Peninsula Enterprise, March 15, 1890

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Cape Charles Headlight.Mental illness

Mr. J. C. Ames, formerly from Accomac county, was, on Friday last, examined by a commission of lunacy and adjudged a lunatic.

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African-Americans -- Race relations

Isaac Gray, a respectable colored man, died at Accomac C. H. Wednesday. He voted the Democratic ticket at every election since the right on suffrage was given him, defying the opposition of his race and despite the persecution to which he was often subjected by the colored brethren. He was the only one of his race at his precinct, who voted the Democratic ticket.

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Architecture -- Courthouses

The roof of court-house is being painted this week by Mr. Henry C. Ayres, under orders of Board of Supervisors.

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Fields -- Livestock - Horses

Rob Roy, a valuable horse of Walker Bros., Pungoteague sold at the price of $500 to parties in Richmond, died last week of lockjaw.

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Fields -- Crops - CornSea -- Market huntingInfrastructure -- Public - Government : Life-saving serviceTransportation -- Water - WrecksTransportation -- Water - FreightTransportation -- Railroad - FreightFields -- Livestock - HorsesMoral -- Property crime

Chincoteague.

Corn is being shipped from the West to this place by the car load, and sells in our market at 50 cents per bushel.

Wild fowl are more plentiful in our waters at present than at any time during the winter. The reason given for the same is, that our oystermen have been too profitably employed this winter, to "hunt" them.

Commander J. J. Reed, lighthouse inspector, and Edward Brainerd, editor of Daily News, Philadelphia, were registered at the Atlantic this week.

The sloop Dauntless was capsized on Gargathy bar during the night of 11th inst., but her crew, after a narrow escape from being drowned, succeeded in swimming to the shore. The report had reached this place that they had perished, and great excitement prevailed here until their return on Wednesday. The crew of the schooner Filmore, which attempted to rescue them but without success, was afterwards rescued by Capt. John E. Burton and force of the Life Saving Service, from their boat, which went ashore on Metompkin bar. The parties rescued speak in the highest terms of the services rendered by the captain and his crew.

The steamer Widgeon still "goes loaded daily" with oysters for shipment by rail, and besides, several boats are supplied here weekly with cargoes for the Northern and Eastern markets.

Another "swifter" of the Morrell stock has been recently purchased by Mr. W. J. Matthews -- and he offers for sale several fine young ponies, suitable as roadsters or for farm purposes, at low figures.

Two negro girls went to home of Mr. John R. Tarr last week, and while one engaged his wife in conversation, the other slipped up stairs and rifled his bureau of $300. All of the money but $50 was recovered, and the justice, before whom they had a hearing, sent them to jail, to await the action of the grand jury.

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Infrastructure -- Commercial - Residential developmentTransportation -- Road - ConstructionInfrastructure -- Commercial - Real estateInfrastructure -- Commercial - Commercial developmentInfrastructure -- Commercial - MillineriesWomen -- Work - Outside the home

Onley.

Handsome dwellings will be erected here during the spring by Messrs. Lloyd Savage, William T. Broughton and Mr. Ward, lots having been secured at the station for that purpose -- and there is still a demand for building sites for several other persons. Onley, in fact, seems on the eve of a genuine building boom.

Streets are being run through the lands of Messrs. George W. and A. J. McMath, to meet the demands of purchasers of lots at this point.

Mr. A. J. Lilliston, paid $275 for a quarter acre of land bought of Mr. A. J. McMath last week, which will be used by him as a lumber yard, and Messrs. John T. and Spencer Rogers bought of him also a fraction over a quarter of an acre for $550, upon which a handsome storehouse is to be erected by them at an early day.

Messrs. McMath Bros., are continually widening the scope of their business as nurserymen and orders are being received by them daily from every part of the United States and occasionally from Europe. It is gratifying to note, also, that their home patronage is increasing rapidly.

A milliner shop is to be opened here in the early spring by two young ladies, Misses Richardson and Bradford.

Another Homicide in Accomac.

