Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1883-08-22
Outrageous Piece of Tyranny
To the peop7e of Viro;nio.

am young citizen of the cid Common
wealth Of Vngini', having but recent
ly attain d my majority ; have never
yet exercised tie franchise pertaiuin G
to the citizen, but | have been taught
the difference between right and
wronge and knowing the right, ]
have dared to pursue it, and, alas, have
reaped the consequences.
| have been upon the Norfolk and
Western Railroad upon its eastern
Dlv!sion-as express messenger and
baggage agent, for about ten months,
under bond of $4,000. l was en-
ployed by the syndicate of gentlemen
who bought it and paid for it. l
looked to them for my situation and
pay, and to NJ one else. But it seems
that one General Mahone-a monde
script has the power to control at
least its Eastern Division, and that hes
has an agent, in the person of his ne
gro porter, who can make and uumake
as he pleaseS.
In order that the people and my
friends may know the means by which
Mr.. Mahone's henchmen seek to OBJ
tain their living, respectfully state
the following facts, ard no amount Of
lying upon their part shall avail them.
What l state is true, and if they
have particle Of principle they will
acknowledge it Notwithstanding their
fear of the whip Malone holds over
them.
On the LIST of August I left Norfolk
for Lynchburg, with the usual bag
gage and express. Upon reaching
Petersburg-they lay over about
twenty muutes-I was busily enga-
ged in settling up with the agent at
Petersburg, when Mahone's porter
came to me and Inquired about some
fish for Mr.. Malone. l told him that
| had 40 fish for the General. He
went away, and afterwards came
back, got into my car and commenced
nosing around, and in very abrupt
and surly manner said: "There are
fish here, sir, for the General got a
dispatch ,b ut them" l replied,
"There are no fish here for General
Malone or anybody else,' and told
him to leave my car, and had to
put him out. When upon the outside
he came to my side door, and shaking
his finger in my face, said: "Young
man, I'm to have you turned off for
this" and sure enough he did.
The conductor and train hands have
told my father and friends did exact
ly right. My own conscience tells
me | am right ; aud if this thing had
occurred outside of Petersburg, and
not amid the atmosphere of MahoDe's
influence, would have been commen-
ded. But Mahones ipse dlxlt is law
and go,pel with his benchmen even
when the clamor Of an insolent negro
demands that his dignity must be
maintained at the expense Of that Of
a white man,
Mr., Malone aud his henchmen have
the proud satisfaction of depriving me
of a situation, and my dear mother of
my aid, help and assistance. But God
will right it all.
Respectfully,
WILLIAM 7 BoHANNoN,
GIT Washington street.
Lynchburg, Va.
n. B.-My car is my castle, and by
rules, usage and custom, no one is al
lowed in it, and I was maintaining
the integrity of the company as well
as that Of myself. But, presto change,
Maboue's porter is the boss, and l
and my bondsmen must succumb or
pay forfeit.
Upon investig cation it turned out
that the fish had been given to the
clre Of the mail route agen t, who had
them in charge, but whether the gen..
eral paid postage upon them know
not. Mr.. Malone uses the mail and
other cars Of the Norfolk and Western
Railroad ad lIbitum for his own use
aud behoof without charge, even to
the transportation Of his sous regattA
equipments, friends aud liquors, tax
ing up the express and baggage cars
for their regalement while IN trausitu.
Upon remonstrance was told to keep |
still it was all right. Can his hench-
men deny this ? W. F. B.
In printing the above We take the |
liberty of supplying an omission,
giving the details of his discharge, as
narrated by him to several persons in
this city, as follows After the affair
Mr.. b. proceeded 10 Lynchburg but
on the down trip be was sent for to
the ofice of Captain N. NJ, Osborne,
Superintendent OF the Eastern Divis
ion, and found General Mahone sitting
in the Office. Being told to do 80,
Mr.. Bohannon gave a history Of the
affair, and was lectured by Captain
Oshorno f,r bo,,i,,o loot he to..,,>o. |