The Washington times., 1906-09-16
Commodore Sutton and
Squad Have Accom-
pliShed Good Results.
LAW VIOLATORS SCARCE
Marshes PatrOlled in Launch
At All Hours to Nab the
UnSuSpeCting.

Sneaking through the marshes where
hunters bag their game, the little
t,yenty-four foot launch Major Sylves-
ter. attached To the harnor precinct, Is
doing rluch gooG work these days, and
bot few violdtors or the game laws have
Had the temerity TO shoot az blackbirds.
ortlan, reedbirds, and grouse from ISL
ands or places along the river which
are protected by the law.
So closely did Commodore Sutton'S
braves watch the river before tho hunt
ing season opened that not "a single shot
was fired prior 10 Ser temhor J. and since
that time only a scanty number OF
sportsmen have ventured upon tnc spots
where shooting is not permitted.
Scouting in Noiseless Craft.
The utcIe launch is ntteG ont with a
uoiseIess engine and hunters cannot
hear or see the boat coming until II is
too close Tor them 10 "et away. The
boat Is tWouty-f1ur feet over NJ. twenty
feet clear. and erout fcur feet whites The
engine is four-Iud-a-i 5lf horsepower,
and the only noise I1aje by IL is from
Inc exhaust. by emulnviu= "a small tank
of water The crew OF the boat have sue
ceedeJ In mufhnE practically every
sound that could be heard i've feet
from the craft.
TIE boat can make mile in seven
minutes. and there are but few craft
on tie river that can penetrate tEe small
inches and creyiees lutc which il is
steeTed by Sergeant Dean, fHe genial
TiloJ of tag tiny sEU.
About a year ago Commodore Sutton
realized the need of % small boat be
cause Of The inability Of tht police To-
patrol the marshes drrirg tile hunting
season and break nap HI4saI alIius OF
birds
To Prevent determination.
Because of the great number of hunt
.rs who hock To the marshes and
Islands along the Eastern Branch and
in he vicinity of Aualostau Island. the
game birds have but few places of
refuge. Iu order 60 prevent the tNter-
m.aarion of the birds i'm one season.
Major Sylvester the District game war
den. has designated certain spots along
Jl= river as havens of rest for the
winged tribe and il is up 10 the crew of
the Iittle boat 10 see that the law is
u,t violated. When there are scores OF
hunters on the marshes along the East
boro Point or opposite 81. Elizabeth S
Asylum To escape being shot. Birds
consequently get scarce on the grounds
where il is permissible 10 shoot them
and plentiful where the law protects
them. This ange-s the hunters and
some of them make bold to disregard
the ordinance and shoot the birds on
neutral ground IL is to prevent this
that the little craft was placed i'm com
mission.
Work of Commodore Sutton.
When Commodore sutton asked Major
Sylvester for sufficient money To pur-
chase a launch ne was told that no
funds were provided for such expend-
~iture. BY saving and thrift "Commo-
dore Bob" managed TO accumulate suffi-
cient to buy a keel and huh and stored
il away in the haTbor office With his
spare cash he bought pieces of lumber
and with this Private Rauey Passeno,
one Of the oldest men in point of ser
vice at the harbor office. completed the
craft Recently the engine was pur-
chased and installed by Engineer Maur-
ice Hughes, of the police boat Nigilant
Every morning bright and early the
Major Sylvester patrols the harbOr and
sneaks through the reeds op the hunt
for guuners violating the law. The boat
is steered and commanded by SeTgt
Russell Dean. Pr.vates Passeno, s. T.
Lewis, and George D Preston go out
i'm The boat 10 make the arrests