Evening star., 1898-05-21
VIOLATION OF NEW FISH LAW
Three Men Detected in the Act of Using a
Seine
Nearly n ThOusand Herring Found I'm
Their BOat-Arrest and Pun
1shment Follow.

Augustus Grimes and Michael Barrett,
white, and William Wheeler colored, were
t-efore the Police Court today for violating
the provisions Of the new fish law in op-
Grating seine in the river last night They
pleaded guilty and each incurred a penalty
Grimes, who is an old fisherman and owner
or the seine used last night, was fined S25
with the alternative of sixty days In jail,
while the other men, who were employed
by him, were each fined $40, or to serve
thirty days in default
This is the first case made under the new
law, which was approved only last Tues
day The defendants were CHARGED with
violating the first section of the act. part
of which provides: That no person snail
hsn with fyke net, pound net, stake net
weir, float net, gill net, haul seine, dip net
or any other contrfvance, stationary or
nc ating, in the waters of the Potomac
river and its tributaries within the District
OF Columbia
anls section OF the act gives the fish
commissioner authority to permit the use
on nets Tor the purpose of catching fish to
be used as bait for hook and line fishing
Officers Investigate.
Harbormaster Sutton. who has been
active In the crusade against illegal fisher
men, made the arrests last night The
members OF the crew of the police boat hal
reason to believe that the law was being
violated and Officers Lewis, Perry, Aul-
orioge and Dean went up the river toward
tne Chaln bridge to investigate. They knew
.ney could do nothing il they went in a
Dcat, and so rode up on IN electric car and
walked along the river front to a point al
most opposite Dixie landing Before they
reacheo the waters edge they heard voices
ana soon afterward they saw Barrett and
wheeler out on the water handling a seine
The two men were wadng in the water
sc me distance from the Shore while Grimes
was out In boat with the fish that had
been caught on the first haul. There were
aocut nine hundred herring In the ooat He
refused to come ashore, and the officers
did not get him until he appeared In court
this morning. The officers mad to wade
out In the mud and water in order 10 catch
Barrett and Wheeler.
Prosecuting Attorney Mullowny repre-
sented the government at the hearing of
the case. The defendants had no counsel.
Mr.. Grimes Statement.
Mr.. Grimes told the court that he had
been in the fishing business for more than
forty years, and his paraphernalia, which
IS worth $500. he is now willing to sell for
$5O In order to quit the business. He said
he had been led to believe that he would
violate no law by catching a few herring
I'VE are poor people," he said ''and last
for our families"
Did you employ the other men?'
Yes, sir; we work on shares While We
were violating the letter Of the law 1 don't
believe we were violating its spirit We
were catching nothing but herring and
there is an abundance Of them in the
river"
That has nothing to do with it, re-
marked Judge Kimball
"As / was saying" resumed Grimes. II
think the sympathy of the people is with
us, and that's great DEAL
I'm not so certain Of that" said the
court. You men had almost depopulated
the river a few yesrs ago, and the passage
OF this law was an absolute necessity to
protect the fish. Shad were very scarce at
that time"
But" said Grimes. I'VE were only catch
ing herring
The Judge told him he knew better and
imposed the fines mentioned.