Moral -- Murder

George Twyford was shot at Leemont on Friday night of last week, 7th inst., by Samuel Lewis, receiving a wound form which he died on the following Tuesday. The deed seems to have been committed in cold blood. At least no extenuating circumstances so far have come to light to excuse or justify the killing. The facts preceding the tragedy seem briefly to have been that, during the night designated, the slayer and the slain, together with others had been engaged in drinking in a saloon at Leemont in a friendly manner, and that after the saloon was closed, some words were exchanged between Twyford and Lewis, which seem not to have been of a very angry character, as Twyford during the dispute, it being regarded by those present as no more, had extended his hand to Lewis, and the greeting between them as they shook hands, was apparently of a very friendly nature to the bystanders. A gun discharged by Orris Lewis, one of the party at the saloon on the occasion, which he said was shot off without intention of injury to anyone, caused the crowd who were bandying words with each other to disperse, was followed soon after by a pistol shot and the outcry made by Twyford that he had been shot by Lewis, a charge reiterated by Twyford to everyone who approached him on the subject while on his death bed. Nor has Lewis, so far as we are advised, ever denied that he committed the crime. Lewis was brought before a Justice for a hearing the day after the deed was committed, but being permitted to roam at will, by the special constable into whose hands he was committed, for the purpose, it is alleged, of a conference with his friends, escaped from the constable to whose hand he was committed, and has left for parts unknown. At a post mortem held over the dead body of Twyford, Wednesday, Dr. F. Drummond and Dr. J. H. Ayres, it was found that the bullet which killed Twyford had struck the lower border of eighth rib, fracturing it and that after piercing right lobe of liver and gall bladder, penetrated the opposite side of same striking the peritoneum, rebounded and was found in the gall bladder.

Orris Lewis, lodged in jail as an accomplice of Samuel Lewis, on Sunday, was released at a hearing on Tuesday, before Justice Nelson, no evidence being presented implicating him in any manner with the crime.

School Notices.

Infrastructure -- Public - Government : School administration

Public school report for the month of February. Number of schools in operation, 101; No. of graded schools, 21; No. pupils enrolled; 4,735; No. of pupils in average daily attendance, 3,649; No. of schools visited by Supt., 28; No. of warrants issued by Supt., 98; Amount of warrants issued by Supt., $2,814.97.

J. E. MAPP,

Co. Supt. Schools.

Eastern Shore Historical Society.

Architecture -- Historic preservation

A bill passed the last session of our Legislature and receive the approval of the Governor, incorporating the Eastern Shore Historical Society, having for its object the collection preservation and diffusion of knowledge, civil, literary and biographical, and the collection of all historical facts usually recorded in local history, that may be connected or identified with the past and present history of the Eastern Shore of Virginia, and to record events that shall occur in its future.

Sloop Wrecked -- Lives in Imminent Danger -- A Gallant Rescue.

Transportation -- Water - WrecksInfrastructure -- Public - Government : Life-saving service

The sloop Dauntless, having on board Benjamin Justice, E. C. Bloxom and C. E. Mumford, of Chincoteague, "pitch poled" while crossing Gargatha bar on the night of the 10th inst., and was turned upside down. The crew clung to her until badly bruised and finally succeeded in swimming to the shore, landing on the beach eight miles from the nearest station, in charge of Capt. John E. Burton, where they found shelter after a weary march. If the weather had been cold they would have undoubtedly perished. The sloop is a total loss. While the sloop was being tossed about by the breakers, an effort was made to reach her in the schooner Samuel Philmore, but to no purpose. The crew of the schooner unable to render any assistance or to cross the bar, started on their way to Hog Island, but when opposite Metompkin their boat drifted into the breakers and was in imminent peril of being swamped when Capt. John E. Burton and his gallant force of Metompkin Life Saving Station went the their rescue and succeeded in taking from the schooner Capt. J. T. Phillips and his crew, J. H. Jones and Thomas Watson. The rescue was a perilous one, as the schooner tossed by the waves could only be kept by skillful management from being thrown against the life saving boat and breaking her to pieces. Cool heads, stout hearts and willing hands of the gallant Life Saving crew prevented that catastrophe, however, and enabled them to land safely the crew from the schooner.

New Laws.

Transportation -- Railroad - Legislation

Among the new laws passed by the recent Legislature are:

1st. That all railroad companies in this State, shall upon three days' notice, provide transportation for all farm produce delivered at a depot of such company, or shall have a depot safe storage for same, and said company shall be responsible for damages resulting from failure to provide such transportation of storage.