Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-04-14

Testimony Before the Committee To.
day.

EFFECT OF THE DANvIILE CIRCULAR
The Danville Inquiry was resumed to-day
Judge Ray of Bristol "a town half In Tennessee and
half In Virginia), the first witness. The Dan
Vile circular had the effect to bring voters on
both Sides he said, and did not inJurouSly affect
the coaitiOnStS. He heard OF 1t, and In a speech
advised the whites to avenge the murder OF men OF
their race ut being then reported that whites had
been killed. by voting together solidly at the polls
to prevent the domination OF the colOred race.
Ex-CONGREssMAN FULKERsON, OF VIRGINIA,
testified that In his opinion the Danville circular
had the effect OF bringing out voters on both
sides 1t did not affect the general result OF the
election. did it, In his opinion, the coal
tiOnists any loss OF votes He said the color line
was drawn first by Malone, whose plan to con.
sOidate the cOOred vote and divide the white vote
Before the election the race issue was pretty gen.
orally accepted by the whites He denied that
there was any lighting or Intimidation at the polls
In GOOdSOn.
THE MALONE PARTY DRAWING THE COLOR LINE
Mr.. Connolly F. Trigg, a prominent democrat OF
Abingdon, testified that the Danv1lle circular did
not cost the coalitionlss any material loss south
western Virginia. In many counties the Danville
riot was not heard OF until after the election He
said 1t was his positive opinion that the Malone
party drew the color line. They taught the negroes
to believe they would be restored to slavery il the
democrats won. He knew II was very difficult for
negro TO be q democrat. because OF the hostility
provoked against him ON the part OF his race.
A DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE ON THE RACE ISSUE
Judge Christian, OF Charles City county, demo-
cratic candidate for the legislature at the last
election, testified that there was good feeling
between the races in the campaign The race issue
was not drawn; there was, he said, ''nOne OF 1t,
whatever" Scarcely anything was heard OF the
Danville riot until after the election. 1t had nc
effect. The decision Of the Supreme Court on the
civil rights question had great influence 1t was
used with great effect. The colored people were
told that the United States governments had gone
back on them and their only hope rested in the
election OF the Malone party.
CoLoRED VOTERS WITH LOADED REvoLvERs
R. l. Cohen. white, OF Danville, swore that he
witnessed the riot. ON the morning Of the riot he
saw Hense Lawson uhe colored man who had the
fist fight with Noel Just prior to the r1ot load,no
his pistol in bar-room. He named another colored
man who was with Lawson, and both were loading
revolvers He named other colored men whom he
them engaged in the riot One Of them showed his
pistol. and said he had loaded it for good Saw
Mat Lawson, coored. with pistol, and heard him
call upon the cOlOred men to. rally and give the
order to fire. Lawson fired into the crowd OF whites
and Immediately ran. The evening before the riot
saw a negro named Gay with pistol, and heard
him advise the cOlored people to arm themselves.
Saw JEFF Hubbard, coored. with pistol. Hubbard
presented the pistol to cOlored democrat and told
him If he voted the democratic ticket that (waying
the pstOD would be "his gain" Witness saw dozen
more negroes with pistols on the day OF the riot
o. sRe me a 10 n9 as they
North Carolina. He testified to the interference
by colored men with men OF their race who
wanted to vote the democratic ticket. The wit
ness swore that Hense Lawson (colored) was a
notoriouSly bad character. Witness had been q
member OF the police force and had arrested Law
son on different occasions. He was known as a
drunken, turbulent character. Witness knew
Squire Talia1erro, prominent colOred politician;
heard him on the morning OF the riot tell Hub
bard a cOlored man, t'stlck to me (Taliaferro) and
I'll make it hot as HI for 'em berorge we git
through"
On examination witness said he saw no
VIZ nira man with DfStOla He had nStOl .huf did
not use 1t.
w. P. Averett twhite), OF Danville, a shoe mer-
chant, saw Hense Lawson prior TO the riot with
two pistols 1t was at night, and Lawson wanted
to pawn pistol for pair Of shoes Lawson had
two pistols. one OF which he pawned. He said one
OF them was his and one he had taken from q
d-n nigger who owed him some money"
In his Testimony before the committee Lawson
sWore he had never owned q pistol