Sunday, March 31, 2013

TIME MACHINE ... 1913..1888..1971..1929..1888


(Reader-friendly viewing of newspaper archives material)
  
(This is a follow-up article to last week's posting and next in a series regarding the 1913 case regarding a young Salisbury woman who was found dead in her office chair.. More articles will follow, as investigation heightened the mystery surrounding her death.)
 June, 1913
(The Washington Post)

BLAMED FOR GIRL'S DEATH

Arrest of Prominent Persons at Salisbury, Md., Predicted.

Inquiry into Untimely End of Miss Florence Wainwright Conducted in Secret- Throng at Her Funeral. 

Special to The Washington Post.
Salisbury, Md., June 22.- It was said today that the arrest of persons prominent socially and in a business way, in connection with the death of Miss Florence Wainwright, whose lifeless body was found last night seated in a chair in the gas office, where she was employed, is probable, but no intimation is given as to when the arrests will be made.

A great throng attended the funeral of Miss Wainwright today. There was a great deal of excitement when it became generally known that she had not met her death from natural causes, as at first had been given out. The box of pills which were found on the desk beside Miss Wainwright were marked "quinine," but it was stated today that they did not contain any quinine, and it was presumed they were purchased for another purpose.

A part of Miss Wainwright's stomach has been sent away by Dr. (J. McFadden) Dick, who performed the post-mortem examination, for chemical analysis. He refused to discuss the case today, further, than to say that he probably would have some important disclosures to make on next Friday, when the coroner's jury will again meet to examine witnesses.

It was authoritatively stated tonight that the pills have been traced to a person in this city, and that a warrant will be sworn out for his arrest some time this week.

It is stated that there will be about 50 witnesses examined before the grand jury, many of whom are out of the city at this time.

There were no marks of any kind on Miss Wainwright's body with the exception of a small scar on the right cheek near the eye, and this may have been caused by a death struggle. When Miss Wainwright was discovered, several of her hairpins were on the floor, and a part of her hair was hanging down. Her hands, however, were folded across her lap, and she was sitting in an upright position in her chair.


 
June, 1888
(Peninsula Enterprise- Accomac)

Leemont.
The time fixed for the corner-stone laying of the new Methodist Protestant Church in Hunting Creek Neck is July 5th. Pocomoke City brass band has been engaged for the occasion at a great expense.
 
 
 
January, 1971 (Time Machine Archive) 

Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Ed Watt was scheduled to be guest speaker at a Pocomoke Little League meeting designed to generate enthusiasm among parents and eligible players. Little League president Louis H. Kragler Jr. said plans were for eight Little League teams and four Senior League teams in Pocomoke involving 180 players for the 1971 season.

 
 
1929

In 1929 Parksley had four department stores, three general hardware stores, two chain grocery stores, four ladies hat shops, two men's clothing shops, six general grocery stores, a hotel, amd two restaurants. Source: ghotes.net Genealogy And History Of The Easterm Shore Of Virginia


 
(Told by our Eastern Shore neighbors to the north.)

March, 1888
(The Denton Journal)

A WOMAN IN BLACK

Her Secret and Mysterious Midnight Mission

A special correspondent of the Baltimore American of March 2nd says: The people of Church Hill and vicinity (Queen Anne's County) are just now excited by a mystery which almost equals the tale of Wilkie Collins , "The Woman In White." In this case it's a woman in black whose mysterious movements have stirred the quiet little town to a white heat of curiosity and speculation.

On Monday night, among the passengers on the south-bound train on the Queen Anne's and Kent Railroad, was a woman dressed in mourning and heavily veiled. She left the train at Price Station to go to Church Hill, about four miles distant. There was no stage at the station, and she had some difficulty in obtaining a means of transportation. Finally, Mr. Samuel Walls drove her over to the hill, arriving there about 10 o'clock at night. During the drive over, Mr. Walls passenger maintained a rigid silence, not even replying to questions; nor did she once raise her heavy veil.

At Church Hill she engaged Mr. Harrison Massey to drive her immediately to the house of a well- known and prominent farmer, living about six miles from the village. During the negotiations and during the second drive, she kept the same strange silence, only speaking when absolutely necessary, and often declining to answer civil questions. When the farmer's house was reached, the woman in black informed Mr. Massey that she did not know, nor had she ever seen, either the farmer or wife, but she must see the latter that night.

The farmer was called from his bed and the strange request made known. After some parleying, his wife consented to see the unknown visitor alone, and the latter was ushered in. She remained about a half an hour, during which time she talked earnestly and excitedly to her involuntary hostess. She then returned to Church Hill with Mr. Massey, and departed in the morning on the early train. During the entire time she never raised her veil or gave the slightest clue to her business.

Her confidant, the farmer's wife refuses to disclose what passed between them, stating that she was bound to secrecy, even to exclude her husband from all knowledge of the matter. Mr. Massey says he was well paid for his midnight ride, as was everyone else with whom the stranger dealt. There is not the slightest clue to her identity or business and the mysterious manner of her appearance and disappearance has excited the greatest interest and curiosity in Church Hill. 



 
Do you have a local memory to share with PPE readers.. such as a big snow storm, a favorite school teacher, a local happening, something of interest your parents or grandparents told you about? It can be just a line or two, or more if you wish. Send to tkforppe@yahoo.com and watch for it on a future TIME MACHINE posting!

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