The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-10-24
They are Reopened In Madison Ward
A STRANGE PROCEEDING.
THE Il L S L i T.
POLLS OPEN AGAIN TODAY.

rited until about clock in the afternoon,
when the voters seemed TO have been nearly
exhausted. Stragglers, however, continued
| to come TO the polls until sunset.
The excitement in the city was great: the
bulletin boards were constantly surrounded
by-;L crowd eager for news; and few persons
were unwilling TO leave their business to de-
vote an hour 10 electiOncering.
Towards nightfall the people were startled
by the announcement Of 4 proba bic open
ing Of the polls this morning. These rumors
| seemed TO be well authenticated, and were
verified ~ Il late hour of the night.
In Jefferson Ward there were few persons
waiting To vote when the polls closed, but at
Mouroc and Madison Wards crowds We're
gathered. but whether they were composed of
voters or were assembled merely to deceive the
authorities it was impossible TO say. ....
at sunset the polls ut the City Hall were
closed, and the white men had quietly dis
persed, when about fifteen minutes afterwards
they were again opened. The crowd of ne
groes Immediately rushed toward the window,
and IN astonishing number OF men applied to
vote, while the whites who had supposed the
polls closed in good faith, We're unable again
to collect their scattered forces. BY this
strange preceding the Conservative majority
was lessened by seyenty-siN, as the polls were
not again closed until about half past o clock
when General Schoiirld hearing n statement
of the facts went himself TO the spot and nm
nonnccd that voting would be resumed this
morning.
Alta laterhour it was announced that the
polls in Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe
Wards would be re-opcned AT ! o'clock this
morning, and would continue open until the
vote OF the city seemed 10 have been cast.
FIRST. JEFFERSON WARD.
a crowd surrounded the First Ward polls
all day, and frequently so many persons We're
in the streets that the passage of vehicles was
rendered impossible. "A large force of police
was constantly employed in keeping the side
walk clear In this matter the stubborn and
sullcn feeling which has seized upon great
many of the colOred men of Richmond was
rxrmplilied in Il most striking manner. After
depositing their ballots the freedmen would
glide down the steps, and instead OF going
quietly away, mixed in the crowd and stood
gazing stupidity ut those who were still TO
vote. A hint TO move W;ls OF no avail what
ever: an order was received with murmurs
and expoStulations while gentle push
brought forth vollcy of insolent words and
threats, ompanied by ominous gestures.
The conduct Of the city police cannot be
mentioned with too much commendation.
Never certainly, has such patience and for
brurance been manifested by officers OF the
law i'll the discharge Of their duty of preserr-
ing the peace. They have suffered mnrmurs,
mpudcnce, taunts, insnlts-everythlng but
blows, and only in extreme cases nave tneS
arres ted The offenders
During the dav three arrests of colored men
were made in the First Ward These fellows,
named Jacob Smms, Louis Lottier, ana
Samuel Burk, We're all charged by good wit
nesses with interfering with voters and en-
deayorng to prevent them from voting the
ticket Of their choice. The Offenders were
All consigned 10 cells in the Libby, where they
will await an investigation OF The charges
against them. e.. .......... -....
WHITE NAN.
At about noon white man named W. A:
| Parsons was discovered on the stairway used
| by The colored voters, dispensing tickets and
otherwise making himself active in cleo
| 1ioueeriug for the Destructive Radical ticket.
Although the same privilege was denied the
| adyocat tes of the Conservative ticket, no COM
plaint about the I'M Justice was made until Far
| sons was noticed insisting upon seeing ticket
| held by n colored man who had started up TO
| vote The freedman persistently refused 10
| show and the noise OF the alteration drew
| several bystanderS 10 the spot. PARSONS
| finally rot possession of the ticket, and had
replaced it with her, against The protest OF
| the voter when the registrar was called TO
| the spot.
The matter being investigated, the colored
man. whose name was Robert Prince, boldly
ayoWtd his desire 10 9 go for Johnson" as he
| EXPRESSED it, Great indignation was mani
| tested against Parsons, and the conservatives
| insisted that he should either be taken from
| the stairway or that another White man be
allowed the same opportunity TO press John
| son tickets upon the freedmen. After much
| discussion the matter was settled by the eX-
| pulsion of the offender. He insisted upon
going down the stairway marked For colored
| people, but4was finally escorted down the
! other by policeman.
Subsea uentiy he placed 4 table ut the door
and distribu ted tickets Here the Conserra-
| tiyeS were soon even with MN, placlnS All
other table by his side Wardwell came 10
| parsous's assistance: standing by his side and
| encouraging him with Il sweet Smile, ana " All
| went merry AS 4 marriage bell, WHEN the
! eje cted electioneerer again became excited. lie
| had been subjected 10 unjust treatment, ana
| . n .4ftl.
| bO vel Mr. Joseph Kelly, All active Conserva
| tive, who had helped 10 take him from his
| colored friends. For this he was arrested ana
| taken 10 the Libby, but was subsequently re-
| leased on bail.
| ,yorErg CONSERVATIVE coLoREp nAS THREAT
ESED.
+ Til. lessons of the previous day had Il mark
ed good effect in restraining the violent le-i.
| iugs of the negroes, and but few were iound
Yesterday who attempted 10 carry out nor
law. Beverly Fowler, respectable eoiorto
| man. VI no voted the Conservative 'lcke' at ihe
| old Market hall, was chased several squares
| bv the rauble, bat escaped. Others voted !,
| without allowing the fact 10 be known, and
some had the courage TO do II openly
SECOND (MADIsoNl WARD.
Everything passed or quietly in this ward
At half-past o'clock the polls were ne
clared closed; but We're immediately re
| opened an order having been received IRON
| General Schoiicld for them TO be Kept oper
| until further orders, 10 allow lime lor All te
| vote the Radicals asserting that theiF paft
had many voters on the ground "ho haa Oeer
| unable 10 vote.
| Candies were brought and Aghted, an,
| the voting was resumed. About nail past
| O'Clock General Schoiie!d came - the pol'
and held Il conference with the commissioners
| The General, al ter the consn!tat!on aecideu u
| close Il ~ polls and have them re-opened 1T
O'Clock this morning. This was announced
and the polls were closed.