Norfolk Landmark, March 30, 1878

A DOUBLE TRAGEDY. TERRIBLE STREET-SHOOTING AFFAIR AT EASTVILLE ON THE EASTERN SHORE OF VIRGINIA. One Man Instantly Killed and Another Dangerously Wounded -- Full Particulars.

Moral -- Murder

Intelligence reached this city yesterday of a terrible street shooting affair which occurred early Thursday morning at Eastville, the county seat of Northampton county, on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. The principals in this shocking rencontre were Major Sidney Pitts, second son of the late Judge E. P. Pitts, and Alfred P. Thom. Esq., a promising young lawyer of the county, and it resulted in the instant death of the former and the dangerous wounding of the latter.

A gentleman of this city received yesterday the following letter, which given a very full history of the sad affair:

EASTVILLE, VA., March 29, 1878.

DEAR _____ : I write you the particulars of a most unfortunate and terrible tragedy which occurred in our quiet little village on yesterday. The actors in it were Alfred P. Thom, Esq., and Major Sydney Pitts. Some two weeks since Mr. Pitts had announced his intention of going to St. Louis, Mo., and being indebted to the estate of Mr. Elijah Brittingham, deceased, in a small sum, of which estate Mr. Alfred P. Thom was curator, Mr. Thom took the legal steps to hold him to bail as an absconding debtor. Mr. L. J. Nottingham, the sheriff, was sick at the time and the papers were placed in the hands of Mr. Colonna, who is the janitor, but had not at that time been sworn in as deputy sheriff. Mr. Pitts had left early for the Baltimore boat on the day that the papers were placed in the hands of Mr. Colonna; and to serve the process and arrest Mr. Pitts, it was necessary for Mr. Thom and Mr. Colonna to follow him to the boat. Mr. Colonna attempted the arrest, aided by several parties, among whom was Mr. Thom. They failed to make the arrest, Mr. Pitts refusing to be arrested, claiming that Colonna was not legally authorized to act.

Mr. Pitts then proceeded on his way to Baltimore. Some weeks since he returned to Eastville, and on yesterday he demanded an explanation from Mr. Thom, for what he considered an insult, in attempting to have him arrested as an absconding debtor.

The testimony on the inquest held on the body of Mr. Pitts is in substance as follows: The shooting occurred between the stores of R. V. Nottingham and R. W. Nottingham, in front of the stile leading to the court-house. Geo. Toy's testimony is the cleanest, and is as follows: Was sitting in Windin's porch; saw Mr. Thom on his way to his office; on passing Mr. R. V. Nottingham's store, where Pitts was talking with several persons, he (Pitts) halted Thom and had an exciting conversation for a short time, in which Pitts called Thom a scoundrel, and a damned rascal. Mr. Thom then drew a pistol, and the firing commenced. Mr. Thom fired the first shot. There was abut a short interval from the beginning of the conversation to the shooting. I heard four shots fired. They both fell about the same time -- Pitts, I think, fell first. Pitts was killed instantly. He was dead before his body could be carried across the street -- shot in the breast. Alfred Thom was shot in the mouth, the ball knocking out two or three teeth, and it is supposed to be imbedded some where in the jaw or neck. He is in a very critical condition, and from what I can learn of the wound, the chances are against his recovery.

ANOTHER STATEMENT.

A gentleman who arrived here yesterday from the Eastern Shore called at our office last night and gave us the following statement, which contains some additional particulars.

