The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1901-04-14
WASDf1AINEDB FORCE.
WHY WICKMAN MISSED THE
TRAIN AT MEGLER.
Fishermen Threatened Bodily In
jury Because OF Enforcement
Of Closed Season.

Deputy Fish Commissioner r.. G. Nc
l,eaVy. Of Washington, and Water Ball
IN Fred WIckman returned yesterday
from "A trip up the river as tar as Port
land. with the hold Of the launch Eagle
fun OF nets confgcated along the riy-
er. On the deck was large net valued
at perhaps $50. which was found In
the river. -Four men were also brought
down, who were captured yesterday on
The fats. about eight miles from the
city. They had their ncfs out AMI were
drifting when the officers caught up
with them. The men were nrraigned
before Justice OF the Peace Brewer yes
ierday afternoon and the minimum fne,
$50, imposed IN each case. The cpllec-
ton OF the fines was suspended pend
Ing the future good behavior Of the
men.
Water Ralliff wlckman had an exper-
lence al Mcgler last Thursday that he
wll not soon forget. Feeling runs high
among the fishermen against the oiiic-
lals charged with the enforcement Of
the closed season. and evidences OF
hostility have been apparent on several
occasions. Shortly after nIghtfali last
Thursday n fisherman by the name OF
gaelin vas arrested near Megler. Mr.
Wlckman went ashore % telephone the
news Of the capture 10 Fish Warden
Van Dusen with the intention 0f catch
ing the night train 10 Rainier. Deputy
McI,eayy proceeded 70 the latter place
In the launch. with his prisoner
The news Of the water baillh's ar
rival spread IN a moment throughout
the village. and the fishermen gathered
In sfnall crowds 10 denounce the otii-
Ger and his mission. After he sent the
message OF the arrest Of Saelln 70 AS
,orla he started for the traia. Before
he could get 10 the depot. however, he
was surrounded by the fishermen who
mugtered threats and imprecations al
hlm that made The sltulti0n decidedly
hazardous Wickman was unarne6. ais
revolvcrs being aboard the launch which
was making for Rainier as fast as pos
sblc. Seeing that ne was alone and
without means II defending himself the
fishermen grew bolder In their actions
and threatened him with bodily harm.
Wickman refused - be bluffe1 but
gave the men 20 understand he was
patrOlling the river 10 see that the
closed season was respected and he in
tended 10 continue. During the parley
the train arrived and departed. the men
refusing TO allow the water bailh TO
hoard II. In the dead OF night he walk
ed eleven miles TO Rainier. arriving
there at O'Clock In the morning on
the trip he was obliged 70 pass through
three long dark tunnels. where murder
would have been easy. and he had no
means OF making a light TO guide him.
To further add 10 his discomfort Wick
man had been suffering a great deal
from rheumatism. which made the walk
n painful journey.
Al various places along the river the
pslroling officers found that the fish-
ermen were working together TO evade
the law defining the closed season.
Within a half hour after Saelln had
been arrested near MeGler three differ
ent signal fires were lighted and a signi-
ficant waving Of lanterns was visible
In the distance. The fishermen are
clever In their plans to outwit the Of
iicers and one Of the tricks most COM
monty practicei Is the using OF an
chor on the nets. which keeps the corks
under water at 4 depth OF about three
feet. When the officers are sighted The
men In the boats scatter and unless
the net is grappled for, II is ten TO
enc chance that the officers will not be
aware of Its presence.
That plenty OF fish are being taken
from the river is proven by a discov-
cry made by Deputy Commissioner Nc
Reavy on the Washington side. Two
mon. Messrs. Moulton and Todd, said
la represent KlOpeck Brothers and the
Seattle Fish Company have been buy
ing fsh for some time past for ship
ments to Eastern markets. Deputy Nc
reavy received tip to that effect and
started for Kelso. but before he could
reach the village the fish buyers re-
Ctived telegraphlc advices OF his COM
ing and got all the salmon on hand
out OF the way. They admitted, how
ever, that they had been buying sal
mon during the closed season but prom
Used to buy no ncra in consideration Of
prosecution not being made. AS II was
impossible to prove the guilt of the
men, although II was we'll known in
the neighborhood, the deputy accepted
the compromise. II Is estimated by
DEPUTY McReavy that the men handled
fully two tons Of salmon. They were
also buying AMI shipping large quanti-
ties Of smelt and their method was to
shin the salmon ont under the name Of
the former fish. None of the consign-
ments went TO Seattle, but the larger
part went to Denver. the rest beirg
shipped TO cities farther east.
There seems to be 4 disposition among
the justices not TO impose heavy pen
alties upon fishermen arrested for the
first time. Three men arrested near
the mouth OF Wallace slough were TAX
on to cathlamet for trial, where they
were fined $50 each The men were
made to give bonds that they would
obey the law in the future and the COL
lection or the fines deferred. II the same
men are again arrested the previous
sentence will be imposed together with
what other penalty the court sees fit to
pronounce for the second offense.