Newport daily independent., 1903-12-30
sRANGHAIING oYsTERMEN.
Tricks by Which Sailors for the Dredges on Chesapeake Bay
 Are Obtained.


 This is the time of the year when tales of the shanghaiing of men for the oyster dredging vessels on. the Chesapeake bay reach the ears of the Baltimore police, Formerly the shang- haiing was done with violence. Now it is a kind of confidence game, says a recent account from Baltimore.
 This is the way it is done, said Police Captain League "A runner for one of the shipping firms strolls along the water front and finally sees man who seems to be looking for employ ment He approaches him in tact ful manner and inquiries if he wants to make little money. The answer is generally yes, spoken about as quick ly as man can get the words out of his mouth.
 We'll says the shipping agents runner, becoming confidential, I know of way we can turn a couple of dol lars I'm looking for men to ship to the oyster beds. We'll get two dollars for each man, dollar for me and dollar for you, if you'll help me. All we have to do is to find g man who's looking for work, take him down to the office and get him shipped aboard the vessel. Then we go back to shore and collect the money"
 Just about this time along comes the runners confederate, sauntering around the wharves with the manner of an idle man. The ruuner calls the attention of the stranger to the second actor and intimates that he is possibly candidate for berth on an oyster dredger.
 Together the runner and the man he has picked up approach the confed- crate. After a little conversation the proposition is made and the confed- crate accepts it. The trio have several rounds of drinks, paid for by the run ner, and then they go tS the shipping office.
 There the prospective victim is told that he must sign for the man he has shipped He does so,. If lie cannot read or write he makes his mark om the agreement. He iss told that sec ond paper must be signed aboard the oyster boat
 Then the runner and the man who is really the victim, but who thinks he has ensnared another man. are roWed out to the oyster dredger. After they get aboard the victim is deeoyed into the cabin by the captain, the runner and his confederate jump into their boat and row ashore, and after they are once away the real victim is told that he has shipped for a certain l period.
 If he kicks, as he always does, he is shown the shipping agreement, which he has signed or marked under the impression that he signed for an other man When a man gets shang- hailed in such a manner he is not en- titled to sympathy, and as a ruls doesn't get any more than is coming to him.
 Frequently men are decoye5 upor oyster vessels by bezng told that they are wanted for one trip down the bay and are promised large wages. Afte' they get down on the oyster beds the. are transferred from one vessel to m
 0tneF, duu IhS- CH1p, lnsISdO< VA taSt1hA'
 ten days or two weeks continues lxnti
 the close of the season.
 'eThe work is. of coursa hard m th winter time; but, then, it is not s . hard or SO dangerous as 8 sailors If :. aboard a eoasting vessel at the sam season of the year. For man in goo 7 physical condition, oyster dredging C not terrible labor.
 s Of course, there are brutal captain
 unfit food and filthy sleeping quarter '' on many boats, but there are alS 2. many boats on which entirely differel yt conditions prevail"
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