Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-03-06
SUFFOLK.
Three JoIly-Natured Tars Go Down
to a Watery Grave,
Sawl Boat Upset In tho James Kivor-Gilli-
gan Trial Next wcok- Poisoned by Cam
ned Berries Ed White Coos FREQ, his
Case Being Nolle Prosecuted.
Especial to virginIan-Pilot.)


to the point of rec1lessness, and having
no thought of the death that lurked so
near them, three jolly sailors Sunday
went down to their death in Pagan
Creek. an estuary of James river, near
Battery Park. a fourth was dragged
TO the bottom OF sixteen feet OF water
in the clutches of men who were dying.
He escaped their grasp through heroic
efforts and swan to the shore, about
fifty yards away.
The drowned are John F'inigan, Of the
schooner Naniwuy: Calvin Ncttlcs, of
the pungy Thomas Gibbons. and Willie
Brown. of the sloop John Williams. The
last is colored.
The sailors had left their craft at
early morn and gone ashore to enjoy
themselves. They started back about
IL O'Clock. The weather was calm. The
men were joking and laughing. Through
Il reckless maneuvcr the sailors upset
the Hawl and were thrown into the
water. The man who came so near
death and escaped was Il negro named
David.
DRAGGING FOR BODIES.
The creek at Battery Park is about
one-Quarter of IL mile wide The work
of recovering bodies was begun and
theS were SooIl III dragged 10 the sur
face. The drowning was Witnessed by
Mr. ]. Hundley, who was too far away
to help the sililors. a whiskey bottle
was found on one of the bodies. There
was no inquest
The pungy Gibbons, of which Captain
Jim Pratt is master, was owned by the
Armstrong 9pster CaR4aany,-of- Nor
folk. Captain Pratt was not on the
boat. but away on n visit to his home
in Matthews county.
In the absence of n word from rcla-
tives. whose whereabouts could not be
learned two Of the bodies were this
afternoon laid away near the scene of
their death-thosc Of John Finigan and
Willie Brown. There were religious SER
vices at the church.
The body Of Calvin Nettles was
shipped this morning to his former
nome, In Matthews county. Va.
THE GILLIGAN GRAND JURY.
The trial OF a. c. Glligan, at which
very interesting developments are en-
pected, will begin next Monday, March
18TH at Isle of Wight Courthouse That
was decided to-day. when a special
grand jury was ordered for that time
After the Indictment which may be
taken for granted, IN effort will be
made TO go into the trial at once.
Judge Drury \. Hinton, Of Peters
burg. and samuel II. Edwards, OF Isle
of Wight. hnvc been retained to defend
Gilligan. William S. Holland, of Wind
sor. has been hired BY the dead mans
relatives to prosecute C;illgan. The
case promises well from Il news stand
point. All the lawyers were ut court
to-day
KILLED BY CANNED BERRIES.
Having eaten canned whortleberries
that had became poison from fcrmenta-
Vf.D al Il lad
early Sunday morning after having suf
fered much agony. Her father Mr.. r.
III. Whcdbee. two other children and n
cook had been made violently i'll by the
same fruit. The berries were OF home
preparation, and 30 other cans OF [.
same eort had proven harmless. The
can that brought sickness and death is
thought to have become sour or spoiled
through fermentation The other per-
sons Will recover.
The funeral took place about 2:3O
o'clock this afternoon from the home
OF Joshua Whedbec. II grandfather OF
the deceased, about 81 miles from Suf-
folk in Gates county. y. c.. near Suns
bury. The funeral service was read ut
the home, and the interment was I'm a
private cemetery. Among the pail
bearers were M'a'rs. j. I. Parker and
I. O. Hill, OF Suffolk.
ED. WHITE FREE.
ED. White got his freedom to-day.
Colonel sSoykin, States Attorney for
Isle of Wight. entered nolle prose-
qui for the man, who is charged with
completely in The murder of Patrick
Mcdonald, tramp. April OF last year.
That was II result OF Sam Bcales ac-
quittal n few weeks ago. White is col
ored.
Since the two other men indicted for
murder have been given their liberty
the friends Of James Brittle. now serv-
ing five years term in State's prison
for the same offensc. believe they can
secure his pardon.
JAMES YOUNG WILL COME.
Mr.. James Young will appear at the
City Hall Theatre Thursday, March
18th. Those who wish to get on the list
for subscribers have until next Thurs
day night 10 do so. This production
will be one of the theatrical events of
the season.
DIED SUDDENLY.
Lumber Inspector John Carroll died
suddenly Sunday at Rcynoldson, n. G.
He worked near Holland and passed
through Suffolk Saturday night as well
as ever He had not been mt home
long before being seized with heart dis
ease.
NOTES.
There seemed to be slight improve
nent in the condition of Town Treas
urer John y. Lotzia. who Is i'll with
heart disease.
Mr.. z. /. Everett. Of Lower Parish,
visited Suffolk friends Sunday.
Mr.. r Q. Deyer Sunday visited his
sister, Miss Lizzie Deyer who is Mrs.
Ba1'ton's guest.
Captain Il. a. Nornect has returned
from New Orleans, where he attended
the Mardi Gras.
Mrs. T. a. Barbcc is in Barrett's
Neck visiting her father. CAPTAIN IT.
@. Gillian.
The funeral Of the late Fletcher Lee
Holmes was largely attended Sunday.
Some white persons attended.
50 hfrs Irnne Duc6 al Islo of IWirht