Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-01-07
pOCOMOKE PIRATES.
The True Story Of the Rifle Battle Near
Do6fSh Rock.
DESPERATE, DEFIANT DHHDGER.
Captain Coz; Of the Little Willie, Opened
Fire Upon the Sykes Islanders and
Probably Killed Marshall.

ONANCOCK, VA, January e.-Csps-
clal)-The Dispatch correspondent has
obtained reliable information from the
residents of Sykes itland. Va, concern
ing tho recent trouble in Pocomoke Sound
between a party Of Maryland oyster
pirates and the oystermen Of that Island.
For several years past Daniel Cox.
notorious desperado. residing near CTS
field. Maryland, has been violating the
oyster-,aws OF this State by dredging
oysters in the waters of Pocomoke and
Tangier sounds. He has successfully de-
fed the oyster police force, and has
grown so bold in his lawlessness that he
makes no attempt to conceal It. He sails
with q crew OF desperate men, all OF
whom are armed with Winchester repeat
ing rifles.
On last Saturday his boat, the Little
willie, was spied by the people OF Sykes
Island dredging on Shell Rock about four
miles south OF the Maryland line. The
Virginia oyster police-boat was in another
part of the sound at the time, and the
people of the island determined 10 make
an effort 10 arrest Cox and his crew.
Two small canoes, each containing five
men, put off from the island, and one
OF them. sailing more rapidly than the
other. came up with CoX's boat. AS the
canoe from the island approached Cox
took off his coat seized his rifle, and
began to show fight. When the islanders
came I'D they told Cox that he had been
tn VIRGINIA. and that
they had come to arrest him.
DEFIANT REPLY.
He made a defiant reply, saying that ne
did not care for the islanders, and that
he would kill any man who might attempt
to arrest him. At the same time Cox
ordered the man who was at the stern
of his boat to lash the tiller hard up or
he would blow his brains out The man
did as he was ordered, and won't down
into the cabin OF the Little Willie.
During this time the oystermen could
easily have killed all the crew Of the
piratical craft consisting OF four men.
but they did not wish to take any ones
life Cox now leaped down into the hold
Of his boat. rushed to the fOrecastle, and
opened fire on the islanders through
portfolio which he had made for this
purpose
NOLLEY AFTER VOLLEY.
The canoe and Coxs boat were now 50
close together that their sides touched.
and Cox and his crew poured volley after
volley from their repeating rifles at the
ISLANDERS who were forced TO lie down on
tho bottom Of their canoe to escape the
deadly fire with nothing but the thin sides
Of the canoe to protect them. The other
canoe had not yet come UP, and the
islanders who had only one rife and
few shotgnns. after firing several volley5
let their canoe drift away from Cox's
boat which now sailed away 10 Cr.sheld.
The fight, which lasted about fifteen
minutes. took place near Dogfsh Rock,
about two miles south Of the Maryland
line, and not at East Creek Point. as
stated by the Crisfeld correspondents OF
the Baltimore papers. who got their in
formation from Cox.
KILLED BY cox.
During the fight Cox and his mon were
IN the cabin and hold OF his boat. and all
OF them fought furiously with their re-
peating rifles. The man at the tiller,
whom Cox claims TO have been killed by
the islanders. is believed by the islanders
TO have been killed by Cox himself or
some one else on his boat. as Cox threat
ened 10 kin him IL he did not stay at
the tiller and keep it hard up.
PROFITABLE BUSINESS.
Cox carried to Crisfed that day 80 bush
els of oysters taken from Virginia waters.
which. according TO reliable information.
he sold at Go cents a bushel thus making
$3.50 from the oysters he had stolen in
one day from Virginia waters.
1t will be seen from this that the Vir-
ginians acted solely in self-defence and
the wonder is that they were not all
killed. As IL was. one of them was pain
fully wounded in the face by splnters
from the side OF the canoe knocked off by
bullets from the pirates rifles.
NOTORIOUS DESPERATE.
Cox is one Of the most notorious des-
neradoes that infest POcomOke Sound,
dreaded by the honest oystermen of Mary
land as well az Of Virginia. For years he
has been leading lawless life, and with his
buccaneering crew has been sailing along
the Virginia shore, firing off his rifles and
threatening to take the lives OF those
who should interfere with him. He recently
sent words to the people Of Syhes Island
that he was ready for them; that he had
dredged oysters IN the sound for five
years. and intended to do so as long as
he pleased. 1t should be remembered that
'
in Pocomoke Sound. the waters OF which
are opened only TO tongers, who have
planted oysters in the larger part OF
these waters. 1t Is these planted oysters
belonging 10 the islanders which Cox has
been stealing.
IN FULL SYMPATHY.
II Is ascertained that the accounts Of
these troubles telegraphed from Crisfield
to the Baltimore papers are sent by persons
in full sympathy with the oyster-pirates
in tto'~ lawless depredatiOns on the oys-
ter-beds Of Virginia and her citizens.
Cox is said to have gotten another crew
and is about To renew his operations. III
he does. the islanders are determined TO
take him. dead or alive. Commemorative p
Attorney Fletcher, OF AccOmac, has been
asked TO have Cox indicted by the grand
Jury. anc to request Governor O'Ferrall
10 issue a reduisition on the Governor Of
Maryland for his delivery to the authori-
ties OF this county for trial.