New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-05-05
SELLING BAIT TO THE FRENCH
NEWFOUNDLAND FISHERMEN DEFY THE
LAW.
FIVE AND SIX DOLLARS BARREL FOR HEX
RING TEMPT THEM TO TRANsGREsS
THE AcT-ADDING TO THE
FORCE OF POLICE.


81 ,ohr,s \ F. April 25.-Last week VIC wero
.,,,d 10 minors from Fortune Bay that the fisher
~ ware diseontented under the stringent enforcement
~ the Raft act and were forming combinations with
,e view Of dcfyng the law and openly carrying oalt
IN ST Pierre There ii was known that heet Oh
Fyoncb abankersn had been lying for some time un-
able 10 get supplies OF bait, and that % ana 90
barrel had been offered for herring At first ho at
tenton was given to these reports. There was
topo force Of armed police on board the steam cris
crs and Il was supposed that the sight OF their se'
ing helmets firearms and swords would terrlN 'i''
gshermen and that nothing would come OF inc nv
mont Matters however, began to LOOK serious "ion
the telegraph wire Informed ms that there ma" ~ =.
conflict between the police and the hsherIleii la
ono of the former had been badly lnlnIeo' anu ''4l
another who had also boarded fishing VeSsc . n
been flung overheard, like bundle OF nay pu', io
unately was picked up by o boat from u'0 -,
II became evident that the fishermen me''nV' Uus
ness The report Of the golden harvest a"dA''hs ~,
In St. Perre-the almost fabulous prlcelol @o o
for herring within forty five minutes Oh tnclr ~
snreaA like wlldRre Hunger was. gnawing al III"
$50 - many ~ then, at this season OF the year
Tho tomnfaton WAS great. Should they let this hai"
ful Of polce and a couple OF little steamers pro'eV
them from turning to account the prodnctS oi .'1'
TOLL What do they for law that they uo'o'uN
that took the bread from their mouths tIdC
them to pay dudes their necessares, ihS'ea' y,
smuggling
davsl What could they be expected TO understand
about settemeut Of the French Shore QUESTION anu
the interests Of the colonyl They knew that uhcy
were hungry and that only fortyive miles VI SUI
separated them from abundance
In two Of the beautiful arms Of Fortune Bay-bay
pArcent and Bay dEste-the behring's were S"nIi"
Ing. The news spread and soon meet VI HsInnS
vessels numbering over 100 collected nom an quar- 0'9
and began selnng herring The cruisers qulcFiy dVlne1
nd
vessels boat with three policemen was sent 10
board ono OF the vessels that was conspicuous IN oa
Ing mp with herring and 10 take possession ot nc''
One Of the police mounted the deck Ihree s'ai"ar1
fishermen stepped forward, seized the representative
Of law ard dropped him overheard, without asking him
II he could swim. His comrades in the boat Ihaidsc''
with some difficulty, to rescue him from what miEno
have been n watery grave. The fishermen WePc III
deadly earnest soon after several boats filed WIFI
fishermen were seen approaching the Fiona Oh Doa'"
Of which was Sergeant Sullivan, commander-ln-
chief Of the cruisers. Al INST II was.
thought they meant to capture her, anu the CouIlo
doe and hl, men stood to they intlmated' nov"
ever that their Intentions peaceful, and ta' teJ
wanted an interview with sergeant sullivan lucy
were pcrmtted to come on board They frankly staIeu
that they intended tn defy the law, load their Vessels
with herring and carry them to ST. Pierre ana UrSV
ND this id Bait act, that was taking me bread Ou'
OF the mouths Of themselves and their famllles' IL"
the terrible penalties that would follow-s!X months
lunrisonment and cOnh,caton Of their vessels Ills
friendly advice was thrown away They tod MIN
plainly that they determined TO FISK the colso
uerces that the fleet would san In spite OF him ana
all keep together and II as5aled, they wouid nelehu
themselves Then they gave their names ana ruied'
Previous to their departure, it IS reported the com
mandant offered them $1,000 II they would ioreso
their enterprise. This was weak move "feIne'
authorized ly the Government not. The men must
have seen that they masters Of the sltuauoh anu
they rejected his offer with scorll 49, - m
on April - a fair wind tx 81, PeTle spIdhs up,
and the whole neet. numbering seventy san sot uC 81
way, the vessels keeping within SPEAKING u9sate mod
SAN tu She came mp. 1t an exciting scene. ne
cruisers got up steam and went ia pursuit., Sisadt te
those they came up with TO lay TO- Dut no noliCo
was taken by the bold batsmuggiers Al ilrs ~ VIZ
thought that the cruisers would open me- Do ppS
wiser eounsels prevailed otherwise IVes Wo9Il .eI
alnly have been lost The commander declueu 10 use
no force in arre5ng thcm but to follow e nd up no U
Of tho vessels This policy saved bl0odSneu, Duv VI
course gave The victory to the smuggers Altcr gscUr
| Fiona Lady Glover and Hcrcules-drew on ana t"e
| fleet got safely to st. Pierre. ,.a 80 .ro yoesels
laden with the precious bait sailed IN IN vn Gg RG
cession. Tho Fortune Bay men , hnf" b %1 French f
men would take advantage OF me S''G han
and try 70 buy the perdh%,6e sSs G mot 70
eli under IS per baIe at which price all was sold
II must be allowed this is most unfortunate oC
advantage 10 the French, and enables them 10 proodh
The one great lever had in dealing with the French
is temporarily rendered useless On the ouaer n s
smnplles Of halt ard without the bait that we alone
can supply they unable to carry on the iah hs
erv with profit We have but to enforce tne ha' a S
siIin Gently and we are masters Of the situation. ma
the ACT can be enforced. These iliadvised men WIG
| have de6ed the law will be heavily punished, AZ
cast the rngeaders and the schoonerowners Will he
arrestod and their vessels viii be conhsca,ed; Inns
Mn strike TERROR into the rest: and probably the UNI
| toward event will ultimately bring about srlhgehe
and aule, enforcement ~ the provisions OF we ~"
Moro corstabes and police have been dispatched 70
fortune Bay and Of the steam tugs had been cha
- L. ~, thn nrnVnnfIVe crusPrs.