The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-11-22
DANVILLE AFFAIR,
COL. SIMS ON THE MASSACRE
or the SsgrOss-Ths Bulldc1laE Hsthod, of the
virginia BourbonE-Hurdsr, Intimidation and
Fraud-Ths Testimony OF Han Who was
onths Grouad-A In LEGENDARY % Speech.

virginia BourbonS-nurdsr, Intimidation and
Fraud-Ths Testimony Of Han Who was
onthe Grouad-la Incendlary % Speech.
WASHINGTON, D. G., November 2l.-Tht
Republican Of to-day prints the following
The Hon. William E. Sims, the Readiustei
candidate for the State Senate Of Virgins
in Pittsylvania county, in which Danvills
is situated, being in the city on private
business, was interviewed by representa-
i've Of the National Republican. He Is
native Of Virginia, and has acted with the
conservative or Democratic party unit
1882. He stated upon this point that he
did not support the Readiuster party &C
long as tue debt question was an open one
but that when 1t was settled by law ht
very cheeriully gave his support TO Gen
Malone and his political associates, be
cause in them he believed was tho only
hope for the State. Nothing" said he
"could be hoped from the Bourbon party
for the advancement OF the State" Col
Sims Is q lawyer Of ability, and was last
year the candidate OF the Readjuster party
ior Congress against Mr.. Cabell. He made
an able canvass, but was defeated, as was
well nigh certain from the start would be
the case.
In the recent campaign he was the
chairman OF the committee OF his party,
and month before election made return
to State headquarters OF the strength of
the parties respectively. He SAYS that the
canvass showed majority OF 265 for his
party, and that he can prove specifically
that in the election he was, by force, in
timidation, and fraud, deprived Of votes
which can be named, and which, had they
been given him, would have given him
256 votes, being within nine Of his can
vass.
In reply to the question as to whether
he found any difficulty in establishing
facts and collecting evidence since the
election he said: II have been actively
engaged in getting together evidence in
places outside OF DAnville, because the
work there was oil character that could
be delayed. shall commence taking tes-
timony there on Thursday"
ave have been teld that no one there
would administer an oath. Has that been
the easel"
TRRRoRlzED COUNTRY.
"It has. My friends could not induce
any white magistrate in Danville to ad-
minister an oath for the taking Of afiidavits.
went to Chatham, the county seat Of
Pittsylvania county, twelve miles from
Danville, aad called on the commissioner
in chancery to administer oaths, he being
the only we'll inclined person could call
on. He said he could not do It. Iaked
him why. He replied, "You don't know
the condition of the county or you
wouldn't ask me to do Il. The condition
is terrible lie said would be murdered
II went on, and, as a pesce-loving citizen
he besought me 10 desist from the taking oi
any affidavits. I finally had to 60 seven.
teen miles ior magistrate, and those who
had to be sworn had 10 60 that distance to
him." ..
It is the intention OF Col. Sims to insist
upon being himself examined as witness
by the committee Of forty, and to himself
examine before commissioner, in his con.
tested case, such witnesses as can throw the
light OF truth upon the fearful tragedy
which is now the subject Of such painful
interest. t. ~
When he went to Richmond on Sunday,
the 4th, to ask that State troops be sent to
Danvilie, he relied on certain colored
man to distribute his tickets in seven pre-
cincts. A certain Democratic leader In
duced this man to give the tickets into his
custody for three hours, and when the
packages were returned about half dozen
tickets on the top OF each package were
genuine, while the rest were changed. At
two precincts similar fraud was practiced
by collusion with his men. The bogus
tickets were voted ignorantly by number
Of negroes before the fraud was discovered.
VOTERS INrINIDArED.
At three precincts Democrats attended
the polls armed with shotguns and pistols.
At one precinct they discharged guns and
pistols all day to frighten off timid white,
as well as black, Readjusters. To each
one Of these precincts colored man was
sent by the Democrats, on the night before
the election to inform the colored people Of
the Danyille massacre, and to warn them
that ifthey voted the next day their fate
would be the same.
"At Danville, North Danville, and New
Design" he said, "we had about 9, 100 Re-
adjuster voters registered, and intending to
vote our ticket. OF this number only twenty
seven dared to vote, though every effort
was made to induce them to do 30. These
votes, together with others we can account
for by name as deceived by false ballots or
bull.dezsd, would have given US $50 major
ity in the ecounty. AS It was the Democrats
carried 1t by about 1000. They knew per.
fectly well that they were beaten, before
tho Danville murders. The total registered
vote OF the county Ia about 1900"
"Col. Sims, 1t has been said that you
made an incendiary speech on Friday even
ing, the Cd, and that It was the cause Of the
massacre on the following day."
THAT INcESDlARY SPEECH.
"I said nothing whatever Of an incen-
diary character. On the contrary, one ].
P. Harrison had written q letter to me,
which was published, stating that many
colored Readjusters would probably be
threatened by our own colored people and
coerced into voting our ticket. In my
speech took occasion to notice the letter,
and, in the presence OF a thousand colored
and four hundred white people, I told the
colored people that If the charge was true
regretted TO hear II; that the leading prin.
ciple OF our party was free ballot, and
that would condemn any forcible means
10 influence any mans vote, white or col
ored and hoped no colored man would
vote for me under compulsion. I told
them II any such thing was attempted I