Democratic messenger., 1889-12-21
TERRAPIN THIEVES.
A Regularly Organized Band or
OesperadOee.

Desperad0es.
About two hundred people assembled
In the Court House In Snow Hin on Mon.
day last to hear the trial. before Justice
Mock, Of Asher Walker, Joshua Reed, Jr..
and Henry Bowden. charged with steal
ing $4,000 worth Of terrapin from Messrs.
George w Covington. Cyrus J. Baker
and John j. English. VIM. s. Wilson.
States Attorney, appeared for the State
and George W. Purncll, Esq. tor the pris.
oncrs. The prisoners having been brought
into the court room by constable Lewis.
took seats In the jury box while the
lawyers disposed Of their case, they being
consulted time and again by their able
counsel who finally waived hearing OF
their case. The State asked that they be
held for trial In the sum Of $4,000 bail on
each charge there being two cases against
,hem) but II was finally agreed that the
total amount Of bail for each individual
should be OOOO-$30OOO in each case.
The state asked that Bowden be dis
charged and Justice Mock so ordered
The prisoners not being able TO furnish bail
Immediately were rcmandcd TO Jail until
they could comply with the order Of Jus.
tice Mock, and court adjourned without
occupying more than half an hour.
Before entering into decription Of tbs
crime and arrest Of the prisoners II Is
probably well that we state that the ter
rapin industry is quite large and profit
able one in this county and Accomac Co..
Va. The terrapin are caught and placed
In pens To await a favorable time for
shipment, when they are sent to commits.
sion merchants in Philadelphia, New
York and other cities where good prices
are obtained. as they generally adorn the
table of the rich. The ierrapin is luxury
which the poor man in the city seldom
sees.
Among the largest penners Of icrrapin
along our bay are Mcssrs. John j. Eng
i lish, a philadelphia commission merchant
and Mr.. Cyrus J. Baker Hon. Geo. W
Covington is interested with MIR. Baker
! to the extent Of advancing money for the
purpose Of buying up terrapin. Mr. Eng
lish owns nice farm near Girdlctrec
which is icnanicd by Capt. John $. iIagan
who also looks aiicr the terrapin pens. II
was about two months ago that thieves
broke open the tcrrapin pens 0f Mr.. Eng
lish and took large number ihercfrom.
They were missed hy Capt lIagan. and hc
determined To find out II possible the cul.
priis who stole them. lie proceeded to
Snow llill and employed Mr.. William 7.
Dickcrson to take the matter in hand.
find out il possible the thieves and secure
enough evidence Ia convict them. lie
visited Chincoteaguc Island aud ascer'
tanned that Asher Walker and the Reed
brothers had sold tcrrapin 10 dealers on
the Island which were claimed by them
To he fresh caught hut were apparently
pen icrrapin. Feeling satisfied that he
was on the right track Mr.. Dickerson
made arrangements to have the accused
20 over 10 the Maryland side where the
proper authorities con'd arrest them. but
before ihc arrangements were consuma'
ted. Nh Cyrus Bakers pen was broken
open Y large number stolen. Mr..
l;akss ,spccting that the parties were
.htw Ailiat broke into Mr.. English's
einicatcd with Mr.. Coyingion
the matter over with Mr.
nd they agreed to go To Chin
Aing To find the ierrapin there
ssion of the suspected thieves.
3Chincotcagmc they consulted
Sc who ordered search war.
Asher Walker and the Reed boys.
sable then summoned posse Of
est citizens of the Island who went
I in carriages lit being nearly night to the
houses Of the accused. They stopped in
ihickct near by aud dividing into small
parties proceeded Ia search the house and
guard all avenues of escape. The party
that went To Walkers house found him
in and arrested him without trouble. The
Reed boys were discovered along the road
aud made no resistance To arrest. They
we're carried before the magistrate and
examined separately. Amer considerable
parlcy they waived hearing and con-
sent-i 10 90 10 Snow liill rather than lay
in Drummondtown Jail long enough to
await rrqnisiiion from Governor Lee
They were then confined TO rooms In the
Island Hotel and n guard placed over
them until morning. In the meantime
the constable was sent with a summons
Tor Henry B0wdcn (whO was suspected oi
showing something about the disappear
ancc of Mr., English's terrapinl BOwdcn
refused To comply with the summons and
as il could not he enforced under the cir.
cumsianccs, Mr. Dickcrson withdrew H.,
aud number Of sturdy Islanders resolved
To take the law into their hands and
bring B0w,lcn ont whether he wanted Ia
come or not. TN their way Ia his house
they met him coming toward them and
when he was IN speaking distance maue
known his intention of recognizing the
SUMMONS lie was taken To the hotel and
kept with the Others until morning when
guarded by 10 men the prisoners were Ia.
ken aboard Of the steamer and carried
across To Franklin where they took the
train for Snow Hill and were pu, In Jail.
The reason for such u strong guard being
placed over them was the knowledge Of
the character Of the men and II was fear.
ed they would make break for liberty.
On Friday night three men were seen by
Mrs Brimcr in from, of the Jail trying 10
attract the attention of the prisoners, but
they were frightened of by her. 1t Is
certain that these men were part Of the
gang Of thieves which infest the Island
and to which Asher and the Reed boys
are supnoscti 10 belong, Mr., CovingtOn