A new article has been added at Newspaper Abstracts > United States > Delaware > Sussex http://www.newspaperabstracts.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=642 Also visit our new sister sites: http://www.AncestorsOnTheWeb.com http://www.Genealogy101.com Direct link to article: http://www.newspaperabstracts.com/link.php?id=46382 Submitted by: Harrison H Howeth Article Title: The Daily Inter Ocean Article Date: July 12 1874 Article Description: Delaware Bay Desperadoes: Article Text: Dispatch from Wilmington Commercial - Sunday Morning - July 12, 1874: On Sunday evening last United States Marshal JOHN M. DUNN left Wilmington for Lewes on the steamer 'Hamilton' of the Revenue Marine Service which had been placed at his disposal by the Secretary of the Treasury. The object of the visit was to break up a band of smugglers who were known to exist at the Delaware Breakwater, by the arrest of their confederates and the meting out to them the punsihment which their offense merits. The special offense alleged against these violators of the custom laws is that on or about the nights of June 1 and 2, 1874, they fraudulently received from the bark Masonic , a West India merchantman, bound for New York, but lying inside the Breakwater, from seven to thirty barrels of sugar, a part of which they offered for sale afterwards. About nine days after the transaction was alieged to have taken place, WILLIAM ELLEGOOD, JR., WILLIAM CROSBY and ALTON CROSBY, were arrested on a warrent issued by United States Commissioner JOHN D. RODNEY of Georgetown, before whom they were examined and by whom discharged. This examination was believed at Washington to have been insufficient and was so unsatisfactory to the government that other officers were detailed to work up the case. Arriving off Lewes about 3 o'clock this morning, a boat was lowered, into which the Marshal his deputies and a detachment from the cutter, under charge of LIEUTENANT GREENWAY, entered and reaching the railroad pier, they first secured the bum-boat belonging to the Crosbys and in which the smuggling is believed to have been carried on. A descent was then made upon the residence of WILLIAM ELLEGOOD, SR., along the beach known as the 'Pavilion" and here three of the prisoners were arrested. The party then proceeded into Lewes where they put under arrest JOSHUA ELLEGOOD and SAMUEL MARSHAL. A deputy was desspatched to Georgetown to subpoena witnesses and later in the day WILLIAM ELLEGOOD, JR., was found in Lewes although the officers had been told he was at the county seat. At night, ANDREW H. BAKER was taken in custody, a visit in the afternoon having failed in finding him home. He had departed as soon as the other arrest were made know, taking with him a large lot of goods wich had been obtained by other than legitimate means. Baker, is charged not only with smuggling but also with dealing in smuggled goods and a quanty of wares of this kind were seized upon his premises. Of these prisoners, Ellegood and his sons are natives of Sussex county. Years ago the former resided at Georgetown and was a highly esteemed citizen of that town. He is a cousin to the State auditor. The Crosby boys came to this State a year ago from Cape Cod. The youngest is a boy only 14 years of age. Mr. Marshall is a native of Sussex County and Mr. Baker is a German by birth. This smuggling of goods at the Breakwater has been in progress for many years and it is supposed has resulted to the government, annually, in the loss of several thousands of dollars. The work is conducted under cover of darkness and the goods are first secreted somewhere in the vicinity for a day or two and then conveyed across the bay to a convenient point in New Jersey, whence they are shipped to Philadelphia and New York. Portions of these goods are also sold in the lower part of Delaware. There are grave hints of too great laxity on the part of some of the government officers about Lewes. Numerous instances are reported that if proper precaution were made, smuggling ashore of large quanties of goods would have been prevented. This seems to be the prevalling opinion about Lewes and there was much gratification expressed there today at the turn of affairs that had been taken. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ DE-Old-News ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ NewspaperAbstracts.com - Finding our ancestors in the news! TM http://www.NewspaperAbstracts.com