National Republican., 1883-11-27
pEMocnAr1c rEsrIMoNY.

What the New York "Tlmes" Calls the
Most intelligent and Seemingly the
Fairest Account OF the DanviIie Butch
cry.
Tho New York Times Of yesterday printed
a three-column letter from its Washington
correspondent, Mr.. Dunnell, dated at Dam
ville, relating to the recent political massacre
which occurred in that town. The most
striking feature OF Mr.. Dunnelrs lotter--and,
as tho Times editorially says, "the most intel
ligent and seemingly the fairest account Of
what took place" is given.by Mr.. Daniel Dug
ger and Corporation Judge John ID. Blackwell,
two democrats who witnessed the fight with
out taking part in two give below:
There were two witnesses of tho shooting
who did not testify before the democratic
committee. These were Daniel Dugger and
Corporation Judge John D. Blackwell, both
democrats They were in second floor
Office, Immediately opposite the spot where
Noell aud Lawson fought and whore the
firing took place. Mr.. Dugger, who is so
years of age swore that he was in Blackwell
q Crumbeoker's Office and heard the cry of
"murder!" Invent immediately TO tho win
dow, and saw, in front of Rufiin, Voolfolk y
Bair's, Noell beating Henso Lawson over tho
head with a small black stick, and the negro
ing. Mr.. Dance stood in the door of the
Office with double-bsrrelled shotgun, in
an attitude of being ready to fire. Mr..
George Lea had pistol. The negro Adams
tried to take 1t away. In trying to got
IL he jerked Lea over. Bob Taylor struck
the negro in the mouth and staggered him
As he arose Lea fired at the negro. / heard
some of the negroes soy That's the man that
shot pointing at Mr.. George Lea. In few
minutes good many white people, both from
up the street and below, came up very much
excited, with pistols, and good many col
ored people had collected too. Il. M. Hatcher
came out on tho street, and right in front of
the colored mon, and halloed: cit, every
ono of youp Some were going away and
others looking on, when he shouted, Stand
by me and Are 7 Then o crowd of white mon
formed across the street and fired on the
several white gentlemen whom l knew
i. Q. Berkeley and John Robin
son-doing their best to prevent
this difficulty, and T. J. Corbin also persuad-
ing the colored people to go away. Then
therewas general firing all over the streets,
up and down. 1 saw after the firing ceased
three colored men-two up near Wiseman's
store and one in the market-lying in the
street dead" He said that he did not see,
either before the firing commenced or after it
had ceased or while it was going on, a single
colored man with o pistol or other firearm in
feet from tho point where the atfray occurred.
. He thought there were 300 or 400 negroes and
100 or 200 white men present. He had al
ways voted the conservative ticket and at
the last election voted the straight demo-
cratic ticket.
Judge Blackwells story is in some respects
like that OF Mr.. Dugger, as the two were in
the same room and looked from the same
window. He saw Lawson being beaten by
Noell, holding his hands over his head and
trying to ward off the blows of a stick, while
he cried Murder ~ as loud as he could bawl
He also saw the men Taylor and Lea with the
pistols saw Lea fire at the negro who at
tempted to take his away from him, and then
saw twelve or fifteen white men arrange
themselves as If spontaneously, chiefly along
the sidewalk, but two or three at the upper
end of the line somewhat out in the street.
This arrangement has been made with sur
prising quickness. The line presented their
pistols. The negroes turned to run, but by the
time they got their backs fairly turned the line
fired volleylas nearly together as If they had
been soldiers. After this volley had been fired
the firing continued rapidly and continuously,
as If each was firing as nsquickly as he could.
suppose not loss than a hundred shots were
fired in all, but not single shot, so far as l
could see, took effect. Not one appeared to
be hurt, very much to my surprise. The
negroes ran so rapidly that they almost in
stantly vanished from my Wow, and saw
nothing more of them. George Lea was the
only man in the line / recognized as firing.
saw Capt w. P. Graves Zone of the signers
of the ciroular) standing at the corner of
Main and North Market street, little below
the middle of North Market, who rapidly
fired two shots-one apparently toward the
front of Nicholas & Hessberg's saloon, the
other down North Market strcet--and then,
turning rapidly, he fired a shot across Main
street. l could not see who or what he shot
at. At no time did see negro with any
weapon whatever"