Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-11-10
.VIRGINfA'SRACE CONTEST
A CORRESPONDENT LAYS THE
BLAME ON THE WHITES.

BLAME ON THE WHITES.
The Number of Deaths Reported Much
Larger than was at First Announced
Indiscrininate Slaughter Charged
The Whites of Southampton County
Fearful of BIoOdthirsty Uprising
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 9.-The Press to-
morrow morning will print statement OF
the situation in Virginia and an account
OF the murders at Danville, in that State.
gathered by Frank A. Burr. Che we'll
known writer upon its staff. The writer
says that upon information gathered from
leading men bitterly opposed to Malone
1t is apparent that on Saturday
evening while the negroes were pur-
chasing their marketing for Sunday a
personal quarrel between white and col
Ofed man was taken advantage of in in
flaming the state of the public mind. and
the whites, assuming that it was of a pol
ltlcal nature, began an indiscriminate fir
ing upon the blacks. The article saws
that the assailants agree that I negroes
were killed and 20 were wounded,
but that testimony is abundant that
more than twice that number were killed
and wounded. The article is in reply to
criticisms of the Richmond papers upon
the writer's account of the situation in
that State upon the eve of the recent cleo
ton. The following is the most important
part OF the article in relation to the Dan
vile massacre:
Il took this course: Almost Immediately
upon my arrival in Richmond telegraphed
to Maj. W. L. Sutherlen asking him to
give by wire for the Press his opinion of
the Danville riot, its political signif-
cance, etc. Maj. Sutherlen is a man of
large wealth, high position, conservative
views and is a bitter opponent of
MahOne's. l did not receive a reply
from him until too late to use that night
but pursuing my inquiries among the
enemies Of the COalitionists, / learned
from State Senator Atkinson. who repre-
sents the city of Richmond IN the Virginia
Legislature. as well as other leading
Democrats, that the real facts as
TO the extent Of the slaughter
at Danville could not then be obtained.
Senator Atkinson had just returned from
Danvllle an hour before, and he kindly
gave me all the facts which he had been
able to gather there. From him, as well
as other leaders, l learned that the riot had
no political significance. From all the
testimony l could gather from this class it
appeared that the murders were committed
in the heat of passion. Saturday even
ing is a great occasion in DanVille. The
colOred people receive their pay from
the tobacco factories, and the mar
ket place during the afternoon
of that day is an interesting
feature of that beautiful town. The ne
grOes gather there by the thousands to
buy their supplies for Sunday. When the
marketing was at its height a coIored
man and white man got into an alterca-
ton, WhereupOn a crowd Cf whites
rushed in and opened an in
discriminate fire upon the defenseless
negroes. The assailing party, and those
in sympathy with them, say that were
killed outright and that 20 more were
wounded, but testimony is abundant that
this number does not represent one-half
the harvest of death that afternoon. Not
a white man was hurt by a col
Ored person, and only , were in
jured, and they by accident in
the random firing Of their own friends.
These facts l state entirely upon the
highest authority from friends of those
who committed the assaults. The Coal
ltiOnists claim very much more serious
things, but the admissions of their Oppo-
nentS are bad enOugA.D The Press will
have an editorial article upon the subject
indOrsing the statements of its writer. as
well as his fairness.
PETERSBURG, Nov. 9.-W. II. Morris,
proprietor of the hotel at Wakefield, this
ot6lCs VIM HdS Ueen missing since the
political disturbance at that place on the
night Of the election, and who was
thought by many to have been foully
dealt with, has given himself up to the
authorities. Last evening he had an
examination before the court magistrates
and his case was sent on to the December
term of the court for trial. The charge
against Morris is that of participating in
row and dlScharging his pistol, one shot
from which wounded u w Wbita NTor
rls made his escape and slept during a
part of the night in a hollow tree. The
trouble was caused by Morris, who is a
Readjuster, accusing white Democrats of
stutfing the ballot box.
NORFOLK, VA, Nov. 9.-The white peO-
pie of southampton county are apprehen-
siVe of an outbreak among the negroes.
Ielegrams have been received at Ports
mouth asking tOr assistance in the event
of trouble, and the Mayor has a posse of
citizens ready for summons in case it
should become necessary. Yesterday a
drunken negro told a servant of
white family in that county
that at II O'Clock last night 1000 negroes
intended to slay every white person from
the cradle up in southampton county.
The white men at NewsOme's, Frankly.
BOykins and Branchville were well armed
and sent out scouts to learn what was
going on. Not single negro was to
be seen at their usual places. This
gave color to the reports. The women
and children were taken to the woods,
and a guard placed around them. The
kilograms further state that the negroes
who work around the railroad stations
have not been seen since yesterday after
noon, and the people are preparing to de-
fend their homes. Thus far no intelligence
of trouble has been received here, and it
is impossible to say whether there is
just ground for the existing excitement
and fears. Southampton county was the
scene some years before the war of a
bloody slave insurrectiOn, and it is not
improbable that the traditions of that
time have something to do with the pre-
valling apprehensiOns.
HARRISBURG, VA, Nov. 9.-The coun-
sci for the Democratic candidates to-day
discovered that at Conrad's store precinct
alone 5S votes were cast by persons whose
names were not upon the registration
books. Irregularities in the names of can
didates upon the returns of the judges of
elections were discussed before the Board
of County Canvassers. The board decided
to make the returns without change.
which will certainly give the certificates
of election to KeeZell, Democrat, for the
Senate, and SOurse, Demacrat, for the
House, and possibly to Grattan, Demo-
crat, for the House.