Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-30
SHOT AND ROBBED BY PIRATE
Captain of Oyster sloop Compelled to Give
Up His Money.
Intruder Asks for a Nights Lodging
and Fires When Door is
Opened.

Captain Henry Pritchard of the oyster
slCOp Rebecca Smith was shot and made
to give up his money. $50 by a colored
pirate Saturday night. The crime was com
mitted off Bay Breeze Point, opposite
Lower Cedar Point. Yesterday afternoon
the wounded man arrived here on the
steamer Wakefield, and was taken to the
Emergency Hospital. where Drs. Whitson
and Williams made him comfortable for
the night Today the doctors photographed
the wound in order to locate the bullet.
DR.. W. 2. Carr will perform an operation
this afternoon or tomorrow.
Captain Pritchard is about twenty-five
years old, and is married. He lives at No.
400 Wilkes street. Alexandria, Va. short
time ago he went down the river to operate
his boat during the oyster season there.
his cousin, Frank Ennis, eighteen years
old. going with him. Saturday afternoon
the oystermen sailed from the lower Po-
tomac to Upper MachOdoc creek, intending
to drop anchor and remain there until this
morning.
This creek. as already stated. is across
the river from Lower Cedar Point, off King
George county, Va. Early in the night the
men retired leaving a lighted lamp on
deck and having another one in the cabin.
Both men were asleep when some one APP
peared on the sloop and hammered on the
cabin door. The noise aroused the captain.
end he called to his cousin, who was stl
fast asleep. There was a second knock on
the cabin door, and the captain called out:
Who's there?
"A man from up the bay" came the re-
Spouse.
What do you want?" the captain in
quired
Just want nights lodging"
Armed With an AK.
Not having a gun in his boat, Capt.
Pritchard picked up an AK, and went to the
cabin door, intending to use it in the event
of his being attacked. When the cabin
door was pushed aside a bullet came
through the opening and entered the oys-
terman's left thigh.
You ought not to have shot me like
that" the wounded man exclaimed to the
intruder. What do you want?' he de-
manded.
Il want money" was the reply Capt;
Pritchard took the $50 from the cupboard
and handed it over to him,
Have you got anything else?' asked the
pirate, who was not satisfied with the
amount given him.
Nothing but grub" the captain an
swered. land we've got plenty of that"
The colored man had come from the shore
in a small batteau. He turned away and
made ready to leave, and as he did so he
pointed his revolver at the captain, as If
he intended ending his life. when the lat
ter begged him not to shoot him again, as
he wanted to return to his sick wife.
Dlu the OlHer outlet MI YOU lHS u
inaI inquired.
I should say it did," the captain told
him.
This seemed to satisfy the ruffian, and
believing he had been too badly wounded
to make complaint in time to cause his ar
rest the latter started ashore.
When a few feet from the boat he fired
two more shots. but these, 1T is believed,
were fired in the air, and not at the boat
Obtains Assistance.
A short time afterward Frank Ennis
helped his wounded cousin from the sloop
and took him in a batteau to another oys-
ter boat where assistance was obtained.
The wounded man was then taken ashore
and Samuel Redmond, a resident of King
George county, made him as comfortable
as he could at his home. a physician was
summoned, who succeeded in relieving the
wounded mans pain. From Mr.. Redmond 3
house Captain Pritchard was taken to
Lower Cedar Point, where he remained
until the arrival of the Wakefield. He is
certain he can identify the man who shot
him. He believes he is the man who came
to his boat several days before and wanted
to sell him a chicken. AT that time the
visitor asked the captain If he had a gun
on the boat, and he answered in the mega
tive.
The King George authorities have been
notified of the affair, but it is not known
here if an arrest has been made. Captain
Prttchard is anxious to return down the
river and assist the authorities.