Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-02-07
THE EASTERN SHORE,
rNEAsINEsS AMONG THE ILrO.,
DEALERS IN LIQUOR.
one Of Their Number Arrested ana
Fincd-He Plays Quitx-Anotbcr
private Bank I'm Prospcct-Not
RcaiiTcd,

ONANCOCK, VA, February 6.-(spe-
oaL)-There IS a feeling OF uneaslness
among the illegal nquor-dealers in this
county, growing out OF the recent convie-
SION OF one Of their number. This is the
lrst conviction since the law was adopted
he spring, when every district IN tho
county voted against granting LIQUOR
lcclse. Soon after the local-option cleo
tyn. an attempt was made TO convict
some lquor-dealers on Chincoteaeue Is
land. but the papers in the case were de-
fcctiye and the men were allowed to go
sco,-frce. Those who had been foremos,
500 educating the no-iiconsc law mada na
further EFFORTS to enforce the law and
liquor shops became more numerous than
ever before In nearly every neichbor-
hood OF the county liquor was sold openly
and in some instances the violaters Of the
l4" were denint. One Of the worst places
500 tho county was old Messona-o Br.doa
500 me northwestern part OF Accomac. now
famiharly known among the peonia OF
tlat section as skinny Point" these
Ions winter nights have seen great crowos
assemble there ana drink deep drauqbts
OF Jersey iisht-night and other local-on-
tln cccoctions. Anxious wives and
mothers have lain awake tiu late at NIGHT
haAiously awaiting the return of their
husbands ana sons. who were having a
Dish old time with the boys at skinny
"ini threatening messages were sent
' ,ne proprietor Of tho house but he
paid no heed TO them.
THE RECHABITES MOVE.
Near by is Sykess Island where nearly
All the people belong TO the order OF
i,tcn4n'ies. These determined to advance
on SKINNY Point. and they accordingly
SEM p-l ther scouts who had no trouble
in getting the required information. They
bought wh.sEcy on several occasions and
when they had gotten an the information
they nee-eo. they had Levin Byrd. the
proprietor OF the house. arrested ana
taken before O justice of the peace. who.
after hearing the evidence. pronounced
HIM guilty and fined him 500 and costs.
1hey tnen informed Byrd that they had
other cases against him, but they pro
posed That II he would close up his bust
ness tney would not prosecute him any
iuIiher This he agreed TO do, and the
next DAY ne shipped his stock of LIQUORS 10
baltimore los the steamer Pocomoke The
Jla ~ this case has demonstrated that
me law can be enforced if its advocates
VIII take the necessary steps, and It is
not improbable that other prosecutions
VIII follow. Hence the CONSERVATION in
the camp of the liquor-dealers.
a PRIVATE BANK.
There are rumors ahoat TO the effect
tAat q private bank is soon TO be estab-
AsAed at AccOmac Courthouse and the
necessary funds win be largely contri-
puted by Baltimore capitalists. Four years
ago lhete was not such a thing as a bank
ON the Eastern Shore OF Virginia. now
there are three-Oue at OnancOck. one at
Cape Charles. and one on Chincoteague
Island. The one at Onancock is a ma
uonal bank, while the other two are pri-
vate institutions and all Of them are said
70 be doing well.
The drummers and other strangers who
pass this way bring no tidings OF the
prosperous times which Republican ora
tors and papers predicted would follow
Ncklnley's election. They say that they
have never seen such dull times in the
cities and the country, and that no signs
of business revival are as yet visible.
in fact, their reports tally with the views
Of Major Norman Y. Randolph, as re-
Gently reported in the Washington cor
iespordence Of the Dispatch. The people
o. Onancock have a vivid recollection Of
the wonderful picture painted here last
fan by the Rev. Thomas Dixon Of the
magical effect that McKinley's election
would have on the business Of the country.
Mckinley has been elected now more than
three months and yet there is no sign of
the prosperous times so eloquently and
confidently predicted by the Rev. Thomas
Dixon. 1t IS now in order for him TO ex-
plain why the wave Of prosperity has not
Set struck the country
Nat. j. WescOtt. ESQ., who was ice
bound en- the broadwatcr on the seaside
during the recent cold weather, has re-
turned home all right
State-Senator Le cato. who for the past
week has been confined 10 his home with
the grip. is out again.