Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-10-17
FISH .WARDENS TO
START WAR ON
LOBSTER SMACKS
Commissioner Brennan Acting
on Complaints Starts in to Rid
the Coast OF Runners and
Illicit Dealers in Short Lob.
sterS g

New Harbor, Me-, Oct. 16.-War has
been declared on the Maine coast! The
fish wardens are making some of the
largest clean-ups in years in the Illicit
short" lobster business. Boston smacks
Portland smacks and individual run
peers" are falling victims to this move
ment to rid the coast Of the illegal traf-
fc, which promises ultimately to destroy
the lobster industry completely.
AS the result of several complaints to
the commissioner of sea and shore fisher
les. William Brennan of Port Clyde, that
the department was not satisfactorily
performing its duties, nearly a score of
wardens in various sections Of the coast
were recently removed and their places
have been filled with new men. Now, in
the words of a fisherman, there is some
thing doing
Last week smack hail!ns from Ports
mouth, n. H., where the nine-inch lob
ster law is in vogue. was boarded by
four warder,s. : The officers. having
watched the craft for a day or two. knew
that the hold contained mostly shorts"
They ordered the commander to run into
spected. The captain fatty refused, and
thereupon the chief warden placed him
under arrest. Although there were only
two men In charge of the smack. the
quartet of wardens decided to allow the
smackmen to go on to Portsmouth. They
stuck with the vessel. however. advising
the captain that it would be wise for him
to follow their instructions.
Arriving in Portsmouth, the owners
Of the smack came down to the wharf
and scornfully laughed at the wardens
and the warrant which they had
served. "Why, my dear man." one Of
the lobster dealers is reported as say
ing. you can't do anything here:
you're in New Hampshire now"
well see what we can do" retorted
the chief warden, as he and his three
deputies started up street to visit the
city marshal. Upon seeing the war
rant, 1t is said, the marshal stated that
the document was just as valid in
New Hampshire as in Maine. And he
took couple of his men and returned
with the wardens to the smack, arrest
ing the captain and assuring Maine
officers that their man would be held
to appear in court at the required date
in the Pine Tree State.
A day or two ago, a Portland smack,
while buying Holsters at South Bristol
was boarded by a number of wardens
The hold contained about 1000 or 5000
crustaceans, of which nearly half were
of illegal length. it Is officially report
ed. The captain was arrested and his
smack was placed in charge of one of
the officers and later lowed to Port
land by the warden boat. A Pemaquid
Beach lobster fisherman, coming In
from his daily haul, went. up along
side the smack, which was, at that time
laying at her anchor, and inquired for
the captain. The warden stated what
had happened and the fisherman lost
no time in cranking his motorboat en-
CINE and escaping from the vigilance of
the officer.
These two particular smacks have been
buying most of the Holsters in Pema-
quid and Johns Bay this year and their
capture by the wardens has considerably
stirred up the ire and indignation of the
fishermen of that vicinity. 1t Is said. In
view of certain Investigations and OBJ
servations which they have made in the
last day or two, following their clues
and tips with the cunning of a Sherlock
Holmes, the wardens are of the opinion
that one or two Of the Pemaquid Beach
fishermen who have large motorboats
have inaugurated a system among them
Selves, purporting to run their shorts
to Portsmouth in their open fishing boats.
Some of the fishermen at Pemaquid
Beach and other fishing hamlets In this
vicinity which have been seriously affect
ed by the great cleanup are swearing
vengeance on the wardens for their inter-
ference in the Illicit tramc. Warden
Charles Sherman Of Pemaquid Beach,
who figured in the capture of the smacks,
found several of his clam barrels smash
ed the other morning when he went to
the shore. The same morning the prop
erty of Leslie Lewis, one of Sherman's
aids in the unexpected voyage to Ports
mouth, suffered depredations. his skiff
having been cut adrift and some Of his
other gear having been destroyed dur
ing the previous night. It is whispered
around the village that some pretty
loud threats are arising from the fish,
ermen circles, but it takes more than
idle threats to scare Maine fish war
den.
The incidents which have thus far
taken place in the big campaign
against lawless lobster fisheries are no
less thrilling than the situations in
Alfred Elden's novel, THE Lobster
Runners"
Wardens Charles Sherman Of Pema1
quid Beach and John Dearborn Of
Boothbay Harbor are shining in the
recent sensational seizures in this sec
ton.