Dispatch, November 30, 1888

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Moral -- AlcoholMoral -- Property crimeProfessionals -- Commission merchantsProfessionals -- MerchantsWeather -- Northeast storms

Onancock, November 28, 1888.

The great storm that swept over this region on Sunday night and all day Monday prevented the holding of the regular term of the County Court on Monday. The court, however, met yesterday, but owing to the inclement weather and the dreadful condition of the roads only a small crowd was in attendance, and not much business was done. Several important cases were before the special grand jury summoned for this term, but of the twenty-odd witnesses summoned to testify against the alleged violators of the local-option law in Onancock only two were present, and the Court thought it advisable to postpone the matter till the December term.

The case of Henry Page (colored), who was arrested and lodged in jail some time since for stealing $800 from Finney & Co., was taken up, and, the evidence against him being insufficient to warrant the finding of a true bill, he was released.

Eugene W. Barnes, formerly doing business at Gargatha, in this county, whose failure was reported about one month ago, was arrested yesterday on the complaint of S. B. Downs, a commission merchant of New York, on the charge of embezzlement, and a true bill was found against him by the grand jury.

A numerously-signed petition was presented to Judge Garrison yesterday asking that an election be ordered at an early day in this district on the question of repealing the local-option law that has been in operation here for more than two years. The election will probably be held soon after the Christmas holidays, and it seems to be the general impression that the law will be repealed, as its operation has been productive of no visible benefit to the community.