Some three or four weeks ago Major Sydney Pitts borrowed $20 from Elijah Brittingham, then Postmaster at Eastville. He had previously decided to go to St. Louis, Missouri, for the purpose of studying law in the office of a college mate of his father, the late Judge E. P. Pitts. He stated to Mr. Brittingham that he expected to receive quite a large amount of money and would pay him on the following Friday. On that day he, in company with his brother E. D. Pitts, Esq., drove to Drummondtown, obtained the money and proceeded to Eastville for the purpose of paying Mr. Brittingham as he had proposed. He found that gentleman dangerously ill, and therefore unable to transact any business. Mr. Brittingham died the following Sunday. Soon after Mr. R. V. Nottingham, one of his securities, called upon Major Pitts, stated that the money loaned him by Mr. Brittingham was taken from the post-office funds and requested that he pay it over to him or give him an order on his brother, Mr. E. D. Pitts, for the amount. Major Pitts refused to do this on the ground that Mr. Nottingham was not a legal, personal representative of the deceased. Major Pitts had made arrangements to start for St. Louis on Tuesday, the 19th inst., and on Monday called at the office of Mr. E. D. Pitts to ask advice in the matter. He advised him not to pay Mr. Nottingham on the grounds mentioned above, as he might be required to pay it again when a legal representative was appointed. Mr. Pitts then left Eastville to make preparations for his journey. Later in the day Mr. Alfred P. Thom qualified as curator of Mr. Brittingham's estate before Judge Hamilton S. Neal, and caused a capias to be issued against Mr. Pitts as an absconding debtor. Mr. L. J. Nottingham, the Sheriff, being sick, the capias was placed in the hands of Mr. W. E. Colonna, the jailor, who, while he sometimes acted as Deputy Sheriff, had never qualified. Early Tuesday moring Mr. Pitts went to Hungar's wharf for the purpose of taking the steamer Maggie for Baltimore. He was followed by Mr. Thom and Mr. Colonna and the latter attempted to arrest him, and called upon several parties for assistance. Mr. Pitts refused to be arrested and finally embarked on the Maggie. Mr. E. D. Pitts went to Baltimore a day or two afterwards, and finding his brother, advised him to return to Eastville and pay the money. He followed his brother's advice and returned last Monday, the 25th instant. He spent the night in Eastville, and the next morning went to the residence of Mr. E. D. Pitts, some three miles distant, where he remained a short time, and returned to Eastville. About 9 o'clock Thursday morning Mr. E. D. Pitts was notified that his brother had been killed.

THE FATAL ENCOUNTER.

A coroner's inquest was held over the remains on Thursday afternoon, and several persons, who witnessed the terrible tragedy, gave in their testimony, which was substantially as follows:

Mr. R. W. Nottingham, being sworn in, testified that about 8 o'clock that morning the deceased and several other gentlemen were sitting on the steps of Mr. R. V. Nottingham's store when Mr. Thom passed by on his way to his office. He was engaged in conversation at the time with his servant, Christopher Baker. Just as he had passed the party, Major Pitts called him and asked if he could speak to him a minute. Mr. Thom turned around and replied "certainly." Major Pitts then asked him if he knew when he sent that man (Mr. Collonna) to arrest him that he was not legally qualified to act, and demanded explanation. Mr. Thom replied that he would make no explanation, and drew his revolver. Major Pitts said: "If you shoot me I shall shoot you," and drew his revolver. Mr. Thom then fired and was followed by Major Pitts. Two more shots were exchanged, when both fell, Major Pitts died instantly.

Mr. George Toy, being sworn, made in substance the same statement as Mr. Nottingham, with the exception that after Mr. Thom refused to explain he heard Major Pitts say: "then you are a damned rascal and scoundrel."

Mr. John E. Winder, whose testimony corroborated that already given, stated that he heard Major Pitts call Mr. Thom a damned rascal.

Mr. John Cragen, barkeeper at the Taylor House, being sworn, testified that early that morning Major Pitts came into the bar-room and called for and drank a glass of beer. He then took out a revolver and looked at it, but said nothing.

Dr. James B. Floyd, who had been called at the time, being sworn, testified in reference to the wounds: The ball which killed Major Pitts, struck him about two inches above the bottom of the breast-bone and one inch to the left of the centre. There was also a slight wound on the right wrist. The ball which wounded Mr. Thom, struck him on the upper lip, right side, knocked out two teeth, broke the upper jaw bone, and lodged somewhere in the neck. He considered it a very dangerous, but not necessarily fatal wound.

Messrs R. V. Nottingham, Charles Savage and Christopher Baker also testified in reference to the shooting, but gave no new facts.

At the conclusion of the examination the jury returned a verdict, through Mr. James C. White, foreman, "That Major Sidney Pitts came to his death on Thursday morning, March 28th, between the hours of 8 and 9 o'clock, by a bullet fired from a pistol in the hands of Alfred P. Thom."

The revolver used by Major Pitts was a Hopkin & Allen's five-shooter with three inch barrel, and it carried a 41-100 ball. Mr. Thom's revolver, was a Colt's navy with seven inch fluted barrel, and carried a ball of the same weight as the other. Major Pitts was twenty-one years and six months old at the time of his death.

The remains arrived here yesterday afternoon on the steamer N. P. Banks, in charge of Mr. E. D. Pitts, and the funeral will take place from St. Paul's Episcopal church this morning, at 11 o'clock. The late Judge Pitts, his father, was a resident of this city at the time of his death. We learned last night that Mr. Thom was in a very critical condition with the chances for recovery against him. the unfortunate affair has cast a deep gloom over the residents of Northampton county, as both of the young men were well known and highly respected there.