Peninsula Enterprise, June 29, 1889

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Moral -- Firearms

Mr. Abner J. Nottingham, an employee at Jones' barrel factory, Parksley, was the victim of an "unloaded pistol" last week. He received a ball in thigh from same in hands of a friend who thought it was unloaded. The wound inflicted fortunately was not a dangerous one.

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Infrastructure -- Public : Churches

At a festival to come off at New Church, Tuesday, July 2nd, under auspices of friends of M. E. Church at that place, there will be a balloon ascension in afternoon and full display of fireworks at night. Funds raised on the occasion will be used in purchasing organ for church.

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Tourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - Horse racingTourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - Fraternal orders

Belle Haven.

A trotting race, mile heats, best 3 in 5, to come off at Cape Charles on September 11th, for a purse of $250 has been made between Modoc, owned by Mr. F. E. Kellam of our town, and Twilight, owned by Walker Bros., Pungoteague.

Mr. J. E. Wyatt, of West Virginia, has been in town for past week in the interest of an insurance company, known as "Fraternal Mystic Circle." A lodge of said Order will be instituted here on 28th inst.

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Fields -- Crops - HayProfessionals -- DentistsInfrastructure -- Commercial - Residential constructionInfrastructure -- Public : Schools

Temperanceville.

The hay crop in this community this year is one of the largest ever raised. One farmer is reported to have between 80 and 100 tons. Our farmers seem to have at last realized the value of this important crop.

Mr. Oscar F. Byrd, who has been studying dentistry at University of Maryland the past session, is now home and prepared to practice his profession. He guarantees all work and does it cheap.

Mr. Joseph Matthews has just returned from a three week's trip to North Carolina. He is to begin the erection of a large dwelling house here next week, and the general question "who is going to be mistress of it," will, it is thought, soon be decided.

Nearly all of our boys and girls who have been attending schools abroad have returned home. Following is a partial list of them: Miss Rose Gillespie, Albemarle Female Institute, Charlottesville, Va.; Miss Lillie Miles, Chowan Baptist Institute, Murfreesboro, N. C.; Misses Nellie Byrd, Inez Brodwater, Carrie Brodwater and May Matthews, Suffolk Female Institute; Lieut. John S. Parsons, Suffolk Military Academy and Master Max Broughton, Western Maryland College; Misses Nellie Byrd and Inez Brodwater are full graduates, the former won first Latin medal and the latter first music medal. Miss Rose Gillespie won a medal on deportment, Miss May Matthews one on writing, and Mr. Parsons one on oratory and also one on penmanship.

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Professionals -- MarinersSea -- Fish factoriesTourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - Horse racing

Wachapreague.

Capt. John W. Mears, the owner and master of the fast and handsome yacht Report, left here last week for Cape May, N.J., whither he has gone to spend the summer, and to engage in taking "pleasure parties" out sailing daily upon the ocean.

Capt. Foote's fish factory, which has been undergoing most thorough repairs for the past two months, commenced operations this week.

Mr. B. F. Hargis has recently sold his fast and handsome Morrill trotter to Mr. A. H. G. Mears of our town, at a good round figure.

Mr. James O. Bell will take his celebrated pacer White Wings to Cape Charles on the 4th of July, to compete in the races to come off there on that day.

Capt. Aleck Richardson, formerly of this place, but sailing-master from Baltimore to foreign ports for several years past, is visiting his friends hereabouts at this time.

Virginia Taylor Released from Jail.

Moral -- Murder

Virginia Taylor, convicted at March term of county court of Accomac, of murdering her husband and sentenced to five years in penitentiary was released last Saturday from jail, in which she has been confined while her case was being considered by the circuit court. Judge Gunter in overruling the verdict, decided that the county court erred in its instructions to the jury in this to wit: that the jury might find the accused guilty of any degree of murder, as the statutes of Virginia define killing by poison as murder in the first degree. The jury should therefore either have found Mrs. Taylor guilty of murder in first degree or acquitted her. The verdict being set aside, Mrs. Taylor could not be tried for any offence greater than that of which she was convicted at a previous trial and Judge Gunter decided that the nature of the case did not warrant conviction of a less offence she was of course released. In fact her discharge from custody has been considered a foregone conclusion from the day she was convicted as the verdict of the jury in finding her guilty of murder in the second degree was known to be unwarranted by the facts in the case.

Fourth of July.

Tourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - HolidaysTourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - ExcursionsMoral -- AlcoholInfrastructure -- Public : ChurchesTourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - Horse racing

Celebrations of the 4th of July on Eastern Shore are announced as follows:

At Parksley and Crowsontown picnics are to be held, and at latter place supper and confectioneries to be served, &c., &c.

At Onancock there will be a grand Temperance rally and parade, elegant dinner served, orations, music by band and excursion on steamer to bay and return, &c., &c.

