Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1883-11-10
A RIOT IN VIRGINIA.

fight in Virginia between Malone and
his opponents was Il riot in the streets OF
Danville, Va, last saturday, in which
six ,nen were killed and q number wound
ed. The negroes have majority of votes
in Danville, and ut their charter election
last year they elected a coalition ticket,
which was exceedingly distastcful to the
regular democrats, who comprise nearly
all the worth, wealth and responsibility
Of the town.
Recently the democrats issued circu-
lar, signed by twenty-eight wealthy and
respectable men and firms, depicting the
condition of affairs in the city. Friday
night Col. William 4. Sims, coalition
candidate for State Senate, made m OPEN
air speech. Having advertised before
hand that lie would answer the circular
aforesaid, a tremendous crowd attended,
comprising nearly 4 thousand negroes
and several hundred white men, among
whom were several signers of the oir-
cular. lie read the circular by para
graphs, ridiculed and cOntradicted the
correctness of each, and then read the
names Of the signers, ridiculing each one
separately, and finally pronouacing them,
Jointly and severally, liars, scoundrels
and towards. No more bitter and denun-
ciatory speech has ever been delivered in
Virginia. 1t greatly inflamed the whites
and excited the negroes, but no violence
was done.
Saturday afternoon 4 mass-meeting of
the democrats was held in the Opera
House, which passed csolutions denounc-
ing Col. Sims speech rs incendiary and
inflammatory, calculated, rs they believed
intended, to incite riot and bloodshed,
and cOngratulating the conservative peo-
pie of the town that Notwithstanding
such provocatiOn they had restrained
from violence. Another resolution en-
dorscd the business mems circular rs sub
stantially true, all denials to the contrary
notwithstanding. These resolutions were
passed by those present, to the number of
about six hundred.
Meantime the street in front of and adj
jacent to the building was thrOnged by
tremendous crowd of negroes just released
from work i'm the factories for their, usual
Saturday half holiday. Some of these
negroes, partly intoxicated, jeered at
some of the whites who passed into the
building. A young white man, Charles
F. Noel, passing up the street about
block above the Opera House, with COM
paniom, encountered two negro men, one
of whom trod on his toes. Noel stopped
and the negro Immediately apologized.
CHATS all right then, said Noel. The
Negroes companion, who was consider
ably Intoxicated, said, "S'pOse it amt all
right, what are you doing about it," ut
the same time drawing pistol. Noel
and his companion were unarmed and
went on, but presently returned--Noel
armed with q whip and his companion
with pistol. A quarrel ensued between
Noel and the negro, whose name is Hens
Lawson. who had drawn the pistol, and
now struck Noel with his fist. Noel
thereupon STRUCK the negro with the butt
of the whip and punished him quite Sc
verely. Meantime 4 large crowd of ne
groes gathered around the scene and at
tempted to interfere, but were kept back
by Nocl's companion with pistol in his
hand. Presently an athletic negro in the
crowd attempted to snatch the pistol from
his hand lie failed to do this, but in the
struggle the white man was thrown into
the gutter, still retaining the pistol.
The negro then ran of, but tie white
man raising, fired his pistol ut him as he
ran, but without effect. At the pistol
shot the negroes generally scampercd i'll
every direction. Noel and his compan-
ion then went on their way, as did also
the negro whom Noel had punished. For
at least ten minutes thereafter quietudc
was maintained, though number of
white men coming from the masS-mecting
collected arownt. the scene of the fight.
A large crowd of negroes also again gath
cred there, they being in the road and the
whites on the sidewalk. The excitement
of both races became intense, and several
Of the negroes displayed pistols and dared
the white men to come on.
Immediately piStOl-shot was fired,
some say by white man and others bya
negro, and thereupon instantly cnsuod
fusilade of pistol shooting, in which about
one hundred shots were fired. The ne
groes again scampered in every direction
and in less than two minutes the street
was clear of them. The whites continued
to hold their gIound, and scores of other
white men appeared in the streets armed
with shotguns and pistols. These pat
rolled the streets, but did no shooting.
The fire-bell was sounded and hundreds
of white men turned out, many of them
armed. Mayor Johnstone, who was sick,
now appeared upon the scene and ordered
out the one white military company in the
town, and this company then patrolled
the town to restore and preserve order.
OF the whites three men were seriously
wounded, and and among the negroes
were six killed, besides large number
wounded.
A Blnsphcner's Fate.