The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-04-25

THE STREET RAILWAY CASEY esterday
morning the case of Christopher Jones, ne
gro, charged with attempting to ride in the
street cars when ordered out, thereby Gre
ating disturbance in the street, was cx-
amined before Recorder Regnault. The
following evidence was taken in the case ::
Lucien Lewis testified that he was stand
ing on Main street near Taylor's grocery,
at about o'clock on Tuesday evening,
when he saw a number of people gather
around one of the street cars, which had
stopped. A greater crowd commenced to
gather. A policeman came up toward the
crowd, which was very large. Thinks he
heard the prisoner say, "Come on, boys,
now's the time for us to get our rights
Thought the term "rebel sons of -" was
used by the accused or some one standing
near him.
THE accused here denied that he had
made such a remark.
Conductor Talman, who had charge Of
the car in which the accused attempted
TO ride, testified that on Tuesday evening
three negroes got on the front platform OF
the car and rode half 4 square. Christie
phcr Jones stepped inside the car and paid
him thirty cents for the three men. He
had hardly received the money when the
other negroes came in the car and sat
down. He spoke to them politely, and
told them that the rules of the company
did not permit of their riding in the car.
Jones said he had paid his money, and he'd
he id if he didn't ride. Witness called
policeman, who doubted his right to put
the negro off. The car was driven on un-
teenth street, who ordered the negroes to
be put off, which was done. After being
put off they followed tho car, together
with large crowd, until near the Old
Market. lie offered the negroes the mo-
ney they had given him, but they refused
it. He handed it to policeman as the
car moved off.
THE accused contradicted this last state
mcnt fatty, and the Recorder had to call
him to order
Mr.. Talman's testimony was corrobo-
rated by Mr.. Miller, the driver Of the car,
rs also by that of Mr.. Richard Reins, who
testified that there was a good deal Of re-
sistance on the part of the negroes when
the attempt was made to put them out.
He was of the opinion that this was pre-
concerted attempt on the part OF the ne
groes to ride in the cars, from the rapidity
with which the crowd gathered as soon as
the attempt was made 10 put them out.
Policemen Brooks and Lyle, who put
the negroes off the car, testified that after
they had put them out they followed the
cars up the street. One of them said ::
Come on boys; by Cd, now is the time
to get our rights" Another Of them threw
lot1 u, Il Il Io
didn't have his money" The money was
offered him, and he refused to take it, as
serting that that was not the money he had
given the conductor.
Policeman Dawson corroboratcd the
statement Of the other policemen, and
said that he thought that the disturbance
was OF general nature, amounting almost
TO a mob.
Several negroes were next introduced as
witnesses for the defence. The first one
testified that Jones simply demanded the
return of his money from the conductor,
stating to him that if his money were re-
turned to him he would get off. The Re-
corder questioned him as to why Jones
persisted in going into the car when he
knew that it was not customary for co!ored
people TO ride on the cars.
The witness replied that he did not know
that it was customary for those who had
sense enough 10 know that they had a
right to ride inside to ride on the "plat-
FORM" lie here went into an argument
about the rights of all men, in the midst of
which he was stopped short by the Re
corder, who reminded him that he appeared
before him TO give his evidence, and not to
argue the case.
Another witncss-onc of the three men
who got upon the car-testiticd that Jones
went in the car, and paid the fare of the
three Of them, and then they all got on the
car. When they were asked to 60 out OF
the car, he did not hear Jones use any
I. dciramed " language. He only demanded
that his money be returned to him.
When asked why he attempted to go into
the street car when ordered out, and he
knew that it was not customary for colored
people to ride in the cars, he rather evaded
the question by saying that he had seen
colored women ride in the cars, and that
he thought everybody had right to ride
in the cars when the track ran through the
public streets. If they had no right to
ride in the street cars they had no right to
walk the streets.
Another one of the party asserted that
they got into the cars with no intention
other than that of paying their money like
| loyal citizens, and riding in peace and
quiet. In answer to the question, if this
thing had been planned beforehand, lie
said that they proposed to get into the cars
upon the instant, and had never said any
thing about it to any one else. CUES
toned Jones said he had paid his
money and must ride, but used no proiane
| language"
Conductor Talman, recalled.-The ne
groes came into the car after they had
paid their fare. He certainly said "l'll
| be id if | don't ride" The money was
returned to Jones as he had given 1t, and
without being examined.
The evidence being closed, the Recorder
gave his opinion in the case. The City
Railway Company had been granted the
privilege of running its track through the
CITY, and the company had the right to
conduct the road by such rules and regu-
lations as they might see fit. An attempt,
therefore, to ride upon the cars against the
rules of the company would not be justin
able. He wished this case to be tried as
precedent, and he would therefore send
the parties on under the act OF Assembly
of February Q, 1866, amending and reen'
acting the 4th section of the 9th chapter o.
the Code of 1860, in relation to offence:
against the dignity of the State.
ROBBERY AND SHOOTING ON GROVE
RoAD.-Nearly every farmhouse on the
Grove Road has been robbed within {
short time past of fowls, vegetables, anc
| bla prnnarty a night Two