Evening star., 1926-08-08

he asked me II L could get him VIZ
ginia license.
"I certainly couldn't let you starve,
boy told him, and that meant that
was going to give him a license.
"Now what do 1 hear. He was just
over here to find out what was doing.
He's been fishing for months and he's
one of the ringleaders Of that crowd
over there. He'd better not show up
around here. It's hard to say what
might happen to him.
"Tangier folks don't bother their
waters. Why should they come into
ours. It's just a matter of plain law
"Of course this thing causes trouble
every now and then. But we don't
looks serious because I hear one of
their bullets came near hitting one Of
Cap'n Tommy's men.
so far's l know, there has been
only one man killed, and that was
good many years ago. He was
Maryland boy II years old, but that's
all past and forgotten now. We did
once have another battle when a man
was killed, but that was between Vir-
ginians altogether"
Another Side of the Story.
Smiths Islanders tell a different
story from the Virginians regarding
the ancient boundary dispute. They
say that 20 of their men have gone to
their deaths from Virginia bullets
since that ill-fated boundary COM
promise was reached Their case is
presented for them by L. c.. Quinn,
editor Of the Crisfield Times and can
didate for State senator.
Until this injustice is corrected"
says Quinn, until the Old Dominion
rights the wrong that was done the
people Of Tidewater Somerset
County, the boom of musketry, the
lreadful hum Of bullets and the silent
messenger of death may be expected
the disturb the public grabbing
grounds of this county. Time after
time Marylanders have endured
scatching gunfire from Virginia po-
lice boats while working almost
under the caves of their own homes |
l can count 20 Maryland watermen
who have been instantly killed or
mortally wounded.
"A life for q crab seems to be |
the creed of the Virginia fisheries |
force. What a shame, what a dis
grace to a civilized age. Maryland |
has been generous to Virginia. Yet |
Virginians do not hesitate to shed |
the blood of their neighbors in a |
Jealous effort to keep a few Mary
land crabbers from catching a few
crabs in waters that rightfully be- !
long to Maryland.
Technically, Virginia may have
right to place a gunboat within a
hundred yards of a Maryland viii
laSe and pour gunf1re upon a few
wOrkmen, but trouble, serious
trouble, is bound to ensue as long
as that practice is followed"
Wants Boundary Changed.
Mr.. Quinn insists that his figure
for the number of casualties in
Tyler's Creek is correct, although he
hasn't the names Immediately avail
able. He has forwarded appeals to
Gov Ritchie and Secretary Hoover.
urging that something be done to
change the State boundary line.
For century this line had been
disputed. Then both States appoint
ed boundary commissions. The
Maryland commission. Quinn claims,
had nc conception of the problems
of the crabbers and swapped away
their livelihood with the greatest un.
concern. The history of this un-
fortunate survey is Il bit hazy, with
conflicting stories.
The Smiths islanders claim there
was deliberate bribery. In those davs
the crab king of the island, known
locally as Horse" wanted to pursue
his hunting in both Maryland and
Virginia. So he built house on the
tip of the island below Tylerton, and
so arranged it with the commission
that the State line passed directly
through the center of this house.
Thus he was a resident of both MARY.
land and Virginia, and could obtain
license from both States.
The engineers surveying the line
yesterday came upon remnants Of
this house, long since claimed by the
advancing waters. Almost on the
exact spot in the marshes one of the
boundary markers was set up.
Dirty Work Denied,
The Nlrginians admit that the con.
tour of this line. which passes through
TNlerton'S front yard. is peculiar and
needs explanation. But they indig-
nantly scout the suggestion that any
dirty work played a part in the
original settlement. Doubtless Vir-
ginia conceded something valuable to
Maryland in exchange for this
popularity. they claim. Just what
the concession was, they say. prob
ably can be found in the records at
Annapolis. 1t has passed ONT of the
memory of the present generation
Nevertheless, as long as the bound
AIRY continues as al present II seems
probable there will continue to be
shooting across the line. Smiths
islanders must live. Their only means
of living is by catching crabs They
are intensely patriotic, and would not
hesitate to shed their own blood in |
defense of their island.
Both Tangier Island and Smiths |
Island are full of straight shooters. |
The boys who went to war have their |
Army rifles. or guns on the same !
model. And they intend To live and |
die hunting crabs.