Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-01-04
MuRDEROUs sAILoRs.


Desperate Fight Between Maryland and
Virginia Oystermen-One Man Killed,
and There May HAVE Been Other Cas-
uaIties--A Captains Brave Resistance.
CRIsFIELD, MD., Dec. 3l.--Edward Mar
shall, one of the crew of the Little Willie,
commanded by Captain Daniel Cox, was
killed by men from Sykes Island yesterday
afternoon. People of Sykes Island sus-
pected Captain Cox of dredging in POGO.
moke sound and 1t Is said had made threats
against him. He lived on Marumsco creek
and was thus compelled to traverse POGO
moke sound in order to get to the dredging
bottoms in Maryland, Canoes from Sykes
Island, which is abreast of his home, laid
in wait for him Saturday before last, but
as he was working in the upper part of
Tangier sound he did not 90 home.
Last Saturday, however, as he was beat
ing up the Pocomoke sound two canoes
from Sykes Island, one carrying about Is
men and the other IL men, bore down
upon him with free wind. The canoe
carrying the largest number of men sailed
around the stern of the bugeye and then
came down on the windward side SO that
il would not fall of. Captain Cox states
that he can identify the men in the canoes
who took part in the affair. The cap
tain of the canoe called to Captain Cox TO
haul down his jib, and at the same time
the large canoe ran into the bugeye with
great force, nearly knocking away the
dredge chock,
Captain Cox ran into the hold and the
three men composing his crew took refuge
in the cabin. At this time the men in the
canoe opened fire and shot several times
before Captain Cox replied. Then began
an unequal battle; one man against 80.
Captain Cox made the men in the canoe
keep their heads down, and training his
repeating rifle from bow to stern he COM
pelled them to lie side by side in the bot
tom Of their boat. The Little Willie had by
this time come up in the wind and Marshall
crept from the cabin to put the helm up
and keep her off, when a ball from the
other canoe, which had kept about 100
yards from the other boats, struck him.
He uttered the word 'dead" three times
and expired. His companions dragged him
down into the cabin and saw that he was
lifeless. The bullets now flew thicker and
faster.
They perforated the sails cut the dredge
lines and iingled against the dredge cranks.
Captain Cox expected every minute to get
bu llet in the head, but he is good shot
and every one of his bullets told. He is
known TO be very expert marksman.
He says that he could have killed men in
the canoes several times and would prob
ably have done so had he known that one
OF his men had been killed. He did not
know of the death of Marshall until the
canoes had fallen astern out of range. This
act on the part of the Sykes Island people
is considered indefensible. They took the
law into their own hands and, as far rs
has appeared, without sign of authority
attempted to capture q vessel and did
actually kill one of the crew.
Captain Cox was too plucky for them
and put them all to flight. One of the
canoes was in great haste to get TO shore
and it is believed that some one on board
was injured. Captain Cox, at the time that
he was attacked, was merely sailing home
and was at least mile within the Mary.
land line. The shooting occurred at the
mouth of East creek, near Gunby's bluff.
Marshall was about 10 years of age He
leaves wife and seven children. At the
corone's inquest held to-day it was shown
that the ball entered his breast about three
inches below and two inches to the right
of the right nipple, pierced the lung and
the liver and came out a. the hip He was
stopping at the time, which accounts for
the peculiar passage of the ball.
After the shooting Marshall's body was
brought to his home in Crisfield. Captain
Cox went to his home in Marumsco to-
day, as his family had learned Of the ut
tack and were anxious for his safety.