ahead Forward the StcameP plunged
and, almost before the Oh edgogs knew
what hnd happened the prov
had airu X the vessel Julia Jones nmidships
aud left gaping wound; The stcainer
boat tha Msbonsv. The coilisian was de.
cisivo and tho Mahonoy went TO tho bottom.
Cries for hep arose from the crews on these
disabled boats and they wcrc promptly res
cued Qt
CAPTAIN Rice. Of the sloop Nahoney, ono
of the sunlccn vessels tells a thrilling story
OF tho battle lie says that his crew OF nino
men were on the forward dock when tho
steamer bore down upon them. He declares
his vessel was not Engaged in piracy, but
was only seeking a harbor from the ugly
aight outside In the bay. All his crew wero
either drowned or crushed TO death. Nine
men wero drowned from the two boats.
BY this time the pirates had got enough
Tho cannondding was something nav 20 thcm
They were nccuslomo 10 rifle Tails, but not
TO Federal cannon. In the haste 20 escape
several OF the boats ran ashore. The Mclane
followed one up aud captured her. Tho
Captain and crew OF the capiurel j vessel were
arraigned before Justice 0odsburou ia at
Centreville and fined 800 and costs. The
crews OF tho sunken boats were placed in
jail. The Captains OF both OF the boats es
capped.
The McLane Is riddled with bullets. every
pano of glass la the pilot house Is broken,
and tho who.e slloat IL considerably dis.
figured. Mate Frazier Of the Mofane was
shot In the iieshy part OF the arm, and
another buliet grazod hia head. Tho
were six mon ON rthe stcumer, while tha
enemy and nearly 200. Tho whole affair
took place Ia the dark, and some very tall
atories 0re told OF the engagement, One ot
the captured Oystefmen as iorts that tho plan
was TO surround the Mciane aud burn or
sink hcr and make prisoners OF oil her crew.
Captain Rics escaped from his boat and came
10 Baltimore. HO said his ruddor was torn
away by n cannon shot, and TINT the execu-
tion OF the shot as terrible. "Thi5 sort Of
thing continued for two hours" ho
said ''then sho ohlDged her tactics
and came directly toward US As room as
she got close we opened fire. flic didn't re-
ply but continued con, NJ toward us no full
speed. She struck the Julia Jones, outing
charged the cannon directly on tho dec't As
soon as she freed herself from the wreck she
backed out md then charge directly on us
and ran NY vessel down. lie criSd
for all % jump for their lives iio dill
80, and got away. The crew were captured.