Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-11-17
RACE RIOTS.

A Bloody Collision Between Blacks and
Whites at Danville, va.-Five Negroe,
Slain and Twenty Persons of Both Col.
ors Reported Wounded.
DANvILLE, Va, Nov. 5.-A conflict be
tween a crowdo Of whites and colored persons
occurred Saturday evening. Walter Hol
land, son of c. G. Holland, was shot in
the head, and is supposed to be
MORALLY wounded. Thomas Seward was
shot through the body. Five negroes
were killed, and it is supposed many
are wounded. The beginning Of the CON
flict was the beating by one of the citizens
of a negro who abused another negro for
apologizing for an apparent rudeness, and
spoke roughly about the citizen. Some of
both colors interfered, and a pistol was
knocked out of the hands of one white man
and exploded. Just then the report reached
an assembly of white citizens in
session about political matters, that q
conflict was going OH in the street.
They came out in a body, and both classes
formed in separate crowds. Some of each
crowd were armed. Anumber of negroes
approaching the white crowd called out:
"Shoot, d. you, we had as soon settle
this thing now as any other time" Just
then somebody in the white crowd called
out %"fire!' and the firing began.
The negroes returned the fire and
ran Oh, some firing as they ran. All the
stores We're closed Immediately, and the
alarm bell was sounded and the people came
out with arms. The town sergeant came
out soon after with one of the military com
laniac and commanded f1,a ,,o,,l, -, {l,o
name of the Commonwealth to go home, and
the streets We're soon cleared. The city is now
under the supervision of one Of the military
companies and mount police and the
town sergeant. In response to a message
OF the Governor. offering assistance if need
ed, he was telegraphed that all was quiet and
no farther trouble was ap%prehended. No
arrests have been made as yet. The polit-
ical excitement has been growing more and
more intense during the present campaign
for the Legislature.
Besides the five negroes reported killed, it
is said two others have since died. The
names Of only four have been obtained. and
these are probably all, as follows: Junius
Hall and Ned Davis, servants at the Airing
ton Hotel; Jere Smith and Peter Walters.
The bodies Of those found dead on the
streets were handed over to friends and
taken away.
At eleven o'clock Saturday night, while
R.. M. Hubbard, George Coleman, and p. b.
Gravely, on duty as mounted police, were
passing a house occupied by colored people,
on the outskirts Of the city, they were fired
upon. About twenty shots were given and
returned. Hubbard received several shots
in the hand aud leg and his horse was
wounded in several places. The party ell
tered the building and captured a negro
William Coleman-on whose person wa
found, though he denied having a weapon,
a six-shooter, three barrels of which had
been discharged, and some powder and fuse.
He was lodged i'll Jail. Hubbard is suffer
ing greatly. By agreement no services
were held in the churches Sunday. The
city is under the supervision Of the town
sergeant. The Greys (white company and
volunteers were accepted by the advice Of
Hon. c. G. Cabell, member of Congress,
Il other leading citizens. Town sergeant
James Wood did not call out the colored
military company. The town sergeant
proclaimed nc assemblies on the streets
would be allowed, and requested the people
to go home and remain quiet. Hon. Mr..
Cable and Judge Aiken joined in the re-
| quest.
All is now quiet, but the people of the
city are not without apprehension of further
trouble. About twenty persons in all are
reported wounded.