Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1870-03-25
Excitement in Richmond.

nor Walker, as we stated In our last, APP
pointed a new council for the city of Rich
mond.
This enabling act was passed by the Leg
~islature to carry out the 22nd section Of the
9th article of the Constitution. which is. as
follows:
"The manner OF conducting and making
returns of election. of determining contested
elections, and of filling vacancies in office
in cases not specially provided for by this
Constitution, shall be prescribed by law !;
and the General Assembly may declare the
cases in which any office shall be deemed
vacant where no provision is made for the
purpose in this Constitution" 3.
The new city council appointed by Gov.
Walker, qualified and proceeded TO the cleo
ton of a Mayor, Chief of Police and other
officers on Wednesday Of last week. Henry
K. Ellyson was elected Mayor and Major
Poe Chief of Police. On Thursday morn
ing Major Poe called at the lower Station
House and applied for possession, which
was refused. On the same day Mayor Ell
Tyson applied by letter to ex-Mayor Chahoon
for the Mayors office, books &c. and was
likewise refused, ex-Mayor Chahoon reply
ing that he was the lawful Mayor and would
not yield until elected, evidently planning to
compel the exercise Of force and give extra
pabulum for more Radical interference in
the affairs of Virginia. Nor did he stop
here, but swore in q number of special police,
many of them deluded colored men, and
armed them and fortified himself in the low
er Station House. Mayor Ellyson also swore
in a large number Of extra police, the old
police force being about equally divided be-
tween the ex-Mayor and himself, surround
ed the lower Station House, and cut of the
water, light and whiskey from the Chahoon
party, who remained in their state Of siege
36 hours, when Gen, Candy sent a detach-
ment Of troops to the scene and took possess
sion, as he stated for the purpose Of preserv-
ing the peace only, and allowing free egress
and ingress to all who had business, but
virtually leaving ex-Mayor Chahoon in
possession.
During the siege Chahoon demanded as
s~istance from the Governor, who declined
to grant it, but positively asserted his rec
ognition of Mr.. Ellyson as the lawfully cleo
ted Mayor.
Failing in this the Chahoon party tried a
flank movement, by getting an U. S. COM
missioner to apply to see Commissioner
Chahoon, which was refused, Mayor Ely
son having given orders to allow no one to
enter the building, but to allow the egress
Of any, and the commissioner was told that
commissioner Chahoon could come out I'M
hindered and see him. This did not suit
the anxious commissioner and Messrs Ely
son, Poe and others were arrested by the
U. S. Marshall for impeding the ccmmis.
sioner in his duties, but Gen. Candy having
interfered they were bailed to appear at a
future day before commissioner Jenkins.
After Gen. Candy took possession on
Friday evening, Maj. PIE and his police
left, jecred by the crowd Of idle negroes,
who also threw a number Of missiles al them,
when the police fred upon and wounded
several negroes. Previous to this an order
having been given to clear the streets, which
the police proceeded to DO, when a negro
man refused to move on and struck the
policeman, who Immediately fred upon and
killed him.
The council, on Friday night, abolished
the station house held by Chahoon's police
and established those designated by Mayor
Ellyson and authorized him to hold his court
in the City Hall, which was in his posses
sion. and pledged themselves to sustain
Mayor Ellyson in his efforts to maintain the
peace of the city against the rebellions ex-
Mayor and his cohorts.
Chahoon held his court in the lower Sta
! ton House and Mayor Ellyson in the City
Hall on Saturday morning and Mayor
Ellyson's police had possession Of all the
beats having arrested, disarmed and relieved
of their badges all the police of Chahoon
found on the streets
At noon the second Station House was
surrendered to Ellygon's police.
During the day, Fl. A. Wise and H. Fl.
Wells, counsel for Chahoon, having applied
for an injunction to judge Underwood, the
following order was served upon Mayor
Ellyson, Maj. Poe and others:
On reading and fling the within bill Of
complaint, it is ordered that the motion
for Injunction therein prayed be set for
hearing on Wednesday, the 23d day Of
March, 1870, at 10 o'clock A. NJ in the
city of Richmond, and that four days notice
of said motion be served upon each or such
of said defendants as can be found within the
city Of Richmond.
[Signed1 s'JoHN C. UNDERWOOD,
March le, 1870. District Judge"
You will also please take notice that the
said motion for Injunction will be brought
on for hearing at the United States court
room in the city of the Richmond on We'd
nesday. March 23d, 1870, at 10 o'clock A.
NJ. or as soon thereafter as counsel can be
heard.
GEORGE CHAuooN. Complainant.
FL. Fl. Wells, Henry A. Wise, Solicitors
and Counsellors for Complainant.
Chahoon had in the mean time fortified
himself in the Third Street Engine House,
with provisions and ammunition for forty