Peninsula Enterprise, November 18, 1893

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Sea -- Shellfish - Oystering : BaysideSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : DredgingLaborers -- Fisheries

Governor McKinney has received a letter from Mrs. Julia Reynolds, of Winston, N. C., stating that her son, James E. Hall, a boy of fifteen, is improperly detained on Tangier Island. Her story is that the lad shipped aboard an oyster dredge at Norfolk under promise that he should be paid for his services and return to Norfolk every Saturday. He was afterward, it is alleged, taken by Captain Vick, of the schooner Fillhope, to the island, where he now is, without clothes and without means of escape. "I am told," she continues, "that he is in the hands of a man or a set of men who are without sympathy, and is receiving at their hands treatment unknown even to human slavery." The lad's condition was made known by a man who escaped from the island, and the mother begs the Governor to interfere in his behalf. The Governor replied that this was a matter for the courts to decide, and that he had no authority in the premises. But he advised the unhappy woman how to proceed in securing the liberty of her son.

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Sea -- Shellfish - Oystering : BaysideSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : Law enforcement

The resignation of Capt. John S. Gaskins, as commander of the schooner Pocomoke of the oyster police force, has been accepted by the Board of the Chesapeake and its tributaries to take effect on 1st day of December and the Board will appoint his successor next Thursday. The place will be filled by a citizen of Accomac, and so far as we are advised, Captains John R. Thomas and George W. Hindman, of Messongo, are the only applicants for the position.

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Tourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - Horse racingInfrastructure -- Commercial - Race tracks

Races will come off at Bull's track, near Pungoteague, next Wednesday, and Harry, owned by William T. Bundick, will trot a mile against time. After the races, W. E. Jacob, owned by Walker Bros., and other horses will be offered for sale at auction.

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Infrastructure -- Commercial - General Stores

The sale of W. C. Hall's store goods and fixtures began at Accomac C. H. Wednesday morning and is still in progress. The store-house has been rented to James Daugherty, for $72, the saloon to George Hickman for $169 and the butcher shop to James Scott for $46.

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Disease

Much alarm was occasioned in neighboring towns by the rumor, circulated this week, that scarlet fever had broken out in Onancock. Investigation disclosed the fact that two mild cases of roseola existing in the town had caused dissemination of the report.

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Infrastructure -- Commercial - Newspapers

Rev. Floyd L. Kurtz, formerly editor and publisher of the Eastern Shore Herald, has resigned the pastorate of the Old Street Presbyterian Church, Petersburg. He has not yet chosen his next field.

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Weather -- Northeast stormsInfrastructure -- Public - Government : Life-saving service

The storm on Wednesday night of last week did not result in as serious damage to property in this county, as generally reported. The injury sustained by the Metompkin Life Saving Station, while perceptible, was not serious, the underpinning having been slightly disturbed and weakened.

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Tourists and sportsmen -- Field sports - Hunting : Bird

Partridges are said to be fairly plentiful in this section.

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Infrastructure -- Commercial - Residential construction

Belle Haven.

Dwellings for Messrs. A. D. Doremus and David Winder, on Eastern Ave., are under course of construction.

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Transportation -- Water - FreightSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : SeasideSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : Surveying

Chincoteague.

Dr. John W. Field and family moved to Assateague Island, last week.

A large party of Pennsylvania officials came to see us last week on a prospecting tour.

Capt. E. J. Deacyne reports, that he will be down with the new steamer the first of next week to make a trip from this place to Philadelphia and later will run to Wishart's Point, if the depth of water permits and the patronage will justify it. The fare for passengers to Philadelphia will be $2 and freight on barrel of oysters 40 cents.

Mr. D. F. White is with us this week, surveying our oyster grounds.

Our oyster business is improving and other business along with it. Schooner Boneta was loaded here this week with 2,000 bushels of oysters for Landington & Co., Fair Haven, Conn., and our shippers are sending from one to two hundred barrels to market daily.

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Forests -- Shipping : WaterTourists and sportsmen -- Field sports - Hunting : Raccoon and opossumInfrastructure -- Public - Government : Police

Onancock.

Mr. D. S. Collins left Deep Creek Friday evening with a raft of 500 pine logs, bound for New York.

Mr. Thomas C. Kellam, formerly of Locustville, is now well fixed on Poplar street. Onancock longs to be filled up with just such citizens, Mr. Kellam is a partner in the insurance firm of Kelly, Nottingham & Kellam, office on North street.