At Sykes Island the corner stone of M. E. Church, South is to be laid, parade of Mason and Rechabites, orations by prominent speakers, dinner and confectioneries served &c.

At Cape Charles, the Declaration of Independence is to be read, an oration is to be delivered and a fair is to be held in the morning and after dinner races will come off at Fair Grounds. The proceedings of the day will be interspersed with music by Cape Charles cornet band and be concluded with fireworks at night.

Grand Temperance Rally at Onancock, July 4th.

Tourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - BaseballMoral -- Alcohol

The Onancock Lodge, I. O. G. T. will celebrate the 4th of July by a grand temperance rally and parade. Dinner and supper served in good style, steam boat excursion, base ball match game and a brass band are to be some of the attractive features of the occasion. All friends of temperance cause are cordially invited to be present and all visiting temperance Orders which attend are requested to come in full regalia and with their banners. All the stores in Onancock will be closed on that day.

An Immense Meteor.

About 8 o'clock on Wednesday night, a remarkable illumination lasting fully a minute, was observed of the whole eastern horizon. A splendid aerolite, variously described as from one to two feet in diameter, shot across the sky from southeast to northwest. The illumination was like that of a brilliant electric light and was so intense that ordinary print might have been read by it. The meteor burst as it neared the lower horizon into magnificent glowing masses. About five minutes after it disappeared a heavy rumbling sound was heard, shaking windows and, some say, giving a distinct shock. It was an unusual and splendid sight.

Reply to Coaster.

Sea -- WreckingMoral -- Property crimeWatermen -- Personal injury

MR. EDITOR -- Are we a community of robbers, and have we been for time immemorial as your correspondent, Coaster, would make those not acquainted with us believe? Have we from time immemorial appropriated wrecked property to our own use regardless of the ownership thereof, as this writer virtually charges upon us? This is a serious charge, sir, to make against us and the one making it should be doubly sure of his premises before making such damaging accusations against the good name of our people. Can Coaster point to an instance in his experience, in which wrecked property found has not been restored to the owner without demand, when the individual ownership was shown by the marks thereon or the character of the property itself? Speaking from our own experience somewhat and from that of others who are familiar with the matter we will say, that we have never known or ever heard of a case in which this was not done. It is true that in numerous instances, in which the individual ownership of wrecked property could not be known, that it has been appropriated to the sole use of the finder or finders. It is also true that in a few instances when large amounts of wrecked goods were on the shore unguarded, that portions were stolen and carried off, as is the case everywhere and in every community when disasters of a kindred nature overtake property, such as fires, railroad wrecks &c. But these cases are exceptions and can't go far to establish the sweeping charge made against us by Coaster, who in making it seems to act "upon the principle that misery loves company." The charge is false and the man that makes it, either ignorantly or maliciously puts us in a position before the world, that for villainy will not compare unfavorably with the crimes alleged against the wreckers of the Florida reefs. This we have to say, for the charge that we appropriate property to our own use found along our shores whether any present clue to the rightful heirs is apparent thereon or not. But how about the case in question the case of Capt. Henry P. Smith of Wellfleet, Mass., whose body was so unfortunate, as to be cast upon our inhospitable shores? Can it, all that was left of a gallant and noble seaman be classified as wreckage? Would you speak Mr. Coaster of the "human form divine" -- marred by elemental wrath and cast at your feet mutually pleading for your protection and care -- as you would a piece of broken rope or empty water cask? Is there, Mr. Coaster, seen in your own catalogue of crimes alleged against us and listed by your self, and which extends back even to time immemorial a case to compare with the one under consideration -- a case in which the vultures of the air and of the sea, and of the land conspired together against a form that was made even in the image of the Great Architect and Master Himself to divest it of all that was valuable to each, and to wipe from the face of the earth forever every vestige, every sign of what was lately a noble man a loving husband and son? Search well your record Mr. Coaster, and go to the public records of the county themselves and find there, if you can, a case parallel to the one which has so lately beclouded their fair pages. It is useless, Mr. Coaster, to enter into the merits of this notorious affair here -- the records speak for themselves. It is useless to attempt to garble or falsify them. These pages are open to the world, however, much we may regret it, and therein these men are condemned out of their own mouths. We deplore the character of the event in question, sir. We are grieved at heart for these unfortunate ones, for their families and their posterity, but let justice be done, Mr. Coaster, though the heavens fall, not only to the principal actors in the tragedy, but to our community also, and while we would exercise to the extent of our will that divine attribute -- charity, in dealing with this matter, yet we protest that you attempt not to make of this community a scapegoat for their sins, to justify their acts by charging us with crime.

MANY CITIZENS.

Peninsula Enterprise
Accomac Court House
June 29, 1889

Copyright Brooks Miles Barnes, William G. Thomas, III and Rector and Board of Visitors.

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