Bridgeton pioneer., 1897-10-28
TONGERs TROUBLES.
A Large Crowd Attend and Are in SYM
pathy With the Tongers. An Ex-
cessive Bail Put on Them,

A Large Crowd Attend and Are in SYM !,
pathy With the Tongers. An Ex-
cessive Bail Put Them.
James Crowell. John Crowell and
Samuel Stirk were given a hearing at the
Court House, in the Grand Jury room,
Saturday afternoon, before Justice Jos. |
H. Powell. There were large crowd of
oystermen present. all of whom seemed
to be in sympathy with the accused. The
men were charged with taking oysters,
from the supposed property of the
Oronoken Oyster Company in Fishing
creek, and suit was brought against the
men by Leslie M. Ogden, the president
of the company.
William A. Logue, Esq, represented
the Oyster Company, and John S.
Mitchell, ESQ.,, appeared for the accused
tongers.
Mr.. Logue outlined the case against the
men, the suit being brought under the
Act of 1916, that it shall be be lawful for
any person owning grounds to give the
right to persons to plant thereon, any
person going on the said grounds are
liable, etc. The law, he. contended, gave
persons the privilege to plant and any
person who goes there and takes plants
are guilty of larceny. All rights, he said,
acquired by persons or corporations are
protected by law. He then offered the
deed of William G.. Nixon and others to
Leslie M. Ogden and others for five
thousand acres of marsh at oyster and
fishing creeks, thence inland. This deed
was offered in evidence.
Mr.. Logue called Leslie M. Ogden. He
said he lived at Cedarville, was president
of the Oronoken Oyster Association ;
they had planted oysters in Fishing
creek; have put shells in creek ; about
5000 bushels last summer and 1900 this
summer; last spring a year ago planted
oysters from bay; quite number of
deck loads; can't say how many bushels
of oysters we planted there. On cross
} examination, at the month of the creek,
there are about three feet of water at low
water; high water about eight feet; I
} have no idea of the growth of natural
oysters in this creek.
Steward Roary of the Almshouse was
called and said he planted oysters for the
, company, they were bay oysters; they
were planted in Fishing creek; planted
r them along from lower end of second
reach up the creek,
f Cross-examined; had know Fishing
t creek for twenty-five years; had known
there were natural oysters in this creek
3 on low water perhaps there was about
two or three feet at mouth; had planted
375 bushels of oysters there
{ Joseph Hoffman, the watchman at Fish
+ ing creek had seen these men longing in
2 the creek; saw them twice, last time had
> about twenty bushels oysters; had them
in scows; caught them from the second
| reach on up; the oysters were worth sew
enty- five or eighty cents bushel.
! Cross s-examined-witness said he knew
. the Crowells'and saw them both longing;
didn't see Stirk tong any; saw him Gull
3 the oysters on the scows.
Witness said he had planted oysters
f there as employe of the company; had
planted them where he had seen these
men planting; he said he had known the
creek for twenty-five years. but didn'i
know much about the natural growth OF
oysters.
James and John Crowell were then
each held in $500 bail on the first offense,
for Court. William Williams, of Green
wich, became their bondsman.
There was another charge against the
men. At the second charge the men
+ waived hearing and were held in 81 600
bail.
, There was another warrant for the men
and they were charged on third offense.
Mr.. Logue asked that the bail be fixed
at $4,000 on the third offense.
To this Mr.. Mitchell objected, as he
thought the bail was excessive. How
ever the men waived hearing in this
charge and were held in $4,000 each for
Court This being big bail they had no
one present to go on their bonds and they
were compelled to go to Jail. Their cases
now go before the Grand Jury.
The Oronoken Oyster Company have
caused several arrests for this alleged
illegal longing of oysters i'll Fishing and
Oronoken creeks, and have had but two
indictments found by the Grand Jury
These were against the Moore brothers.
and their cases have been put off until
next term of court.
1t may be some time yet before this
oyster war is settled.
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