Thursday, July 1, 1898
A gigging party saw two eels at the mouth of Knapps Creek last Friday night. They are very unusual in these waters, owing, no doubt, to the fact that our rivers flow to the southern seas. Just across in Virginia they are plentiful. It is authoritatively stated that eels only spawn in the ocean in temperate latitudes, and the number to be found in our rivers corresponds with the eels that are to be found in land-locked waters. It may be that migratory aquatic birds carry some of the spawn from the seas.
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About ten years ago, the suckers of Greenbrier river died by the hundreds from a large sore on their head or sides. It was suggested then that it was caused by the bass “horning” them. It was undoubtedly a disease. Several suckers have been seen lately with the same kind of sores, and it may be this season will see an epidemic among them again…
COURT INCIDENTS
Aunt Betsy Clater was on hand bright and early to lay her case before the Judge before any of the lawyers could get at him, or so she informed a friend.
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The Jonathan Cochran divorce case was dismissed at his costs. Clutter vs Clutter and Gay versus Lockridge, two chancery cases of long standing, reached a practical end this court.
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Andy Sheets, of Back Alleghany, was tried for disturbing religious worship. He is a one-legged man and looks very pugnacious. The evidence unfolded a tale of great slaughter at the McGlaughlin Church one night during a revival in the fall of ’96. Not only were the church people disturbed in their religious meditations but also by fears of bodily harm. The jury found him guilty, and he left the place on his horse. A capias was awarded, and he will be sentenced when he can be got.
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The trial of Jim Ratliff for selling cider on court days resulted in a hung jury. A number of witnesses testified that they had got very drunk off his cider, while others swore that they had drunk considerable quantities of the same vintage and had not felt the least bit tight. We do not care to see the old man get into trouble, but wish he would take his unsightly old cider barrel from right square in front of our handsome courthouse. On the day of his trial he was doing business at the old stand.
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The taxpayers were glad to see Charles Beverage, the recalcitrant witness who would not answer questions before the grand jury, turned loose. They were begrudging him the 50 cents a day that it took to keep him. The Judge gave him a talking to and made him tell who sold him the liquor. He said it was Barnes. It is too late to indict him in this court. The Judge then told him to go.
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Jim Sizemore confessed with bitter tears that he had taken the polecat skin from Pullin & Co., but was inclined to throw the blame on a younger boy whom he accused of tempting him to take the treasure. The Judge considered the 19 1/2 days that Jim said he had been in prison, and gave him five days more on Jim’s solemnly promising to never take anything which did not belong to him.
PINE GROVE
The writer’s attention has been called (by an old citizen) to the grave of one Henry Brock, the first person buried in the Duffield graveyard, whose initials were cut on a mulberry headboard in 1801. Although Mr. Brock was buried 97 years ago, yet the headboard is but little decayed and the initials and date are plain.
The county Normal closed June 16. This has been one of the most interesting schools ever taught in the county. One old gentleman who spent an evening in the school, said, “The young man at the head of the Normal keeps up with the times. His teaching surpasses anything I have ever seen.” Mr. Barlow has had calls to higher positions, yet he says he will remain in the school work of Pocahontas for one more year…
HUNTERSVILLE
A fine son was born to Mr. and Mrs. G. W. Ginger last week.
H. M. Lockridge has about completed his road work from Huntersville to Rimel’s.
Mrs. Agnes Loury, who was alarmingly ill some weeks since, has rallied from her prostration and is able to visit the neighbors.
Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Warwick returned from Warwickton last week and report Mrs. Frazier as being still prostrated by illness.
Mrs. Doyle and Miss Lucy Kincaid were at Marlinton Saturday afternoon, and were three hours in passing from Marlinton to Huntersville, being delayed by the fallen timber.
