TIME MACHINE ... Mandatory Church Attendance Leads To Incident On Tangier Island.

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May, 1920

(The San Antonio Light- San Antonio, Texas)

(Excerpts)

It happens that the residents of Tangier Island are an extremely religious community. One of their local statutes is that everybody should attend church if possible. Their law compels the attendance. It further provides that no person on the island shall, on any Sunday, show himself on the street, in his yard, or on the porch of his residence unless he shall be on his way to or from church. The act constitutes a clear case of religious observance enforced by law.

The religious law of Tangier Island had never been brought before a court because, such people as who did not like it went elsewhere to live and such people as remained on the island approved of it; nobody else cared anything about it.

It happened, however, that on a recent Sunday a young man sat upon a front porch. He was ordered by a police officer (town constable) to go inside. He refused. The officer sought to arrest him and a struggle ensued. The officer deliberately placed a revolver against the back of the young man and fired, inflicting what is believed to be a mortal wound. There was no argument as to the facts when the officer was arraigned in court and he was released on a normal bond. This action aroused the resentment of the younger element of the island and a political campaign is now in progress with the avowed object on the part of the younger people to make Tangier Island more in harmony with other parts of Virginia and the nation, and the determination on the part of the elder people to retain their institutions as they now are.

It will come as a surprise to the people of the United States that there is, anywhere in the country, a community where people are compelled by law to attend church or remain inside their homes. The inconsistency of the laws of Tangier Island are, however, another matter, and before they have been put through the courts it is probable that the community will be instructed that a man has the right to move about his own property as he likes every day of the week.

　

May, 1920

(Appleton Post-Crescent- Appleton, Wis.)

TANGIER ISLAND IN THE LIMELIGHT AGAIN

By United Press Leased Wire

New York- Tangier Island jumped into the limelight again today. Gustave G. Rickarby, cameraman for a motion picture weekly news corporation here, was driven from the island off Crisfield, Maryland when he attempted to photograph the inhabitants, according to a message to the company's offices.

Rickarby's camera and films were destroyed.

Rickarby said he left the island on the advice of a minister, the Rev. Mr. Godwin, who told him he might be lynched if he attempted to remain.

The people of Tangier recently received wide publicity for their stern religious beliefs when the town constable shot a boy who refused to go to church on Sunday.

　　

February, 1881

(The Denton Journal)

Since the Christmas holidays the price of eggs, instead of going down, as is usually the case, has been steadily going up. Eggs are selling in Baltimore for fifty cents a dozen, and in Philadelphia they are several cents higher than this. The price paid in this town (Denton) for several days has been 40 cents. It is said that the cause of the scarcity and the consequent high prices is owing to the cold weather and snow-covered ground from which the chickens can not find anything to eat. They are fed regularly, but it is said there is something in the ground which is peculiarly productive of eggs.

　　

September, 1910

(Colorado Springs Gazette- Colorado Springs, Col.)

SHAME THE WHITTLERS

From the Baltimore Sun

The women of Pocomoke are having the streets cleaned and the weeds pulled up and the fences whitewashed while the men whittle.

　

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