The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1956-07-27
TRAGIC DROWNING
OF VISITORS WIFE
AT CATFISH CORNER
Communify's Women Reproached
For Lack Of Neighborliness
Shown a Stranger
BY MISS PINKIE PERRY,
CORRESPONDENT.


Catfish Corner.-Tragedy came
to Catfish Corner last week, right
when the women of the Ladies Aid
Society of Sanity Saul's Church
were in the midst of their weekly
meeting. News came up from the
landing that woman was drown
ed while on a fishing trip on Hex
apod Hooper's boat. This woman
was known as Cherrystone, the
wife of Chatham Chesson. They
moved into this neighborhood in
May to spend the summer in the
house vacated by Wireless Willis,
who, because of poor fishing, had
to leave home to find a job. The
Chessons were said to be from
Washington, D. c., and on leave
from the Government.
1t was the first time they had
been fishing together, although
they had been seen walking hand
in hand along the road. They rare
ly left home together, he mostly
going to the stores for short trips,
or to the postoffice, and that was
all.
She had fallen overheard while
the boat was underway, and it be-
ing a fast boat, it was, several
hours before they located the body.
Alas, she was dead when they
found her. There never was man
at Catfish Corner known to take
it harder than Chatham Chesson,
and he refused to let anyone touch
her when they took the body into
the Hal Fass Fish house, and there
he stood guard over her like some
half-crazed animal, until the I'M
dertaker came in with an ambu-
lance at the end of a four hour
wait. All offers of assistance were
refused, and when the body was
loaded on, they went by the Willis
homeplace, where Mr.. Chesson got
all his belongings, and went off
with the undertaken after very
ICCIe ceremony.
Now sad things have happened
before, in this community, and
the excitement might have soon
been over, had not the tragedy
become a subject of conversation
at the Ladies Aid meeting, where
the minister's wife touched off the
discussion by remarking that the
community had failed in its Chris
tan duty toward stranger who
should have been urged to join
SANITY Saul's church and be active
in community affairs.
1--WE have this sin of neglect
on our conscience" said this good
lady. 1t may take a lot of praying
to get it off"
From the back of the room, Miss
Tempest Twiddy spoke up: zone
word, please" but the vigorous
Mrs. Klaxon King, wife of the
real estate man got recognized
first, and she said: maybe we
didn't do enough for her, but l
called to ask if she would like
to make a donation to our Wom-
ans Club. 1 also asked her to spend
the night with me, if at any time
her husband had to be gone, and
in case she was scared to stay
alone, and being my husband too
is often away on business. She
said she would think about the
Woman's Club, and she thanked
me for my invitation" Mrs. King
concluded.
"She did spend one night with
me while my husband was gone"
said the prim Mrs. Sapphira Saw
yer.
Miss Tempest Twiddy again rose
to speak, but Mrs. Corridor Car
ter, the Woman's club leader got
the floor first and said:: "I also
paid Mrs. Cherrystone Chesson a
call, and / suggested she might
wish to pay something on our
preachers salary. She said she
would have to talk to her husband
about it. Then / invited her to take
ride with me some afternoon,
offering to take her to Gar Creek,
Vinegar Hill, and all around, just
the two of us on a. chatty little