Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1878-01-22


SCENE AT A SUICIDES BURIAL.-The
funeral of William s. Pontin, of Brook
Ign, the young man who shot himself
on Brooklyn ferry boat on Wednesday,
took place on Friday. Miss R. H. Plant,
to whom young Pontin was to have been
married on the evening of the day of his
suicide, was present at the burial SER
vices. She sat by the open coffin, and
appeared to be almost crazed with grief.
When any person would approach the
corpse she would raise her hands to pre-
vent them from touchingit. Then she
would caress the dead face and repeat
over and over again in low tone, "My
darling; oh, my darling!" When the
time came to close the coffin she gave
way to violent sobs, covered the face of
her dead lover with passionate kisses,
and relapsed into fit of hysterical weep
ing, which continued until she entered
carriage to drive to Greenwood. Young
Pontin's father was also present and ap-
peared to be much affected by the scene.
The cause of the young mans suicide is
still mystery in the minds of his
friends.
CONFESSION OF A HORRIBLE CRIME.
On the night. of Thursday. the Sd in
slant, house on the plantation of D.
T. Sprawls, some three miles from Will
liston, s. c., was consumed by fire,
together with the occupants. Stephen
Enecks, his wife and two children. A
few days since two colored men were
arrested, and they confessed to q wan
ton crime. According to their state
ment the object of going to Stephen
Eneck's house was to steal sum of
money which he was said to possess
Their first acts were to murder Stephen
and his wife, after which they proceed
ed to ransack the house in their plumber
ing scheme. This accomplished, they
returned to their victims and covered
them with bedclothes saturated with
turpentine. After firing this mass they
locked up within the house an infant
and a little child to perish by the
flames. 1i ...rI
TERRIBLE r. r. ACCIDENT-FOUR-
TEEN KILLED AND THIRTY-ODD WOUN-
DED.-The accident to the Moody an6
Sankey excursion train at Tariffville,
Ct, last Tuesday night, occurred at the
trestle bridge crossing the Pennington
river, just west of the village. Two en-
gines, baggage car and three passen-
ger coaches went down at the western
end of the bridge, the engines falling on
the shore, and three cars breaking
through the ice in three feet water, and
one car resting on end on the pier.
In the crash which ensued IA persons
were killed and between thirty and
forty wounded. Among the killed were
five of part of six who were on the
platform of a car. where they were en-
joying the moonlight ride and whist
ling'in chorus. The only survivor of
the six had left the party and was in
side at the time of the accident.
The five thus killed were buried at
New Hartford ON Friday.
SUDDEN DEATH OF Mr.. DAVID D.
M. DIGGEs.-Mr. Digges. the land agent
at Gordonsville, died suddenly at his
residence in that place last Tuesday
morning of apoplexy and was buried
ON Wednesday in Charlottesville. The
Gordonsville Gazette says: - aiys-
"On Monday night he returned from
Louisa, and appeared to be in good
health. He gave orders upon retiring
that he should be called in time for the
| accommodation train. During the night
he awOke feeling badly, and DR.. SIaugh-
ter was called in. Everything was done
that medical skill could suggest, but to
no effect. and about O'Clock he expired.
DR.. Slaughter pronounced it case of
apoplexy. Mr.. Digges was 4S years OF
age, and leaves seven children-three
boys and four girls-to mourn his death.
Mr.. Digges was a member of the Meth
odist church. and at the time of bis
death member of the official body"
The Senate has confirmed the nomi-
nation for appointment of Lunsford
Z. Lewis as U. s. Attorney for the Eas .
| tern District Of Virpi, MIA