Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-03-04
THE OYSTER DISPUTE
THE BILL FOR PURSUING MARAuoERS
TO Be PRESENTED MONDAY.
cov.rnor O,Ferrau Pleased with Our
Committees Action--The Pocomoko
sound Case.

Tn. ,o,ut committee appointed by the
c.,aroI Assembly 10 consider the Mary
land and Virginia oyster controversy W.
terday reported to the Governor 'ne ~
gr,, ~ ,hoir conference with the Mary
Ind legislative committee which arrived
8, this city Thursday. The Governor IL
ia understood, heartily approved the ae'''h
OF the Virginia committee.
Senator, Stubs and Washington arc
engaged in preparing the reciprocity OIL
agreed upon, and it will be introauceu
O. ,be General Assembly on Monday.
THE PoCoMoKE CASES.
60 much has been said since the Iahs'.i
,rouble about the oyster cases now PEN,
To-, In tina Supreme Court or the inc
states that II may BE- competent 10 pr
cent some OF the points involved IN these
Controversies. The history OF TIE eaS
as disclosed by the records or the vi
court of the United States seems 10 ''
as follows: 49,, 4, ,bs
certain parties were indicted IN u',
coun,v Court OF Accomac for catcilliIs
and taking oysters In Pocomohe -
,'hev pleaded, in defence, that unoer VIC
co,nnact between Maryland and NHs,nN,
80 t-S5 c,,i7ans OF the former state nan
,ha ,,gbt N take and catch oysters 10 INC
80 ovtept as citizens Of Virginia, ana
,horefore the law OF Virginia prohlpl'ine
,he,, from So doing was contrary 10 tne
terms OF the compact and null ana 'otu.
r,hov claim that any law on that suoJeo.
,,ase.,d by the state Of Virginia was ho'
valid without the assent on polh 49,, =
They relied upon the further grouhd
that any citizen OF Maryland, 49, 49,
Of an offence Of taking ana eslSI'
oysters I'm Pocomoke Sound. couia on'y "a
returned 10 the State Of MaryiailU "'''
tried by the courts OF that S'a'e'
GROUNDS OF DEFENCE.
rbesa grounds Of defence were over.
-,,cd bv the Judg., OF the County Cou''
~ Accomac and the parties were trl'u'
and convicted. They applied Tor ana %"
talnod a writ of habeas corpus tIoih I,
,udoa OF the Circuit Court OF the Unto.
S,otoe unou the ground that the Ia" Oh
VIRGINIA under which they were con
victe1 was null and vof and the Coui'ly
Court Of Accomac without lur''lsil .i'''
IN ,rv them. The case came on LOT IL
bearin, before the Circuit Court or ue
United States. consisting of JUDGES
Hughes and Coz. Judge Hughes oe'
IvfreJ written opinion, which was
CURED in by Judge Con, which ably ana
exbaustiyely covered the whole ground OF
the controversy. dismIssing the Writ OF
habeas corpus and affirming the )uds-
ment OF the County Court OF Accon,aF'
From that decision an appeal was tahin
10 the Supreme Court Of the united
states The cases have been set down ior
argument on Monday, March 5th.
MUCH INTEREST FELT
The decision Of the Supreme court ~
looked forward to with great interest,"
especially by the people Of Accomac coun-
~, n large portion of whom derive TIER
support from the oyster industry II APP
pears that this industry supplies the main
or most entire support to at least so"
inhabitants Of that county, counting only
those engaged In the oyster business ana
the members Of their immediate families.
They have employed Judge Waller r..
Staples 70 assist the Attorney-General In
the argument Of the case before the SUI
prcme Court.
1t is said that Pocomoke Sound has nm
ARA Of about ninety square miles. and
IA one OF the finest oyster deposits in the
United States.