Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-07-21
A MHITEwAsHED NEGRO.
Brutal Treatment Of an cid
DarIKyEs One OF Ihs staIwarls.
Wilmington DELI Every Evening, l6.I

Wilmington DELI Every Evening, 16.l
The whitewasliing of the negro
Elijah Townsend, briefly reported
yesterday, was a more aggravated pro-
ceeding than appeared on the surface.
The perpetrators Of this scurvy trick
IN a helpless old colored man were
David w. Chandler, who keeps coal
yard at Fifth and Spruce streets, and
William D Sparks, brick layer and
ex-contractor. According to the
stories told by some children who
saw the proceeding, and admitted in
the main by Sparks, the two men got
the negro helplessly drunk, then tax
ing him into Chambers coal yard, tied
him to a post by a rope around his
neck, and tied his hands behind him
and his feet together. Then dipping
up the whitcwash in cup or can one
OF them held the vessel over his head
and allowed the contents to run down
over his neck, filling his woody hair
and beard with the lime and also al
lowing it to run over his right eye and
into his mouth. They further re-
moved some of his clothing and ap-
piled the lime to his person, and
smeared it over his hat and clothes.
The negro was too stupidity drunk
to know or care much about these
proceedings, but the sight of the white
washed negro soon drew such crowd
of children that Sparks and Chandler
placed him in shed and the latter
telephoned for a policeman to come
down and dispense the increasing mob
of juveniles. Workmen In the rolling
mills and railroad shops returning
from their dinners also swelled the
throng and were so loud in their con-
demnation Of the dastardly deed as to
make the practical jokers-for Sparks
and Chandler appear to have been
actuated by no other motive than pure
deviltry-feel very uncomfortable.
In answer to the telephone message,
Sergeant Jones came down and, after
gathering some information, had the
negro removed to the police station,
where they worked upon him until
they had removed the worst Of the
whitewash Some Of this had got into
his eyes and had already made them
so sore that, had the cleansing been
neglected much longer, his sightwould
have been seriously endangered.
The sergeant then started out after
Sparks and succeeded in arresting him
after some trouble. Sparks was in
olined to treat the matter as of trihing
consequence, but after the officer had
given him to understand that he must
appear before the Mayor that evening
he promised to do SO and kept his
word.
Chandler, whose full completely in
the job was either not fully known or
not clearly susceptible of proof at the
time, was summoned to appear as a
witness, but he was not present at the
hearing, when his name was called,
and friend of his answered that he
had left town.
The trial drew as large crowd as
could get within hearing distance.
After the examination of a number of
witnesses, Sparks made a statement.
He looked upon the matter as pretty
good joke, and said that Chandler was
as deep IN the mud as he was in the
mire. The negro came to the latter s
Office about half drunk, and Sparks
proposed to Chandler that they should
make Democrat" of bin, to which
Chandler agreed. Then they admin
istored two more glasses of whisky to
the befuddled African, and followed
this by the whitewashing. He did
not think that the negro was much
the worse for the operation, and, seem
ing to think that the negro cared more
for his clothing than his smarting face
and eyes. He explained that Cband
Ter was responsible for all the lime
smesred on his clothes, and that he
(Sparks) only applied the whitewash
to the negro's skin, and was careful
not to soil his clothing with it.
Mayor Almond gave Sparks a good
talking to, telling him that he should
give him the whole extent of the law
and that he was sorry that he could
not send him to Jail for six months
He then imposed fine of $40 and
costs, and directed Sparks to furnish
bail in the sum Of $500 for his future
good behavior toward the darby.
Not having the money about. him,
Sparks loftily said that he would be up
in the morning and pay his fine and
was about to walk out when the Chief
informe4 him that they did not do
business in that way and he would
either plank down the cash or walk
into q cell. Astonished and indig-
nant Sparks attempted to demonstrate,
and, when approached by the officers,
to resist, as a result Of which he was
unceremoniously hustled, protesting
and struggling, behind the bars.
There he remained for over an hour,
when his fine was paid and he was
released.
Sparks is, and always has been, a
straightout Republican, and was very
ofiicious as a deputy provost marshal
during the war, pompously leading
squads Of soldiers to search the houses
OF and arrest better men who we're
charged with not being "trooly loil +"
He was worth considerable property
at one time, but being addicted to
drink, lost most oft.
Chandler is classed as an Independ-
ent in politics. Neither party claims
him, Democrats saying that he votes
the Republican ticket and 'Republi.
cans the reverse but it is admitted