The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-11-14
TIE CRIME IN VIRGINIA.

TIE CRIME IN VIRGINIA.
AS later advices come in, the evidence of
reign of terror in Virginia presents an ir-
REPUTABLE cnain of proofs. 1t is more than
plain that the DAnville massacre was delib-
erately planned, and set for date 50 late
that, while its terrifying effects would be
felt all over the State, there was no time left
to correct them and to show up the outrage
in its true light. A man in Baltimore
store, four days before the tragedy at Dan
vile, was told that during his brief stay in
the store seven orders for firearms had been
received from Danyille by that firm alone.
The arrangements for disseminating informa
ton of "the colored uprising at Danville
were perfected in October, and circulars were
them out until the proper time. On cleo
ton day dispatches were sent from Danville
saying that the white men were standing in
their doorways, with shotguns, protecting
their wives from violence at the
hands of the negroes; and they did
not dare to leave their homes to go to
the polls. These infamous roorbacks
were printed, and fell as thick as snowAakes
around the streets of the remote towns of
the southwest The Bourbons in these To-
calites would take them and hold them up
to conservative white Readjusters, and would
say: Are you white MANI Well, if you are,
here is the evidence that the fight has come
down between the white race and its enemies.
Which side are you on?'' In all portions of
the State the policy of intimidation was
practiced against colored men, and preju-
dice was appealed to among the whites.
Shortly before the election man in Madi-
son county, discharged two colored servants
Democratic ticket He afterwards followed
them upysnd, shot one dead. At Stanton a
negro STOOD 6p\ the sidewalk, looking down
to the ground, when man came along with
a shotgun and when within about ten feet
of him exclaimed loudly, 'Tll kill any
id niger that insults ME, leveled his gun
and discharged the contents of it into the
negros abdomen. This murderous act was
! without provocation, for the assailant and
he had never met before, and no word, look
or gesture passed between them before the
shooting. Ut was simply an outbreak of mad
rage because some men had been created
black.
A reliable man telegraphed from Floyd
Court5hoiise96n election day as follows:
| 81 just arrived here, and learn that the
| Bourbon-Funders introduced the Ku-klux
shotgun policy in this county to-day by
sending some of their clan TO make raids
upon innocent, law-abiding citizens. Mr..
Alex. Noen was shot twice this day, while
out in his field, because he was Readjuster
and would not agree to vote the Bourbon
Funder ticket. The tool selected to do this
dirty deed was man by the name OF Prince
e. Short" ~d7trtT ee-
An idea of the effect of the Danville mas
sacre may be had from the following show
ing the number of colored voters registered
and the number of colored voters who went
to the ballot-box:
"Colored voters registered,n Danville and
present on Saturday morning. Nov. 3. 1883,
/ ,301; colored votes cast Nov. 6, 1883. 81; not
at the polls, 1870. OF these 1870 not less
than 300 are reported ard believed to have
left the town by Monday morning. The rest
refused to go to the polls when they saw on
guard many of the men who were firing at
negroes on Saturday.
North Danviile and New Design precincts
were terrorized as well as Danvile Colored
voters registered in North Danville and pres
ent Saturday, Nov 8, 235. Colored votes cast
(Democratic) 3.
"Colored voters registered at New Design
and present on Saturday, Nov. 3, 465, Colored
vote cast (Readiuster l."
The iniamy of the crime against popular
fully known. The men who shot down de-
fenseless negroes to keep them from voting
would not hesitate to cut throats in order to
defeat testimony and save their own reputa-
tons. 1t is an insult to intelligence to ask
that sensible men believe that the murders at
Danville were not the result of precoucerted
devilishness on the part of the men and the
party who are determined to rule or ruin,
and who have sworn that Virginia shall be
"a white mans government" Where is
there a real, true American citizen so pusil-
luminous as to prefer that this reign of in
timidation and murder should be made per-
manent rather than to give support to
movement that has the promise Of a free
suffrage in it, even if some of its supporters
may have been given bad name by these
same bloody assassins?
Pooh Spain, struggling along with the rear
guard of European nations, feels fattered
and elated over the attention she is receiving
from Germany. She is foolish enough to