The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1897-08-12
Porgy Fisherman Fined.
Sheriff HOOper's Interesting Experience In the
FlShermens Country. More Trials Coming.

oHtfnl HUOptrS IuttftStluS EAptfItHCt III the
Flshermen's Country. More Trials Coming.
We gave last week the result of the trial
of porgy fisherman at Elsw worth and the
following details from the Ellsworth Amer
lean of Aug. 9TH will interest many of our
readers:
Sheriff Hooper returned to Ellsworth last
Wednesday, afternoon, after Interesting
little experience with porgy steamers which,
it is alleged, have been illegally taking fish
in Hancock county bays.
Bluehill bay has been full of porgies, and
three pOrgy steamers, it is said, disregard
ing the law, have been netting them we'll up
in the bay. Deputy Sheriff Osgood of Blue
hill boarded the steamer "Seaconnet," Capt.
Philip H. Gray, and charged the captain
with violating the law. 1t is said that the
captain admitted he had been taking fish il
legally, and would pay the fine of $500
if the deputy sheriff would accompany
of the Seaconnet. The other two fish
ing steamers in the bay were the George
Church, Capt. Dan Mason, and the Curtis,
Capt. r. E. Mason. Deputy Sheriff Osgood
consented, but when he arrived at Round
Pond, he says he found himself in the land
settle.
This was the situation when Sheriff Hoop
er left here Friday, July 23d, going to Blue
hill where he was joined by Judge E. E.
Chase, and thence to Brooklin, where they
boarded the Brooklin Packing Co.'s tug, II.
E. Hamlin, and went to Rockland From
Rockland they went by rail and team to
Round Pond on the Muscongus sound, Lin
coin county.
They arrived at Round Pond Saturday
morning, accompanied by deputy sheriff
of Lincoln county. They found the three
steamers and seized one of them with the
fish on board. Sheriff Hoopers visit was
not unexpected, but he was not expected to
arrive so soon, and haste was being made to
get the fish off the steamer and steam away
to sea.
After seizing the steamer Sheriff Hooper
tried to get an attachment served on her.
He says he was unable to get the officers of
Lincoln county to help him, as they, on
some technical ground, refused to act.
The captains of the three steamers, who
Sheriff Hooper at his hotel that if he would
not arrest them, they would like to talk
with him. When they learned that he was
without authority to arrest them there, they
come to him and offered $500 in settlement,
if he would give a written agreement not to
seize the steamers for fish illegally taken up
to this time This Sheriff Hooper refused
to do, but offered to settle on the steamers
seized for $500 each, and expenses. The
fishermen would not consent to this
In the meantime the man who had been
left IN charge of the seized steamer had gone
ashore for his dinner, and the steamer had
unconcernedly cast off from the wharf and
steamed away to sea without dischargng
her fish. To add to the interest of the situa-
ton, Sheriff Hooper was notified that he
was to be arrested, but this did not cause
him much alarm. He promised the officers
of Lincoln county some very interesting de-
velopments if any attempt to arrest him was
made.
Sheriff Hooper's next step was to go to
Portland to seek legal advice, as result OF
| which he came home to get warrents for the
arrest of the captains of the three steamers.
| The warrants we're sent on to Round Pond
| ONE CAPTAIN FOUND GUILTY.
On Monday Capt. Gray, of the "Sea-
comet" was brought to Ellsworth, and
turned over to Sheriff Hooper. The trial
took place before Judge Peters in the muni-
cpal court Tuesday. Judge E. E. Chase OF
Bluehill, the principal complainant in the
case, appeared for the people, and William
II. Hilton of Damariscotta, for the defendant
The case involved the law which has been
the subject of considerable wrangling in
several legislatures, and has been amended