Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1885-06-27
The Chincotcague Tragedy.

The following report from our CORES
pondent gives an accurate and detailed
account Of the late terrible tragedy on
Chincoteague:
CIlNCoTEAGUE, June 1S.-Excite-
ment was at fever heat this morning
when it was announced that Tom Free
man had shot and probably Killed Miss
Jennie Hill and her mother Zlpporah
Hill and had blown out his own brains.
The two first named being daughter and
wife of Timothy Hill. Freeman who
was farm hand of Mr.. Hill fell desper-
ately in love with Jennie. His urgent
appeals for her to become his wife We're
opposed By Jennie because Of her youth,
and by her parents, WHO, while Free
man was good farm hand objected to
him as a in-aw. On the morning
of the tragedy the mother and daughter
dressed themselves and started to the
dressmaker when they were met at the
gate by Freeman who inquired Of the
mother if she still objected to his paying
attention to Jennie. Her reply brought
on Il contention between them, when
without any warning, he drew Il 81 cal
ibre revolver and fired, the ball striking
her in the bead making an ugly scalp
wound. She fell to the ground but i'm
meliately rose to her feet and begged
him not to kill her. He fired the Sec
ond shot again striking her in the head,
the ball glancing and lodging at the base
of The skull, turning immediately on
the daughter he fired two shots at her,
tile first grazing the skull and the second
penetrating the neck. The murderer
WAS so near his victims that in each Case
the powder from the revolver burned
their bonnets. The ladies ran one hun
dred yards to a son S dwelling and fell ex-
hausted at the door. The neighbors
ran over to the scene of the tragedy in
time to see Freeman place the revolver
to his forehead and blow out, with his
last cartridge his own brains. He fell
in the door Of the kitchen and died IL
stantly. While the mother is danger
ously wounded, she may recover, but
Miss Jennie is MORALLY wounded, she
has internal hemorllages, and The sur
geons say must die.
Cn1NCoTEAGUE, June 2l.-On our
streets, in the stores, on the boats and
in the lsherman's cabins, all CONVERSE
ton has reference to the terrible tragedy
of Il few days ago, the first murder in
the history of our Island. So much has
appeared in our large di;ilies i'll conncc
tion with the case that is totally untrue.
that in justice to the stricken family
we write this. The young victim of
Freeman jealousy was only child,
just fourteen years old and scholar at
our town Academy, She was perfect
blonde of a bright and happy DISPOSE
ton, and favorite of those with whom
she associated. She was in every sense
the pet of her entire family, the most
loving and obedient Of them all. She
fingered from the morning Of the shoot
in. until IL O'Clock y. N. of the same
day, in the most eXcruciating agony at
which hour she died, during the time,
Willie she gave detailed account of the
terrible ordeal through Which she pass
cd not murmur of complaint against
the murderer escaped her lips. Your
correspondent who attended the funeral
Saturday afternoon found the corpse
laid out in The parlor Of the dwelling
wrapped in Il white robe and strewn with
flowers. The golden hair that only the
day before was all dishcvele0 and clothed
with gore was tastefully arranged and
fell i'll rnglets on the white neck; and a
sad smile rested OIL llerpllc face. and, II
possible, size luvkeu more beautiful i'll