Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1907-06-21
Communicated /
SOFT CRAB GETS INTO POLITICS.

The oyster has long been a bone of
contention in politics, but it is only
recently that the soft shell crab has
been boosted into prominence as a
political factor. One soft crab has been
known to cause bad attack of cholera
morbus, but there is no record of one
ever having caused a person to run for
Office, until recently.
A couple of years ago a certain ri
parian owner, in order to test his rights
under Chapter 227, Acts of Assembly,
1923, posted his shores, warning peo-
pie not to crab thereon. Upon the
notice being disregarded, he caused the
arrest of one offender, who was fined
by hetrial justice. Appeal was taken,
and Judge Wright decided that the law
did not apply in the premises, and the
defendant was acquitted. Any one
may find copy of Section 227 on
page 81 of the Warrock- Richardson
Almanac of this year and also in any
old copy for the last four years. There
was great deal of feeling manifested
and the prosecuting attorney fell heir
to large share of i'll will. 1t was
charged that he had dug up an old law,
and made it to apply to the case in an
effort to deprive the crabbers of rights
that they always had exercised; that
he could find no word of advice or
warning. for crabbers who consulted
him, but that he could and did find law
to justify an attempt to deprive them
of their rights when requested to do so
by the riparian owners. That the
charge was unfounded is easily dis
covered by any one taking the trouble
to investigate the matter, yet that
same charge is being brought against
him now in an effort to defeat him for
collection, has been spread far and
wide. The disaffection has been re-
ported. TO be. SO great that evidently il
is not the least of the causes that leaG
to the appearance Of another candidate
in the field. .anlaniiH
Having been identified with the crab
bers in that appeal case, as treasurer
of that defense fund, i think am in :
position to know something about it.
Instead of having been a specia
prosecutoriR that case, it develops tina
the attorney for the Commonwealth
was incidentally present by virtue O.
his rule to appear in all cases befor,
justices courts when so requested b,
the presiding justice. If that had beei
his tirst or only appearance before .
justice OF the peace, then there nigh
be some ground for complaint, but a
he goes all over the county attendins
trials, and that, too, without any pa,
whatever, even his expenses, it woul,
seem unjust to condemn him for tina
particular appearance out of hundred
of others.uaT taiiiW 49, ~
am tolerably well acquainted witt
the people In this neighborhood. and !
DO not believe that any considerable,
number,iwih condemn any man 70
doing has duty. q IHbelieve thew ar,
willing to give every man square deal
There may be a few mossbacks VIII,
prefer to nurse unfounded prejudices
out shall believe it when | see them
In contradistinction to the prosecutor
IN the above mentioned case, VIII,
received nothing but ill-will, may b,
mentiened the fact that an attorne,
for the defense charged us hundred
and fifty dollars. If each soft cral
would bring in market as much as the
one cost that caused the whole trouble
the crab-hshery would byver valuable
and well worth fighting over
-.oral s.,.f,i,., GEO. II. SMITH.