Peninsula Enterprise, June 27, 1885
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Transportation -- Railroad - FreightTransportation -- Railroad - Rates and fares
The attention of shippers is especially invited to the schedule of the Delaware, Maryland and Virginia Railroad, published in THE ENTERPRISE of to-day. Sail vessels from many points of our Peninsula will connect daily with the road at Franklin, and thus another through route is furnished for the shipment of our produce to the Northern market. A barrel of potatoes sent to New York over the route via Franklin from any part of the Eastern Shore costs forty-five cents.
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Sea -- Fish factories
During the late term of our circuit court, the firm of Powell, Morse & Co., oil and fish chum manufacturers &c., Hoffman's wharf, were granted by the court, a certificate of incorporation. The capital stock of the company, will not be less than $50,000 nor more than $500,000.
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Infrastructure -- Commercial - Real estate
Browne, Jacob & Co., have sold a part of the farm belonging to Mr. Wm. L. Mapp, near Belle Haven, to Philadelphia parties for five thousand dollars.
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Tourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - Excursions
Fourth of July excursions are advertised over the Delaware, Maryland and Virginia Railroad at reduced rates.
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Moral -- MurderLaborers -- Fisheries
Burkman, the murderer of Capt. Melson, thrice convicted of murder in the first degree, and given a new trial on account of certain legal technicalities in each instance, was convicted in the county court of Essex, last week, of murder in the second degree and plead guilty to murder in the same degree as to the colored man. Sentence pronounced upon him was 36 years confinement in the penitentiary. He has since his conviction escaped from hands of officers conveying him to prison, but was recaptured.
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Tourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - TheatreFields -- Livestock - HorsesInfrastructure -- Commercial - HotelsInfrastructure -- Commercial - Commercial construction
Accomac C. H.
A musical, dramatic and gymnastic exhibition will be given in Drummondtown, next Thursday night by Loughlin Bros. The gentlemen who give the entertainment come well recommended and we have every reason to believe that the performance given by them will be first-class and well worth the small admittance fee charged to witness it. For further particulars see posters.
A few weeks ago Col. Duffield Savage, the genial proprietor of the Waddy hotel took to Philadelphia and Baltimore some of his well-bred stock. He sold them at fine prices, but brought home Maydell and Lilly Morgan, 'the beauties of the harem.' These fine fillies are of Washington Morgan stock. Somebody made a great mistake. Col. Duff will develop these fillies, and then, only Bonner or Vanderbilt will be able to know the color of their eyes.
The building recently occupied by Messrs. G. F. Parker & Co., as a restaurant, is being torn down to make room for a new hotel of A. Parker, Esq. By contract made with the builder, the new hotel is to be completed by September 1st.
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Infrastructure -- Commercial - Real estateInfrastructure -- Commercial - Race tracksInfrastructure -- Commercial - Millineries
Belle Haven.
A rumor is current in our community that a party from the North has bought 150 acres of land, part of the farm on which Exmore is located, at $5,000.
Doughty & Jacob have laid off a half mile race track which will soon be ready for use.
Business seems to be improving with us. Our millinery establishments and the store of West & Willis seem to be especially attractive to the ladies as business centres.
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Sea -- Finfish - Catch : DrumInfrastructure -- Commercial - Residential construction
Wachapreague.
Drum fishing has commenced with us. Two of our citizens of elegant leisure have caught 6 black drum and one sheepshead. Numerous crafts have since been fitted up and diverse persons gone to look for the fish they caught or some like 'em.
New and handsome dwellings are to be erected here shortly by Messrs. Abel T. James and L. M. Bulman.
The Chincoteague Tragedy.
Moral -- Murder
The following report from our correspondent gives an accurate and detailed account of the late terrible tragedy on Chincoteague.
