Peninsula Enterprise, May 24, 1884

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Architecture -- Courthouses

At the meeting of the Board of Supervisors last week, the plan of the architect of Washington, D. C., Mr. Atkinson, was virtually adopted, and Mr. M. Oldham, the clerk of the Board, was authorized to correspond with the gentleman, and to give him an invitation to visit Drummondtown, for a conference with the Board in regard to certain changes in the plan, which they deemed necessary. Mr. Oldham has since heard from Mr. Atkinson, and at his request and by virtue of the authority given to him, calls a meeting of the Board, to consider the matter designated above, on the 31st day of May.

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Fields -- Livestock - Sheep

The "annual sheep penning" of Chincoteague and Assateague Islands, will come off this year on the 11th of June, at which time and places, the sheep, lambs and wool will be sold at public and private sale.

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Transportation -- Water - Freight

Finney's Wharf as a shipping point now ranks well with the best on the Peninsula. The shipments from that place last Monday were larger than they were from Onancock, and consisted of 8,000 quarts of strawberries, 60 bbls. of peas, 85 bbls. of radishes, and 17 boxes of crabs.

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Infrastructure -- Commercial - Residential constructionInfrastructure -- Commercial - Commercial construction

Accomac C. H.

Mr. Alfred J. Lilliston, one of our most enterprising citizens, is now building a large furniture and undertaking establishment, and a house for one of his employers, on the Lilliston tract.

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Infrastructure -- Commercial - Hotels

Atlantic.

G. F. Bunting sold his hotel property to Capt. S. J. Davis for $525, and is probably going to Philadelphia to engage in the commission business.

Mr. John Deer, who lately had his leg broken, has been the recipient of a snug little sum placed in the hat handed around for him by Mr. Jas. T. Nock.

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Transportation -- Water - Sailboats

Northampton.

Wm. N. Thomas sold to Jonathan Richardson schooner Dolphin on the 16th inst.

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Laborers -- RailroadMoral -- FirearmsDiseaseInfrastructure -- Commercial - Residential constructionTransportation -- Road - Construction

Seaside.

Some miscreant fired into the house of L. T. Phillips, near here, five times on Friday night. No one was hurt, though Mrs. Phillips and her little children were badly frightened. Mr. Phillips was from home. It is supposed that the Italian laborers near by, may have been perpetrators of the dangerous act.

On the account of the prevalence of measles in the neighborhood, the attendance of scholars at our public school has fallen seventy-five per cent. The Italians and measles are at present the terror of our little ones.

The spirit of improvement seems to abide with our little village. Mr. L. T. Phillips has nearly completed a handsome dwelling, Mr. James H. Smith has made a marked improvement in the appearance of his premises by the rearrangement of some of his buildings. Mr. E. R. Mason has completed the interior decorations of his elegant new house, and will occupy it soon, and with the opening of another road soon, more buildings will be put up during the year.

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Fields -- Livestock - Diseases and pests

Temperanceville.

The glanders is raging in this section. One of our citizens has four horses at present suffering with this disease. He says thoroughly smoking and keeping their bowels loose, is the best thing that can be done for them.

An Act Requiring Railroad Companies to Construct Cattle Guards.

Transportation -- Railroad - Legislation

Believing that it is of interest to our people, we publish below, an act of the last legislature, approved March 17, 1884:

Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, that in constructing any railroad passing from an adjoining plantation to another, whether passing through an existing line fence or not, the company shall, on the request in writing of the land-owner, and upon said land-owners's constructing a fence on such line, up to the cattle-guard on both sides, construct and maintain a cattle-guard of sufficient length and width to prevent the passage of stock of all kinds on the dividing line between the two adjoining plantations on its right of way.

Homicide on Tangier Island.

Moral -- MurderMoral -- Drugs

Our community was horrified last Sunday morning, to hear that on Saturday afternoon, Dr. L. Thomas Walter had been shot and killed by Dr. James D. Pitts, on Tangier Island. The crime was committed in the room of Dr. Pitts, to which Dr. Walter had been invited by him, while he was on his way to see a patient near that place, and the cause which led to it according to the statement of Pitts was a dispute over a tariff of fees, which they had agreed to arrange between themselves, Pitts claiming that Walter called him a liar and struck him and acknowledging that he killed him in self defense. On the other hand the opinion of the citizens of the island is that the shooting was unprovoked and that Pitts killed him in a moment of frenzy, resulting from the effects of professional jealousy. The statement of Pitts that the crime was committed in self defence is rebutted by them on the grounds, that Walter had no weapon about his person, was seen after the first shot was fired, endeavoring to escape from the house and was prevented by Pitts -- and by the further fact that Pitts had said, after his death that he would finish him if the shots already fired had not been fatal. Pitts was arrested and is now confined in the jail at Drummondtown. Walter's body was taken to Onancock, where an inquest was held by Justice Scarburgh, and a verdict rendered that the deceased came to his death by pistol wounds at the hands of Pitts. Walter was shot four times, one shot through the left shoulder coming out near the edge of the shoulder blade; one in the neck, penetrating the right lung and cutting blood-vessels in its course; one just below the shoulder blade of the right side, entering the lung; and one about one and a half inches above the left nipple and entering the heart. Previous to the difficulty, it was thought that the relations between the parties were of the most friendly character, in fact, only the day before the fatal shooting, Pitts met Walter at the landing on his return from the mainland and not only extended him a cordial greeting, but borrowed money from him. Since the death of Walter, however, the rumor has been current, that Pitts had said more than two weeks ago that he intended to kill him.

Both of the men have most respectable connections. Walter was a young man of excellent habits, sober, industrious, amiable and gave promise of a career of usefulness both as a citizen and physician. Pitts is a young man well posted in his profession and of good mind but sadly addicted to the use of opium, which by some, it is claimed, has partly deranged him. The parties to the tragedy each are about 25 years of age. Walter married a Miss Topping a very estimable young lady of this county about eight months ago. The opinion universally expressed, with rare exceptions in our community, is that Dr. Pitts, without cause murdered Dr. Walter.

Real Estate Transfers.

Infrastructure -- Commercial - Real estateTransportation -- Water - Sailboats

The following transfers of real estate &c., were recorded in the Accomack County Court clerk's office, during the week ending May 21:

Elliott Johnston to Alice M. Langford, one skiff and other personalty at Powelton; $200.

Gillet F. Bunting and wife to Rowina F. Davis, house and goods therein at Atlantic; $525.

Joseph E. Brodwater and wife to Wm. L. Nock, 1 1-2 acres at Temperanceville; $160.

Sarah Linton and husband to James Witham, 1-2 acre on Saxe's Island; $105.

John Rew and wife to John Kelley 36 acres near Messongo Bridge; $600.

Thorogood Chesser and wife to John S. A. Trader and Chas. W. Marshall, 17 acres near Messongo Bridge; $150.