The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-11-08
The Election In the City.

In the Afternoon OF Tuesday Il seroEs
difficulty occurred on Court street, in front
of the Court House. Daniel CrogIan. Il
young white man of Staunton. shot and
dangerously wounded eolofed man of the
county, and also lodged several small Shot
in the face of another colored man whose
name we cannot learn. 1t is impossible ut
this time to learn any definite particulars
of the affair. Although the crowd around
the place of the shooting was dense, no two
men can be found whose accounts agree.
1T is generally believed to have been the
result of Il drunken man il0urishing Il
loaded gun around. in a ierowd, though
there are those who are disposed to think
that it was Il natural outgrowth of the
race feeling excited by the Danville circu-
lar and others of the same character. AS
there has been no trial as yet, we shall
await the result Of the legal investigation
and the testimony to be adduced then.
before undertaking to give our readers any
account upon which q just opinion could
be based. 1t is agreed upon all sides that
the assault was unprov0ked. the cOlored
man having given no offense either by
word or act.
At the report of the gun and the an
nOuncement that cOlored man had been
shot. great crowds of blacks and whites
surged towards the scene. and for few
moments the utmost confusion prevailed.
Fortunately, however, Mayor Cochran ar
rived just at this time and pressing into
the midst of the crowd appealed to the
men to quietly disburse. He stated that
from all he could learn the shooting was
withoutany excuse whatever, and that he
was determined 60 have the offender pun-
islled to the full extent Of the law. If any
man thought that it had been done fer the
purpose of intimidating the colered voters,
9r if any man felt that he ran the least
risk of either insult or injury by votin g
any ticket he might select. he had only to
let the speaker know it, and absolute pro-
lection and freedom from Interference. in
any way, should be granted him. He then
appealed to the men of both races to go
quietly about their business and rest as
siired that the rights Of none of them
should be fnfringed. The speech had a
most happy effect, and soon good feeling
WAS restored and the voting proceeded
quietly.
Daniel CrOgan, who is thus unfortunately
connected with this affair is a young man
whom every one who knows him. likes
and who is not of a qnagrelsome on ma
liaio Ia oIo al,
hardware store of +. Alexander & Co., and
popular with the customers of the house
and his many friends and acquaintance.
Ola the morning of the election he had
taken'his shot gun and gone hunting. He
also took with him Il bottle of whiskey.
and when he returned To town was very
drunk indeed. When asked by the Mayor
why he hail- shot the man, he was SO much
under the influence of whiskey that he
scarcely recognized his interrogation. His
reply was, in II maudin way, that he
hadn't shot anybody. The mayor COM
mitted him to Jail to await trial, refusing
to bail him, in any amount
Edward Courtney, the colOred man,
lived with Robt. s., IIarnsberger, Esq, in
the county, land is one of the most polite,
quiet and inoffensiyeo Of men. The wound
he received is Il dangerous one. The load
of bird shot passed through the side of the
neck, grazing the jugular vein and inaict-
ing injuries which may prove very serious.
1t is hoped, however, that he NAV speedily
recover.
With exception there was no ex-
eitemen about the polls whatever. Both
parties W orked like beavers, and each poll
ed every vote it cou Id muster In the End
ward, where the largest vote cast for years
was polled, and when each party got.i
nearly every ballot out of their respective
alsts, there was not even q sharsh word be
tween the challengers or about the polls
during The entire day, and very little chal-
longing Every one was in a good humor,
and but Tor the joking and pleasant banter
ing, stranger would hardly have suppos-
ed that a warm political contest was going.
on. .&E
Alright when the returns began to come
in favorable to the democrats for the coup
ty and other portions Of the State, there
was disposition to have a~little kind of
iollification among ourfriends, the enemy.
but by the advise of the Mayor there was
no cheering and no demonstration of any
consequence.
AN extra force Of police was. put on, but
they had little to do.