Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-03-05
DANVILLE'S DEATH ROLL.
MAYOR JOHNSON TELLS HOW
HE SHOT HATCHER DEAD.

DAN VILE , UEAIH RULL.
MAYOR JOHNSON TELLS HOW
HE SHOT HATCHER DEAD.
The Killing Alleged to Have Followed
an Attack with an Open Knife-Deputy
Collector Verser's Warning to Look
Out for His Lite-Defeat Attributed to
the Riot.
WASHINGTON, March 4.-The Danyille
investigation was resumed this morning.
Senator Sherman said that Mr.. Wise
wished to make correction in his testi-
mony, or to make an additional statement.
Mr.. Wise, taking the witness chair, said
that while he did not wish to make any
issue with the official reporter in regard
to the language imputed to him in connec-
tion with the visits of colored members
of the Legislature to his house, still, as
general statement of his dealings with
members of the Legislature, the report
did him an injustice. What he referred
to was particular instance of a person
who had come to his house to see his
mother, and had called upon him to talk
with him. He mentioned it not as a refiec-
tion upon them in any sense,
in that position was less exacting than
white person similarly situated would
probably have been. Before he began his
testimony he had asked the reporter to
submit notes to him for the insertion of
tables, etc.
Senator Vance-Well now, Mr.. Wise,
wish to ask you, sir, how are we to un-
derstand you in relation to this correction?
DO you say that the statement which the
reporter made is not what you said. or
that 1t is not what you wished or intended
to say? 4
INCLINED TO DODGE.
Mr.. Wise-I say this, sir. l don't care
TO make an issue with the reporter as to
whether he took my exact words or not.
/ say that don't believe he did. At the
same time, pursuant to what had been the
understanding from the moment testi-
ned. revised it for the reason that before
l spoke word 1 told him that desired
to revise my testimony on tabulated state
ments.
Senator Sherman said that when Mr..
Wise first applied to him for leave to re-
wise his testimony and put in tabulated
statements he (Senator Sherman0 told
him that he thought he would be allowed
the usual privilege accorded to men,
bers OF Congress to revise his testimony.
Mr.. Wise said he would like to add one
is sought to convey the impression that /
made discrimination between colored and
white members of the Legislature as a
rule in their communication with me. it
does them and me injustice. | have al
ways treated an official call upon me. by
whomsoeyer made, without any discrimi-
nation whatever, and always expect to
do So"
THE STATEMENT UNDER FIRE.
The following is the official re-
port of the remark which Mr.. |
wise revised: "The fact that | agree
with them periodically does not mean |
that ! invite them to nv bonse. I conid |
not do such thing in Virginia and MAIN |
tain any social standing. There is no |
such condition there. The black men, |
bers OF the Legislature have come to |
consult me as to politics, and they 90 to |
my kitchen and send up their message,
and l go to the back yard to see them" :
THE REVISED VERSION.
Mr.. Wise's revision is as follows: 'sThe |
fact that l agree with them politically |
does not mean that / invite them to my
house socially. l could not do such a |
thing IN Virginia and maintain any So
clal standing, and there is no such cOndi- |
tion there. For example, a black men,
Der OF the Legislature came to consult me
as to politics. You would have thought
that being member Of the Legislature he
would have gone to the front door, but he
went to the kitchen, his mother beng my
cook, and sent up his message, and went
to the back yard"
CHAPTER OF WARNINGS.
J. J. Verser (white) was called. He
was Deputy Collector of Internal ReVe-
nue.. He said that about ten DAYS or two
weeks before the election he was passing
store, when Graves, its proprietor, stop
ped him and began talking politics. He
said that they were going to carry the
city and county. Mr.. Graves said that
he was friend of the witness and wanted
to give him piece of advice. He advised
the witness to stay pretty close to his
room on election day, as there was gong
to be trouble, and he didn't want to see
him hurt. The next day r. HI. Voolfolk.
a Democrat, stopped him and told him
that there was going to be trouble and
that II the witness remained in town he
would surely be killed. Mr.. Voolfolk ad-
yised the witness to go to the country. J.
b. Westbro0ks, on the night before the
election, told the witness that the Demo-
Gratis had made up their minds to carry
the election. They could not stand
Malone and "nigger'' rule any longer,
After the election, Mr.. Westbrooks said
to the witness: "Jim, what | told Won
came true, but it came three days earlier
than we expected"
The witness saw armed Democrats at
the polls on election day, and that colored
men were afraid to go to the polls in con-
sequence.
DEATH ON THE BLACKS.
Charles Wooding, colored, was called. |
lie met Mr.. Lea on Sunday night, and
was advised by him to go home. The wit
ness retorted that he had as good a right
to be on the street as any other man. Lea
said that they (the Democrats were CO.
ing to carry the election anyway, if they
had to kill the last I'D nigger in the
country"
THE RIOT DEFEATED THE READJUsTERS.
Walter Gay (mulatto) was called. He
heard the speech of Sims and did not in
dorse it. He thought that the circnlar
could have been condemned in a better
way. Some of it's signers were good and
reputable men who had attached their
names without being fully acquainted
with its contents. The witness believed
that had it not been for the riot the Read
justers would have carried the town. The
eoiored people were united in the Read
juster cause. They were so united be-
cause 1t was natural for them to be united
against party which denied them their
political rights. He knew of no secret
organizations among the colored people.
HATCHER BLAMED FOR THE RIOT.
Daniel Digger (white) was called. He
described the riot. He saw Hatcher fire
the first shot and believed that but for
that shot no negroes would have been
killed that day. He knew that Hatcher
had denied having been armed. The wit
ness knew as well as he knew he lived
that Hatcher had q pistol and
fired it. The witness voted the straight
Democratic ticket. He saw nothing on
the day of the riot to indicate that the
whites were in danger. Nothing which
he saw justified the statement that theg
whites fired in self-defense. The riot was
uncalled for. 1t was brought about by
indiscreet young men. The good citi- |
zens of Danyille did not sanction it, |
About 100 shots We're fired during the
riot. Had they been shot with precision, |
at least fifty negroes would have been |
killed. Had the witness been
included in Sims' criticisms. |
he woul1 have held the CoIopeI personally
responsible for his remarks. The cOlOred |
men were ia the habit of carrying arms.
The colOred men had drawn their pistols |
on him. "The razor" said the witness.
sis a very formidable weapon with the
blacks" He knew of that part of Dan
vile called "HelPs Half Acre. He
thought it about as near hell as was pos
sible. The section so called was inhabit-
ed by low colored men and women.
DANvILLE's MAYOR.
After recess, j. FL. johnson (whiteA.
Mayor Of Danville, was called. He said
that be was elected last June as a Coali-
ZIONIST to his present office. A faction of