CHESAPEAKE BAY DUCKING. 483 



For years the efforts of the members of the gunning 

 clubs around the Susquehanna, Gunpowder, Bush and 

 Back rivers, to put an end to this illegal shooting, were 

 fruitless. The men practicing this gunning were politi- 

 cally influential, and it was impossible to secure evi- 

 dence against them which would satisfy the magistrate 

 who had charge of the case. However, in the winter of 

 1881-82, more stringent laws were passed, and one pro- 

 vision allowed persons charged with this offence to be 

 taken before a magistrate either in Harford or Balti- 

 more County, the latter county being one in which they 

 were without the political influence which they had in 

 Harford. 



The matter was put in charge of Mr. John E. 

 Semmes, of Baltimore. He engaged skillful detectives, 

 and after considerable work a force of officers in charge 

 of Mr. Semmes raided Spesutia Island, which was then 

 the headquarters of the gang. The poachers, however, 

 were found armed and entrenched, and threatened to 

 fight for their liberty. At last, however, they were per- 

 suaded to surrender, and after being arrested were in- 

 formed that they would be tried in Baltimore. When 

 they learned this the poachers were much alarmed, and 

 Mr. Semmes proposed a compromise, offering to allow 

 them to be taken before a Harford County magistrate 

 if they would give up their big guns. The men begged 

 and implored and wept and swore over parting with 

 their guns, but at last they agreed to do so. Six of the 

 big guns were captured, and were subsequently broken 

 up in a junk-shop. One of them was a particularly 



