354 MISCELLANEOUS 



It is not quite clear as yet whether the two men in question, Alex- 

 ander Dubois and George Crane, have returned to work for the 

 American employer. I am asking the Honourable the Attorney- 

 General to obtain for me precise information on this point. 

 I have, &c., 



WM. MACGREGOB. 



[Inclosure.] 

 [Extract from " DAILY NEWS/' November 20, 1906.] 



THE STORY OF THE FAMOUS TRIAL. 

 [From our own Correspondent.] 



To the history being made by the Government respecting the her- 

 ring fishery at Bay of Islands, the trial of Alexander Dubois and 

 George Crane, of Woods Island, contributes an important episode. 

 Crane and Dubois were charged with a violation of the Bait Act, the 

 summons setting forth that they " did unlawfully put on board the 

 schooner Ralph L. Hall, of Gloucester, Massachusetts, in the United 

 States of America, a quantity of bait fishes, to wit, a barrel of herring, 

 without a licence, for that purpose, contrary to the provisions of Con- 

 solidated Statutes (second series), chapter 129, entitled ' Of the ex- 

 portation, sale, &c., of bait fishes.' " 



Upon this charge the prisoners were arraigned, and through their 

 counsel, W. R. Howley, of St. John's, pleaded not guilty, the conten- 

 tion being put forward that the court had no jurisdiction to deal with 

 the alleged offence. 



Kent, K. C., for the Government, stated that the charge was made 

 under the Bait Act, and called Inspector O'Reilly, who said he was 

 complainant, as special commissioner to enforce the Act. Inspector 

 O'Reilly's evidence went to show that, being on the bridge of the 

 cruiser Fiona, at Woods Island, on Monday, November 12, he saw ac- 

 cused go alongside schooner Ralph L. Hall, from their nets. One of 

 the men was in a dory, the other on the deck of the schooner. The 

 former " dipped " up about two and a half tubs of herring, and passed 

 them aboard the vessel to her deck. O'Reilly went on board the 

 schooner the same evening, saw Captain Hall (owner) and a number 

 of fishermen in the cabin. He (O'Reilly) had some talk with the men, 

 though not the prisoners, particularly, and told them summonses 

 would be served, at the same time asking if they had licences. Later 

 he had conversation with Dubois, who admitted having put on board 

 a little over one barrel of herring, and that he (Dubois) had no li- 

 cence. The accused had only taken three barrels of herring in all at 

 Woods Island. Inspector O'Reilly also stated that Bait Act procla- 

 mations had previously been posted at Bay of Islands and other set- 

 tlements. 



Timothy Costello, customs officer at Woods Island, was also on 

 board the Fiona, and testified to seeing accused deposit herring on 

 board the schooner from their dory. Pie went with O'Reilly on board 

 the schooner, and corroborated testimony as to the conversation which 

 took place. 



