National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-03-24
THE CYLINDER CASE.
How Coiored Men

How Colored Men are Arrested In Virginia.
In your issue of this morning March 81,
1879 you published series of resolutions, &C.,
signed by no one that are so UNANIMOUSLY false
and malicious that must beg you TO give me
space for the following true version of tho case;
Felix Quander is an old colored man who has
raised large family, was always free, and has
acquired respectable little property, consist
ing Of nearly fifteen ACRES of ground with
orchard team, CATTLE poultry, SC. Quander
lives about nineteen miles from Washington,
on the Mount Vernon road and either in per-
son or by some one of his family has been
bringing garden truck, fruit and other prod.
ucts of his place to the Washington markets
about thrco, times week for many years--in
fact, ever since the war. He has attended to
his own business, respected himself, partially
educated his children, and tried to live such a
life as would compel his neighbors to respect
him and his family.
good many years ago horse belonging to
MI Quauder got out and trespassed upon the
property of ono Richard Roberts, white man,
who 1t seems took him up. Looking for his
horse, ho found him and took him home
whereupon Roberts swOre out q warrant aud
placed It In the hands of one Korby, who
gathered up large body Of armed men and
came, with terrible uproar, shooting, yelling,
warned Of the danger, he left his house as the
mob reached it. This was contortcd into re.
sisting an officer, for which he was tried aud
sent to prison.
Five weeks ago to-day Mrs. Quander and her
son came to Washington with some chickens
and other things for market, arriving here
before eight Almost rs soon as they arrived
a man named John Truax, who lives near
Woodlawn, on the road known rs the old Gum
Spring track, IN Fairfax County, Va, about
nine miles from Alexandria, in n different
direction from Quander's place, and not
nearer than six miles to Quanders, ordered a
policeman to land he did arrest the old woman
and her son, locked them up in the station
house, aud in time swore out warrant against
them, charging them with stealing his chick
ems. When the case was called before His
Honor, Judge Smell, Truax made out no case
and the Judge discharge the prisoners and rep.
rimanded tho accuser.
Not satisfied with Washington Justice, when
lie returned to Virginia this Truax sworc out a
second warrant against these same parties,
again charging them with the same offense.
The warrant was placed in the hands of an
officer, John III. Sartin, to execute. Before at.
tempting to do so this officer summoned to his
aid an armed mob of eighteen ruhians, who,
\ amid yolls, curses threats, cries Of "Lynch him."
calls for the niger to come out, and shooting
| oil guns, accompanied the officer to Quander's
house, arriving on the ground about rolr o'clock
on Sunday morning, When this mob reached
| Quandcrs house, with this noise, shooting and
| threatening, the family were quietly sleeping
| in their beds How a white man would have
dcported himself under the circumstances it
is not hard to guess. But when we take into
| consideration that Quander is a negro, is Of
| that unfortunate race who has been for years
and Is now daily prosecuted whose person,
| property, and house Is not considered sacred
| in the estimation of many Southern gentle
men (?) of u class many of whom, US it is well
known among them has been dragged from
| their lowly homes in the still hours of the
night aud hung to the nearest substantial tree,
after being shot full of lead, for 10 other cause
than because they are not white. 1t would
| take q better guesser than / am to even imag.
Inc what his thoughts were on being so rudely
awakened on that holy Sabbath morning by
this din.
Quander refused to come out and be lynched
so this posse cOnitdtuS of eighteen armed gen.
tlemen, surrounded this little house, contain
ing one old man, one old woman, two nearly.
grown boys, three half-grOwn girls one Of
whom was sick, and three small children, al
armed with one loaded musket, without a cap
one empty musket, and an old axe, and SEN
oil for renfOrcements. After this brave mol
was reinforced to thirty three they bravely at
tackled the house, shooting in through doors
windows, knOt-holes, and every creviCe they
J could see until there was not window left II
the house and the door was broken from tn,
hinges then set fire to the house and other
wise amused themselves until about five o clocl
in the evening, when, having wounded
greater part of the family (sOme seriously
they quietly walked in and arrested the fam
lily and ransacked the house. During the earl!
part of the day the house became so dangerou
that the family sought safety by coming out
but were soon driven back into the house, tOu
of them receiving shots from the enemy.
When arrested, tho family were all put int
II wagons and hauled to near Alexandria, and al
:. though one Of the boys was supposed to be dy
! ing, nothing was done for them they had n
, medical treatment, and to know how badl
u one of the boys was injured it is only neces
9 sary to inquire of DR.. Morgan, Oh f street, nea
i Ninth, in Washington. In the morning Jus
a tice Kerby examined the warrant on whic
, the Quanders had been arrested. 1t was issue
for the arrest of Joseph Quandcr and Jul.
Quander, and all known persons. Justice Kel
d by said he never issued this warrant, and rep
: rehended the manner of the arrest and tn
. way the parties had been shot to pieces From
y Esquire Kerby's the family were taken to Il;
r quire Thomas Brown, and when the chicke
!. question was brought up Justice Brown dc
n cared that Truax had failed to make his cast
!. Whereupon warrants were procured agains
h the family for resisting an officer, and the
were put under bond to appear before til
. court ut Fairfax Court House. The family az
q pearcd at Fairfax Court.IIouse this last Mon
q day, the 18th instant, and were sent homo 0
: their own recOgnizancc.
4 The resoluters whose Nominations you CAV
o light and air to this morning are evidentl
{. none others than the brave posse conlitdtuS
v armed mob who behaved so CALAMITY at til
/ battle of Quander House on Sunday, Februar
. 49, 1879. Very respectfully,
o FELIX QUANDER.
,s
. A GenL's Solid Cold