Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-11-24
THE EASTERN SHORE.
ABOUT THE RECENT TRAGEDY

Cholerp.
Correspondence ofthe Richmond Dispatoh.l
ONANCocK, November 81, 1885.
Fuller information has been received
about the killing of G.. S. G.. Mears
last Thursday night by j. Revell Stur-
gis near Mappsburg, in the lower part
Of this county. 1t appears that Mears
did not go to the Pungoteague races, as
stated in the Geographic report, but fell
in with Sturgis, who was returning
from the races after nightfall, and both
rode together TO Sturgis's store, where
Mears assisted Sturgis in taking his
horse from his buggy. Both men had
been drinking, but neither one Of them
was drunk. After going in the store
Sturgis asked Mears to pay him q debt
of about $50, saying that he had that
amount in hand belonging to one of
Mears's tenants, who was in debt to
Mears. This Mears declined to do, and
used some rather rough language to-
wards Sturgis, who ordered him to
leave the store at once, threatening to
shoot him if he did not do so. The
two negroes, who were the only per-
sons present at the time. state that
when Sturgis threatened to shoot they
ran out, but had hardly turned the cor
ner Of the store when they heard the
sharp report Of a pistol, and
that Mears came staggering out i'm
mediately afterwards and COM
planned that Sturgis had shot at him
when he did not have even penknife
to defend himself. Mears managed to
walk home-a little more than quarter
of a mile distant-and told his wife
what had happened, and having pro-
cured his pistol, started back to Sturgis's
store, but when he had gone about half
the way, his strength began to fail and
he discovered that he had been shot in
the abdomen by Sturgis. After resting
awhile he managed to crawl back home
and his wife gave the alarm to her
neighbors. Two physicians were sum-
moned and messenger was sent for
Justice Blackstone, but that official for
some cause or other failed to go to the
wounded man and get his dying state
ment. Drs. Mapp and LeCato took the
precaution to get his statement, which
is substantially as given above. Large
crowds Of people went to see Mears
before he died and talked with him
about the details Of the shooting, and
to all he told the same tale.
Sturgis was arrested and had hear
ing before Justice Blackstone at Pun
colleague last night. lie denied that
he had shot Mears, and maintained that
Mears had shot himself, but the ball
taken from the dead mans pistol was
too large to admit Of such an assump-
ton, and Sturgis did not deny that
he had shot at Mears in his store. Stur-
gis was admitted to bail in the sum Of
l,500 and released. but many think
the case Of such a character as not to
admit Of bail, and that Sturgis may yet
be brought before Judge Parramore %
q bcnch-warrant. Sturgis was in Oman
cock early this morning consulting with
Mr.. Upshur b. Quinby, who, with Hon.
John Nicely, will probably conduct the
defence. Sturgis declined to make any
statement further than to assert his in
nocence of the crime. lie is a large
landowner and a very prosperous
merchant. Mears was poor farmer,
and was generally regarded as an nOf-
fensive and thriftless sort ola man.
Mears's pistol was found the morn
ing after the shooting near the spot
were he had fallen exhausted on the
way from his house to Sturgis's store.
One chamber was empty, but according
to the dying mans statement he had
fired that chamber to see if the pistol
was all right.
The tragedy has caused considerable
excitement here, and the frequency of
such crimes in Accomack -four having
been committed in the last eighteen
months) is mentioned IN terms by no
means complimentary to the admins
tration Of justice and the yindication of
the law in our county.
Four young men, well and unfayor-
ably known for their lawless pranks,
have been arrested for assaulting
Judge" George Barnes last week be-
cause he ordered them off his premises.
Not being able to establish their inno-
cence, they were released on bail for
their appearance before the next grand
jury.
Captain George Dix, one of the old
est and certainly the most famous sea-
man on the Eastern Shore, died last
Wednesday near Pastoral, in this coun-
ty, aged seyenty-one years. The Cap
tain had visited all parts of the world,
and had spent nearly all his life " fol-
lowing the sea" as the sailors put 1t.
He returned home about two years ago
to die and rest on his native soil.
The increasing passenger traffic over
the New York, Philadelphia, and Nor
folk railroad has rendered the building
of a new passenger transfer steamer
necessary. The Harlan u Holllngs-
worth Company, OF limihSIOn, DeI''
have already begun work on the new
steamer, which is to be us feet long,
and to be fitted up in fine style. The
magnificent transfer steamer Cape
Charles, now on this line, viii. then
have to make only one trip a day across
the bay.
Hog-cholera has been raging with
destructive violence in nearly every
part of the Eastern Shore, and in some
localities nearly all the hogs have per-
ished. This is especially hard on the
poorer people, who have already suf-
fered heavily from the low price of
sweet potatoes.
Work has commenced on the new
lighthouse on Killick shoals, at the
entrance of Chincoteague bay, and a
petition is circulating for the establish
ment of lighthouse on Tangier beach,
in the Chesapeake. KALLIAs.