The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-11-08
THF DANVILLE RIOT.
eaa s.s
It's Origin and Result.
special TO the NIEGINIAN.l

special 10 The NIRGINIAN.
DANvILLE. VA, Nov. 5-S: 90 A. NJ.
About noon Saturday colored man
meeting some white ladies on Main street,
stepped out of the way and in doing so
accidentally trod on the foot of a white
man. The negro promptly explained the
cause of the accident, but. the white man
was not satisfied and struck the negro who
knocked his assailant out into the street.
Three hours later the parties met again
near the same place, and the white man,
accompanied by several friends. assaulted
the negro and beat him severely, while
two white men with drawn pistols kept
the crowd, mostly colored people, from in
terfering. A cOlored man attempted to
take the pistol from one of the white
men and in the scutfie the white man fell
+ into the gutter. He arose and fired with
out effect Immediately several other pis-
tolls were drawn by white men gathered at
the scene and the colored people began to
dispense rapidly. When three shots were
heard acrowd Of white men and youths as
semped rapidly from adjacent points on
the street and opened an indiscrimate
| fire upon the colored people who were run
ming in every direction. One colored man
was met hundred yards from the fight
and deliberately shot dead by white man
approaching the excited crowd. The shoot
| ING was soon over. The number of shots
| is estimated at from fifty to two hundred,
and it does not appear that any negroes
fired at their white assailants. The result
of the shooting, so far as known, is SIX
| negroes killed and ten or more wounded.
| One white man at a distance was wounded
| by stray shot; one white man engaged
| in firing was hit accidentally by his
friends in the rear. 1t is q wonder
that more were not hurt as the crowd
of idle people on the street was large rs 1t
usually is on Saturday evening. For near
ly a half hour after the firing began men
and youths, armed with shot-guns, rifles
and pistols, came rushing as if by concert
| from all parts of the City to Main street.
| The excitement was intense and their
wrath furious. The fire bell was rung. the
military called out. patrols detailed fol
| the streets and the riot act read to the eX-
| cited crowd. Col. Cabell and other Demo
Gratis addressed the excited people and
urged peace. Gradually the excitement
subsidized, the negroes having disappeared
| from the street. The churches were clos
ed yesterday and crowds of white people
were dispersed by the reading of the
riot act. THE city is patroled by soldiers
and armed citizens and is virtually under
Martial law, and will probably remain so
until after the election.
The Mayor. Judge and Sheriff, in coun
sci with Col. Cabell and other leading dem
ocrate, are making all necessary arrange.
ments to preserve the peace and lives OF
our citizens. All good men OF both color:
deplore this unprovoked assault on de
fenceless people. The democrats attrib
ute the riot to Col. Sims speech OF Frida,
night, while Readjusters read in it the log
ical result of the utterances of such papers
as the Times, and the resolutions ant
speeches of democratic clubs for week
| mast T..