The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-05-16
THE TWENTY.FIRs STREET
DISTURBANCE.
EXAMINATION BEFORE THE MAYOR


cases of DR.. Banks and Aaron Short and
William Holloway (white) were called up
before the Mayor. Policemen O'Dwyer,
Sweeney, Franklin, and Engel, and Corpo-
raj Forester, of the Libby Prison guard,
were called as witnesses for the prosecu-
tion.
Policeman O'Dwyer testified that he
heard the distress rap on Saturday, night
near Twenty-third street. Answered it,
and found policeman Sweeney near the
corner of Twenty fourth and Main streets
attempting to arrest DR.. Banks and Aaron
Short. They resisted stoutly. A crowd
was gathered about. Witness assisted
Sweeney in the arrest of Short, who re-
sisted. Arrested him, and carried him
towards the station-house. When be got
near Twenty-third street, Short struck
him and kicked him; whereupon he
struck Short. Crowd hallooed, Don't
you strike him, you G. d. white
rebel son of =; if you do, We'll
kill you" When he got near Twenty
second street he was knocked down by
some one unknown. Prisoner got on top
of him, and witness turned him over, and
getting up, started on with him. When
again, and bricks were thrown at him
and when he got up, lost sight of prisoner.
Saw man in front Of him just in the act
of throwing brickbat at him; he pulled
out his pistol and fired the man fell and
hallooed out, "Oh, I'm shot," He got up
and went over to the other side of the
street, and fell again. Witness thinks he
was carried off. Just afterward saw SOL
ders. Sent to the Libby, and soldiers
were sent to the relief. When soldiers
came, crowd was we'll dispersed. They pa
troled the streets and made arrests.
Policeman Sweeney testified that on
Saturday night, near about 10 o'clock, he
heard noise near the corner Of Twenty
fifth and Main streets. He proceeded in
the direction from which the noise came,
and found Doctor Banks and Aaron Sharp
engaged in difficulty. He told Doctor
Banks, who was making the noise, that he
must keep quiet on the street at night.
Banks said, &c d it, I'm not making
any noise; you are making the noise"
Witness took hold of Banks, who said,
"What business have you to insult me,
G. d itw Went on towards the sta
tion-house with prisoner, followed by six
ueSlOtS, W Niioih PoiiSShiah i"hhi'h
turned and said, You see we have given
this man an opportunity to behave him
self" When they reached the corner of
Twenty fifth street the prisoner stopped,
and said he be Cd if he would walk
an inch further" and resisted strenu-
ously, putting his hand in his pocket as if
to get knife. Witness, as soon as he saw
this, struck him with his club. At
this time Short reached over and
caught witness by the collar, and
remarked, "God d--n it, don't strike that
man." lie (ShorD was then knocked
down by Sweeney. In the mean time,
policeman Franklin, who had stopped be-
hind to keep the crowd quiet, came up,
and Sweeney seized Banks, and Franklin
Short. Banks, with both hands, attempted
to wrest Sweency's pistol, and would not
let 90 until Sweeney threatened to shoot
him. The negroes called out, "Fall in :,
fall in and the crowd increased.
O'Dwyer, Allen, and Engel, policemen,
came up at this time and seized Short,
who was making desperate resistance, and
started to the statiOn-honse. As they did
so, several pistol shots were fired and
a number of bricks thrown at them.
L
the station house. Short was rescued, and
afterwards arrested by the soldiers.
Policeman Franklin testified that on
Saturday night he met policeman Swee-
ney on his beat near Twenty sixth street.
Sweeney remarked that there was a party
of colored boys near by vino were disposed
to be quarrcsome. Witness thought he
had better remain with him awhile, as a
row might occur. Shortly afterwards
party of colored men passed by, and Banks
and Sharp began to make a great noise.
Sweeney went up and said to them po.
ltely that they must not make so much
noise on the street at night. Banks said
&C d it, who is making more noise
than you arc' Policeman Sweeney ar
rested him and he said to him that he
didn't intend to be insulted on the streets.
Sweeney started on with him, and witness
walked behind to keep the crowd quiet.
The witness, when the disturbance com-
menced, had his club wrenched out of his
hand, and was struck with it by Sharp.
Just after he was struck, the crowd com
menced to throw bricks and fire pistols at
the police.
Corporal Forester gave the same evil
dence that he gave on Monday. He was
among the party who went from the Libby
to help quiet the disturbance. When he
went up to Main street he heard among
the crowd near Twentieth street: 1--WE
have made some Of those d-n policemen
suffer, and if the d-n soldiers interfere,
well do them the same way"
Policeman Engel corroborated the state
ments OF the other witnesses. He was
struck twice On the side of his face by
Short.
Henry Rose and - Brizzolari said that
Holloway was in BriZzolari's store, and had
nothing to do with the disturbance. A
witness for the prosecution, however,
having sworn that he recognized him as
one of the men who struck policeman
O'Dwyer, his Honor continued his case
until to-day. Banks and Short were sent
on. All three were offered bail.
THE SUNDAY SCHOOLS OF RICHMOND.
Within the last few days the Dispatch has
furnished its readers with full reports of
the state of the Sabbath schools connected
with the four principal denominations in
this city. As desire has been expressed
to know their relative strength as com
pared with the last year, We have CON-
piled the following table for the informa-
ton of any who may be Interested:
Officers and Teachers. Scholars.
ls66 1867. 1860. 1867.
Methodist 2Is 222 l,lso i,2l5
Presbyterian, ~ ss 4sl o59