Dispatch, March 26, 1889

Untitled

Weather -- Rain stormsFields -- Crops - Sweet potatoes : Seed and slipsWeather -- Northeast stormsSea -- Finfish - Methods : Pound-netAfrican-Americans -- Racial violence

Onancock, March 24, 1889.

The rain storm lasting for four continuous days during the past week was one of the heaviest ever known here. Not since the spring of 1887 has there been so much water on the ground here at one time. The land everywhere is drenched -- fields are covered with great ponds and roads are well nigh impassable. Fortunately for the farmers here the streams on the Eastern Shore never get out of their banks. The farmers are, however, heavy sufferers from the long-continued rainy weather.

Reports from various parts of this county show that much damage has been done to the recently bedded sweet potatoes. Many of these potato-beds are full of water and will have to be taken up and replanted. The cellars are all full of water, and many persons have thus had their seed-potatoes ruined or greatly damaged. All the low places on the Seaside island have been flooded with the tides, which are said to have been higher there than for many years.

On Chincoteague the water entered many of the houses, and the occupants had to take refuge in the upper stories. The ponies and cattle on these islands suffered considerably, and many of the fish-pounds and fykes on the seaside were torn to pieces and swept away.

The report to the effect that Mrs. McCready had died of her injuries is a mistake. She is, however, very ill.

The Beginning of the Trial of Mrs. Taylor -- A Mistake.

Moral -- Murder

[Special telegram to the Dispatch]

ONANCOCK via TASLEY, Va., March 25. -- In spite of the weeping skies and muddy roads an immense crowd assembled at Accomack court to-day to witness the opening of the trial of Mrs. Taylor for killing her husband. Long before the case was called the court-room was so densely packed that there was not one foot of empty standing-room. Mrs. Taylor was brought in by Sheriff Wise about 1 o'clock. She was clothed in deep mourning and showed no signs of emotion or uneasiness.

The indictment having been read at the February term of the court the work of empanelling the jury was proceeded with, and by 4 o'clock the required number had been obtained, consisting of the following: William J. Sharpley, Arthur B. Colonna, William E. Mapp, E. W. Hopkins, George E. Davis, W. S. Bundick, Robert S. Milliner, Gilbert J. Mears, George M. Bond, N. F. Walter, and Thomas B. James.

The Commonwealth's Attorney opened the case for the prosecution, and Hon. John Neely made a brief statement of the case for the defence. Mrs. Taylor shook her head violently when the Commonwealth's Attorney alluded to her alleged criminal intimacy with James Dix alias Townsend, the young man who was employed on the farm by Mrs. Taylor's husband.

The first witness called was Dr. John R. Bowdoin, who visited Taylor once during his illness. He stated that he found the patient suffering from sick stomach, repeated vomiting, and slight convulsions somewhat similar to those observed in tetanus. He could not diagnose the disease, but did not at the time regard it as dangerous. He gave the sick man some morphine pills, went away, and did not return.

Dr. John W. Bowdoin, who was Taylor's family physician and who attended him during his illness, was the next witness. He was sent for to visit Taylor on the night of the 13th of last December; found him suffering from slight spasms, which were increased whenever any one made a noise or touched him. Taylor told the Doctor that his wife had given him a dose of household panacea. The Doctor did not think his sickness dangerous but could not tell what it was. He asked Taylor if he had hurt himself, thinking he might have tetanus. Taylor said he had not hurt himself. The Doctor remained for several hours, during which Taylor had four or five slight convulsions. Taylor said: "Doctor, I am worse off than you think. I could not get out of this bed if the house were on fire. I have no use of my legs." Taylor had a very severe convulsion before the Doctor arrived. He had another on the following morning, when the elder Doctor Bowdoin was called in. The Doctor called again Thursday night and found the patient comparatively easy. At this point the court adjourned till to-morrow morning, and Mrs. Taylor, who had been occupying a seat within the bar near to her counsel, was taken back to jail.