The Accomac Coon Club at this place is active and gay. "Coons" and "possums" stand no chance. Old and young of the membership take their nightly "tramp" just to see the "fighting" and "bagging." With trained dogs and skillful climbers the fun is fine and the result is amazing in catch.

Town Sergeant R. R. Riley, who has been very busy this fall, has improved the appearance of the town by his work on the streets. The sergeant deserves the commendation of all in his straightforward zeal for the betterment of his town. He is no respecter of persons in his official duties.

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Infrastructure -- Commercial - Residential construction

Temperanceville.

Mr. H. E. Byrd will move into his new house on "Eastern Avenue" in a few days.

Oyster Meeting on Messongo.

Sea -- Shellfish - Oystering : BaysideSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : Legislation

An oyster meeting will be held on Saturday, 18th inst., 7:30 p. m., at the hall near Sanford Church, in Messongo Neck. All oystermen, Dr. George W. LeCato, Mr. T. W. Russell and all others interested in the oyster business are invited to be present. The meeting is to be held in the interest of oyster legislation.

OYSTERMEN.

Oyster Meeting at Parksley.

Sea -- Shellfish - Oystering : BaysideSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : Legislation

An oyster meeting held according to announcement at Parksley, last Saturday, was organized by the election of Dr. John W. Bowdoin, chairman, and J. W. Edmonds, secretary. The meeting was well attended by citizens interested in the oyster industry, from the following places: Major Jones, J. E. Tarr, Lawrence Feddeman, Chincoteague; George B. Hoffman and Capt. A. J. Read, Hoffman's wharf; Joseph H. Thomas and L. S. Lankford, Messongo; Capt. Noah Davis, Burr Gladding, Henry Wessels, Custis Hart, Frank Hart, Mearsville; Revel J. Justis, William T. Justis, John T. Shrives, Hunting Creek; George P. Barnes, Thomas Justis, Back Creek; Thorogood B. Mason, Guilford.

Dr. George W. LeCato senator-elect, addressed the meeting and convinced all present that he could be relied on for a faithful, fearless and intelligent discharge of his duties as a legislator. Several gentlemen followed Dr. LeCato in the discussion of the oyster question and the sentiment prevailing, while not unanimous, was that legislation was needed as indicated below:

1. That dredging be prohibited on all planting grounds, even by the lessee of such grounds.

2. Taking oysters by non-residents to be made a felony instead of a misdemeanor.

3. A police boat for sea side.

4. More protection on Tangier and Pocomoke sounds.

5. More explicit laws defining rights of lessees of oyster planting grounds against clammers.

6. Crabbing with scrapes to be prohibited on oyster bottoms.

7. For an Oyster Commissioner, in place of present Board of Chesapeake.

Housebreaking With Felonious Intent.

Moral -- Other violent crime

About midnight on last Saturday night, the daughter of Capt. Henry Kellam, who was occupying an upper chamber in his dwelling, near Craddockville, was aroused from her slumbers by a thumping at her window and barely escaped from the clutches of a negro that entered her room soon thereafter to the room below. Returning to her room accompanied by her father, they found a negro, named Acham Harmon, concealed behind her bed, very much to the surprise of Capt. Kellam, who thought the fears of his daughter were so groundless, that he had not carried with him even any weapon of defense. Savagely attacked by the negro with a slung shot, a hand to hand fight followed, during which Capt. Kellam received several severe cuts on the head and would probably have been murdered, if the daughter had not given the alarm to a couple of young men, who were visitors at the house and who came to his rescue.

The negro escaped arrest at the time by jumping from the window through which he had entered, but returning the next day to get a coat and basket which he had left behind, was covered by a gun in the hands of Mr. John W. Kellam, until the constable, Joseph C. Wescott, arrived, who after a hearing was had before Justice T. W. Blackstone, landed him in jail. At the trial Harman implicated another negro, Robert James, in the crime, who also was arrested and sent to jail, but has since been released on bail. After escaping from the house the negro, Acham Harman, or some one with him, threw a large stick of wood and two bricks through the windows and were heard some time thereafter around the premises. The motive of the negro in entering the house was doubtless criminal assault upon the daughter and murder would doubtless have been incident to it, if not intended, but for the timely presence of George Miles and William Dambling, the two visitors at the house, who went to the rescue of Capt. Kellam.