Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-02-20
DANVILLE'S FUSILADE.
A BENEVOLENT LOOKING WIT
NESS WHO FIRED SHOTS.

Their Effect Not EnoWn-CeneraI Priu
ciples His Excuse for Firing-An
Alarming RumOr Which Greatly Fx-
ercised the Respectable White PeopIe
of the City-His Story of the Conflict.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 19.-W. P. Graves.
white, a commission merchant of Dam
vile, an intelligent and benevolent look.
ing gentleman, 60 years of age, was the
first witness called in the Danville in
vestigatiOn to-day. He said that he took
little interest in politics except to vote.
He did, however, attend the Opera House
meeting Of November 3, and he had signed
the Danyille circular and approved of its
contents. He saw no women or children
only men in the crowd of negroes during
the riot. He was not at the
scene of the riot when the FIRING
began, but was going toward his place of
business, which was in that direction. He
was armed and fired four shots into the
crowd of colOred people. He fired be-
cause he "was never yet able to stand
and allow man to shoot at himv or
''strike at him" without retaliation. He
described each of his shots in detail. The
cOlOred men were firing in his direc-
ton. The firing for a short time
was as hot as he ever saw.
The witness was a soldier during
the Mexican war and Confederate officer
during the late war. He bought his re-
Volver month before the riot. The wit
ness did not know of any secret political
organization in DanYille eXceDt the DEM
Ocratic Club. The witness denied that he
shot Charles Adams. Describing the
scene, he arose and said that he saw
Charles Adams approaching him irving
to escape from the G. OVID. Adams threw
up his arms and asked the witness not to
fire. The witness told Adams to 90 into a
store. Shortly afterwards Adams came
out of the store and ran away. The wit
ness hallooed at him, telling him to 90
back into the store. Adams turned and
threw up his arms, begging the witness
and others not to shoot.
ADAMS SHOT.
At this time Adams was shot in the
arm. The witness did not fire the shot.
He had fired four shots before that, The
witness did not know whether he hit anv
one. lie would not say that he fired with
out intending to hit anyone, but he saw
no one fall as the result of his shooting.
He had purchased his revolver because
he anticipated a difficulty with the ne
groes. The witness described several
personal difficulties that he had had with
negroes. On one occasion, few
been insulted and threatened by a negro.
and replied only by striking him with his
cane. The witness was arrested and fined
for this Otfense. The Justice had asked if
the witness was in bodily fear, and the
witness replied in the negative, hence he
was tined. The witness said that a ru-
NOR had become current the daY before
The election that the negroes were to have
tOrchlight procession before daylight on
election day, and were to march in three
columns to the polls the next dav and
take possession of them.
Senator Lapham-Was there any pre-
meditation on the part of the Democrats
to break up the procession if it did take
place
The Witness-No, sir. l will tell YOU
frankly, sir, there was no understanding
to that effect, but if it had been attempted
it would have brought about collision.
FIRING BY THE NEGROES.
In reply to Senator Vance the witness
said that he drew his revolver and fired
for selt-prOtection. Bullets were whistling
about his ears, and from their direction
they could not have come from white
men. He did not, however, see any
pistols in the hands of cOlOred men. The
witness said that social and
other influences had combined
for years to prevent the negroes from vot-
ing the Democratic ticket. There was no
among the whites to bring
on riot, but, on the contrary, the in
huence of the whites was eXerted to the
utmost to prevent a collision. AS soon as
the firing was over the witness mounted
a horse and went ohOme. A letter had
been intercepted which conveyed the in
that if fighting took place down
town, the women and children on the bOr-
ders Of the town were to be murdered in
their houses. In reply to Senator Lapham,
the witness said that he went with others
from Danyille to New Design to see how
the election was going. The witness was
armed with pistol. His weapon was