Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1889-11-30
SUNK OFF HOG ISLAND.
Schooner Lawson Attacked by the
Tug Ida Augusta.

A special dispatch Wednesday
last night from Readsville, Va..
via Fredericksburg. says: "The
schooner Lawson, of CriSfield, Cap
tain George Evans, was today sunk
off he upper end of Hog lsland,in
the Potomac river, by the tug Ida
augusta, of Onancock, Va. This
is the outgrowth of the recent dis
pn'e between Maryland and Vir-
ginia about the right of the latter
State 10 lease to Chas. r. Lewis
the oyster grounds known as Hog
Island flats.
The Ida Augusta is owned by
Mr.. Lewis and was in charge of
Capt. VIM. S. Russell, who lett
Hog Island about l.3O O'Clock and
proceeded to run around the Lew
is reservation. When off buoy
No. 5 Capt. Russell saw the Lawson
dredging inside of the reserve
ground He started toward her
when The hands were winding in
the o,sts r dredgeS on The schooner.
! The tughoat was headed at the
schooner's midship on the star
board side. The captain of the
schooner evidently did not suspect
the intention of Capt. Russell, who
struck the schooner directly on the
dredge roller.
The blow was a glanclng one
and only broke the schooner's log.
Capt. Evans, OF tho schooner,
wanted to know "What in the =
was meant by the tug rlmning into
him" There was no reply from
Capt. Russell, who started the tug
off, and making for the schoon:
er the second time struck her 81
little forward of the first blow, cut
ring her hull through about four
i feet on deck. When the schooner
began to list towards Starboard
side the water soon commenced
creeping mp through the opening
made by the tug.
Capt. Russell then invited Capt.
Evans and his crew OF five men to
get on board tile tug. BY this
time the schooner had filed and
began to sink. The crew got into
the yawlboat and boarded the ting.
The schooner in the meantime went
down in d fathoms Of water with
all sails set.
Capt. Evans said to reporter of
the Sun that the schooner was
ow ned by Henry Lawson and him
self. 1--WE are BOTH" he said. from
Smiths Island. Somerset county,
Md The schooner was valued at
81. 800 and not insured. Besides
the loss of The boat there was $50
in my trunk, which was on board.
We shall look to Mr.. Lewis for pay
ment of our boar. After we were
told that Gov. Jackson, OF Mary
land. had issued proclamation
declaring that Hog Island flats,
we've the property of Maryland,
and that Mr.. Lewis would not have
the right to control the grounds, we
thought we had a right to dredge
there" He claims not to have
been over the line. The captain
and crew were landed at MIR.
Lewis'S door, and from there they
left for their home.
In reference 10 the sinking Cap
tain Russell. of the tug, said:
81 was acting under the orders of
Mr.. Lewis, who employed me to
look after the beds. For a month
past there have been boats at work
on the grounds. Mr. Lewis direct
Ell me TO sink any boat found
there. The Lawson was the only
boat on the reserve grounds and [
sunk her."
Mi. Lewis said: ~ have faith
fully complied Will, all the require
ments of Virginia as to getting
ground, and do rot see what au-
tnority Gov. Jackson has to issue
a proclamation which will allow
MARYLAND boats to make the raid
on my grounds. l am perfectly
willing to submit TO any decision
made by proper authority. but fail
To see how the Governor OF Mary
land can issue Il proclamation by
which I will be robbed. The au-
thority for so doing is entirely
based upon the report OF United.
States Engineer Whiting. con-
slider that | have the right to de-
fend nv property, and l intend TO
look 20 Virginia to give me and my
lease protection. Until The mat
Ter is finally adjusted [ will take
care of The intruders. The larger
part of the oysters on the grounds
are of no value for market purros-
poses, as they are only about Is
months old, and while of no value
TO others. if let alone they will rep
resent a great deal to me, who paid
for the planting. If my oysters
were not disturbed they would give
in time employment to a number
of people who otherwise would be
out of employment"
dc