CHINCOTEAGUE, June 18. -- Excitement was at fever heat this morning when it was announced that Tom Freeman had shot and probably killed Miss Jennie Hill and her mother Zipporah Hill and had blown out his own brains. The two first named being daughter and wife of Timothy Hill. Freeman who was a farm hand of Mr. Hill fell desperately in love with Jennie. His urgent appeals for her to become his wife were opposed by Jennie because of her youth, and by her parents, who, while Freeman was a good farm hand objected to him as a son-in-law. On the morning of the tragedy the mother and daughter dressed themselves and started to the dressmaker when they were met at the gate by Freeman who inquired of the mother if she still objected to his paying attention to Jennie. Her reply brought on a contention between them, when without any warning, he drew a 32 calibre revolver and fired, the ball striking her in the head making an ugly scalp wound. She fell to the ground but immediately rose to her feet and begged him not to kill her. He fired the second shot again striking her in the head, the ball glancing and lodging at the base of the skull, turning immediately on the daughter he fired two shots at her, the first grazing the skull and the second penetrating the neck. The murderer was so near his victims that in each case the powder from the revolver burned their bonnets. The ladies ran one hundred yards to a son's dwelling and fell exhausted at the door. The neighbors ran over to the scene of the tragedy in time to see Freeman place the revolver to his forehead and blow out, with his last cartridge his own brains. He fell in the door of the kitchen and died instantly. While the mother is dangerously wounded, she may recover, but Miss Jennie is mortally wounded, she has internal hemorrhages, and the surgeons say must die.
CHINCOTEAGUE, June 21. -- On our streets, in the stores, on the boats and in the fisherman's cabins, all conversation has reference to the terrible tragedy of a few days ago, the first murder in the history of our Island. So much has appeared in our large dailies in connection with the case that is totally untrue, that in justice to the stricken family we write this. The young victim of Freeman's jealousy was only a child, just fourteen years old and a scholar at our town Academy. She was a perfect blonde of a bright and happy disposition, and a favorite of those with whom she associated. She was in every sense the pet of the entire family, the most loving and obedient of them all. She lingered from the morning of the shooting until 11 o'clock p. m. of the same day, in the most excruciating agony at which hour she died, during the time, while she gave a detailed account of the terrible ordeal through which she passed not a murmur of complaint against the murderer escaped her lips. Your correspondent who attended the funeral Saturday afternoon found the corpse laid out in the parlor of the dwelling wrapped in a white robe and strewn with flowers. The golden hair that only the day before was all disheveled and clotted with gore was tastefully arranged and fell in ringlets on the white neck; and a sad smile rested on her pale face, and, if possible, she looked more beautiful in death than in life. In one corner of the room stood her organ, opened, upon which rested the last piece of music she played. Loving hands bore her to the family burying ground a few yards from where the fatal shots were fired. The beautiful burial service of the Methodist Episcopal Church was read by Rev. J. D. Reese, after which with the sympathy and tears of the many present she was quietly laid away. The mother still lingers hovering between life and death.
THE ASSASSIN.
Thomas W. Freeman was born on Chincoteague Island in 1865, his father was Capt. Wm. Freeman and his mother the eldest daughter of Teagle Sharply, of this place. She died about the year 1870 when his father moved to Berlin, Md., taking the boy with him, when he married a widow lady named Quillen. His father died several years ago and the boy was thrown upon the world. -- In the year 1883 he obtained employment from Mr. Hill as a farm hand, where he has since lived, excepting a few months spent as deck hand on the "Light-Ship" off Winter Quarter Shoal. He was always possessed of a wicked evil disposition, and was very ignorant as will be shown from the following verbatim letters found in his effects and written one and two days before the tragedy. The first is addressed to Timothy Hill, the father of his victim, and the second to James F. Mason, one of the crew of Winter Quarter "Light-Ship."
"June the 13 1885
Dear Sir, to all the peopel in the world I will tell you I have Die for love I am going to kill myself on a count Jennie Hill Wee have been corting about 8 mount and this is last, I will Die and I will kill my lover so good by to all and to everybody this is my request to be Bury long a side of hear
This is from
THOMAS W. FREEMAN.
Miss Hill are the Caues of me doing so, I told you the other night you sid you would not let no one go with Jennie I do love hear and I will on a count hear and you.
June the 14, 1885
My Dear friend
I will tell you about my trubel Freen Frank I am in love with a girl and hear name is Jennie Hill, frank I think to much of hear I will die for love, so good by my old friend take warning from this, dont go to foor with the Girls this is my last letter from me so I will Die for love
THOMAS W. FREEMAN."
There was such a lack of sympathy in the community for the assassin that even his relatives refused to receive his corpse or have anything to do with it. -- The undertaker took charge of the body and on the following day, in a rude pine box, with a few gaping boys around buried him by the side of the mother he had dishonored.
Officers Elected.
Tourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - Fraternal orders
At a regular communication of Ocean Lodge, at their Hall in Drummondtown on the 24th inst., the following officers were elected:
T. C. Kellam, W.M; C. T. Mears, S.W; W. P. M. Kellam, J.W.; A. J. Lilliston, Treasurer; L. J. Turlington, Secretary; S. B. Bull, S.D; Chas. K. Taylor, J.D.