Norfolk Virginian, January 4, 1890

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Infrastructure -- Public - Government : Chain gangMoral -- Other violent crimeAfrican-Americans -- Racial violenceFields -- Livestock - SwineMoral -- FirearmsTransportation -- Railroad - Corporate

Onancock.

Judge John W. Gillett, of Accomack County Court, announced his intention Monday of using his influence with the Board of Supervisors . . . for the establishment of a chain-gang system. In other words, of making criminals imprisoned in the county jail work upon the county roads.

Horace Carter, a negro, who has been in jail since December 22, 1888, for shooting an old colored woman, and Joseph Finney, colored who came very near causing a race riot here, who has been in prison for over seven months, were released. Judge Gillett reprimanded them very sharply.

The hog recently killed near Modestown, in the upper part of Accomac, weighing nine hundred and thirty pounds, of which mention was made in this correspondence, was of the Penold China stock, and came from Chester county, Pa.

William Bloxom, a prominent young man of Pastoria, this county, while fooling with a rifle the other day was accidentally shot through the neck by Benjamin Parkes, of George, a well-known young white man. The ball came very near entering the jugular vein. The wound is not considered dangerous, and it is not thought that any action will be taken by the authorities in the matter.

It is reported here that the Old Dominion Steamship Company will run a railroad through this peninsula to the Northern cities. It is hoped that if they do they will touch Onancock.