Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1935-09-13
CLAMMERS OF
WORCESTER CO.
ARE DISTURBED
Gather In Force At Snow Hill In
Protest Against Arrest
Of Three Men
GOVERNOR NICE ADJUSTS
MATTERS in PERSON

The usual Sabbath evening quiet of
Snow Hill, Worcester's county seat,
was much disturbed on Sunday last,
when crowd Of men, variously esti-
mated from 200 to 500, paid the city
a visit.
The ostensible purpose of these was
to secure the release of Joshua An
drews, %; Wilson Young, %; and
William Dukes, Fl, who had been ar
rested by Sheriff Ernest c. West, and
lodged in the county Jail, on a charge
of violating the claiming law.
The belligerant mood of the rescuing
party was shown by the fact that they
had brought along with them what
has been reported as telephone pole
to be used as battering ram against
the doors or walls Of the Jail, and
affairs looked rather squally at one
time.
The situation was relieved, however,
by the release of the prisoners under
promise to appear for trial on Tues
day afternoon last. AS matters turn
ed out, the hearing did not come off,
and that it did not, seemed due to the
appearance Of Governor Harry Nice
on the scene who seemed to pour oil
on the waters.
The cause of the disaffection among
the clam diggers seemed to be, in this
case, upon the action of the Sheriff,
in making an arrest on Sunday when
officials to conduct proceedings could
not be reached, and consequently it
was necessary for the accused to re-
main in prison for at least one night.
This was distasteful both to the in
carcerated and to their friends.
In addition to the circumstance sur
rounding this particular case, the clam
diggers are opposed to the law impos-
ing fee Of SIS on all engaged in the
work, which fee, they claim, is hard
ship and moreover is unconstitutional.
In an effort to test the law, arrests
were made for violations, the case car
ried before the grand jury, who
brought in indictments and trials were
slated for the Circuit Court.
These trials were delayed, owing it
is said, to the desire to secure an in
depreciation of the law from the At
torney General. In the mean time,
new violations occurred which led to
the arrests of the three men mentioned
above.
Governor Nice's appearance on the
scene resulted in an indefinite post
ponement of the cases. 1t is UNDER
stood that he counselled compliance
with the law, and suggested that pay
ment of the license fee might be made
in installments, thereby reducing the
financial hardship.
1t looked for awhile on Sunday last
that shortly after the three men were
locked up, about 9 o'clock, trouble
would ensue, when the crowd Of
friends and relatives appeared. They
went into conference with Magistrate
A. Fred Hartman, who advised them
to furnish bond for the accused. In
cluded in the throng were the remain
ing eleven indicted men, but no move
was made to arrest them.
"They told me they wanted me to
turn out Andrews, Young and Dukes"
Sheriff West was quoted as saying,
in describing the trouble. "They said
they all liked me and had voted for
me but if I did not release the three
men they would tear down the jail.
l told them l could do nothing until
had talked to Mr.. johnson. I went
out to look for him but before leaving
the prison I telephoned to Salisbury
for help and also sent out call for
all the deputy sheriffs, the county con-
stables and the two town policemen"
YThe two State Policemen from
Salisbury arrived in short time and
came into the Jail. There were be-
tween 400 and 500 men in the mob
and they were carrying two props that
looked like telegraph poles. don't
know where they got them but expect
they brought them into town with
them. While I was away the mob
kept yelling to the two State Police
men in the prison to "open up" The
policemen replied "no." They were
waiting for more help to reach the
(Confinnad On Pare 81