The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-10-14

PoTOMtC OYSTER PIRATES.
Wen Who Resent the States Attempt TO Pro-
tcCt the oyster Reds.

Ru11Nopp. oct. TT usc whose aCqualnt-
npo. with the oyster /, limited g. eating it have
iula dca how many details there are TO tho
business Of getting them before the public. "
said Capt. john Tyler. one " the best known
buy-bott captains. a fcW DAYS ago ~ he u err
intended the uuluaduG of "A fin" cargo OF Pot"-
mac oysters from the schooner Maggie. emo
thing the public doesn't kuow,' continued the
old salt. IS that oysters work on a mans con-
science so that after a while he Il liable not 10
~raplfze that 1t Is a sin to steal them. Mhi~ksv
Hrro'. some folks iu ~" same way. and ""
have the moor,nin.r. hut IL our business the
follow whose feelings have become bluuted
turns out a suuin"r sCrauer, or longer, that is,
"A man who goes ont n a NAL boat With light
dredg or tongs, and gathers TIE succulent
hivalvog In the closed season.
summer scrapers and tonCers abound along
the Chesapeake and it. tributaries almost
eycryyn here the oyster Is found They look
upon tho oyster a, something scut th"m by the
Almighty and which no man has a Ght to
reserve. 80 thay ~ after them a. ofton as they
can. II you try to reason with them and show
that II IL necessary to have a closed season In
order that the spawn may havs a chance to
,nkc care u Itself they vil, tell you - thor
o.fn.on that e does not hurt he oysters to be
,tirrad IN in hot weather. and, in fact, helps
tho spawning. You might think that this Ia
soid iust 10 case the conscience, but a little eI-
perIance with the people In he business will
rrovc tlat many OF them really beli"ve this
fool theory The state las different ideas IN
the subject and has dec AIRED that from the last
~ knrll 10 the nr-t Of September no oysters
shall he caught. aud H. this regulation which
cau-es 80 MANY otherwise honest Oatermen 10
become lawhrcakrr-. for they argue hat the
law ha. no rlght 10 prevent 'hon from catching
Nlufpypr tho Lord has gwen.
"Onc Of he most famous spots In tho country
for summer DR. dsiug "a OF Ragged Point. on
~ virginia sd Of the Potomac. Tho river
view five miles m and five miles down. Mary
land owns nj, IN bottom along there and her
pulice boat, are the ones which keep the boys
on tho lookout. Two small schoonrr- are ON
seven or eight mon, but II Il seldom that they
ca ch tho dredgor,. The scrRpers can di~tin-
rlish tho rulice craft IN" minute she comes in
ercHt md all they have 30 Do L. 20 acpot for mo
nft'o numerous crooks which run IN into the
Virginia shore whore they are practically Saia.
for, though by sp'CiU. agreement. tho
MARYLAND bout has q right 10 invade Vir-
cjula w%atore,. i is seldom done Even
longing they can generally manage 10
r ach safety by eoulling N"for" TIE hluccoAts
got 'car them OcCasi0nIlly % follow j. too far
out and the police boat too ne 7 Tor hin 10 n n
up a crook. 80 he makes % bee lrc FOR tho shore.
ON lard no Is personally safe, but his boat IN
probably be lowed away md confsCst"d, which
Is better than having tho ConisCation take
place anyhow aud u largo 0ne addict 10 II.
ono ~ the tricks 20 rr"v"ni capture Of the boat
IL rather neat, but takes a good swimmer. This
is how Il Is done: When the FISHERMAN secs
that he has a little time and. is IN about six feet
~ water he will run for'ard, catch, hold OF the
mast and rock the canoe until Il nllS md sinks
straight to the bottom, carried down bv the
weight Of the catch. he then swims until he