The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1906-05-22

Many Vessels - Oystermen Warned
Repeatedly without Effect to Keep
OF the Cultivated Beds-Judge Mat
thewson and Charles III. Nichols of
New Haven Participants in the Raid.
Bridgeport, May 21-The long brew
ing War between the oystermen who
work the natural oyster beds OF this
port and the owners of the cultivated
beds, who claim the oystermen are
stealing the bivalves from them, came
to head this afternoon, when ght
oyster sloops were seized by Deputy
Sheriff Peter Doolan, who, armed with
warrants, seized the boats as they were
returning from their days work.
The warrants for the seizure of the
vessels were made out by Andrew
Radel. They state that the oystermen
have been caught and warned repeated
ly without effect to keep off the culti-
waited beds Of the owners. 1t is alleged
that the May oyster company are also
losers by the depredations of the oys-
ter men.
Shortly after o'clock to-day Charles
H. Nichols of New Haven, engineer of
the shell fish commission, accompanied
by Judge Mathewson of New Haven,
who with Attorney H. H. Knapp of this
city will represent the growers, arriv-
ed in this city from New Haven. Sher-
Stephen H. Babcock, Captain sam
Lockwood, and the party put off to the
beds. The first boats to be boarded
by the party were the Atlantis and the
Little Freddie. Things looked rather
squally for a time, the captains being
indignant Sheriff Doolan asserted him
self in very positive terms, and the
captains submitted to the seizure
Captain William Lewis launch had
been secured, and the boats were towed
to the Babcock, which remained at a
distance. The tug made four or five
trips with the sloops to the inner har-
bor, where the boats were anchored for
might near the JOY line pier. Keepers
remained in charge. The boats that
were taken were the Little Freddie,
Captain George B. Linsley, Milford
Conn, owner, Mr.. Wick; Rescue, Cap
tain Edward Sturdevant, Bridgeport
owner, same; Henry Ruppell, Captain
George H. Rowland, Bridgeport, owner
William e. Atwood; Atlantis, Captain
John j. Barton, Bridgeport owner, Will
liam G. Barton; Secret, Captain b.
Eichinger, Bridgeport, owner, same;
Whale, Captain G. r. Hodgkns,
Bridgeport, owner, Daniel Sprague;
Greyhound, Captain Herbert Clark
Edith, Captain Joseph Halstead,
bridgeport, owner same,
The raid on the oystermen caused a
genuine sensation, and carried con-
sternation into the camp Of the oyster
men.
1t is alleged that about two weeks ago
Mr. Radel was out to the beds and
found the oystermen working on the
cultivated beds of the Radel Oyster Co..
and of the May Oyster Co., and that
he warned them ooff the beds. The
oystermen claim that the owners of the
cultivated beds have not secured a
lease of the grounds since 1882, and that
they have extended their stakes. They
claim that they have perfect right
to dredge on the grounds which are
natural beds. The sloop Euith was the
lest one taken. She was anchored for
the night near the foot of East Main
street. and there was no one aboard.
The case against the captains of the
boats will come before the city court in
a day or two. Immediately after re-
turning to thecity Judge Mathewson
and Engineer Nichols returned to New
Haven.