The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-04-03
THE DANVILLE RIOT.
MORE WITNESSES EXAMINED.
INC wan who Wrote the Danville Circular
Tells What he Knows -CoIored Democrats
os'raeised-spat Between senators Vance
and Laphau
/ ny telegraph to The DIspatch.l

ana Laphnm.
10y telegraph 20 the Dispatch.l
WASHINGTON, April 1.-The first witness
examined by the DanviIle subcommittee
to-day was w. n. Ruffin, Of the firm OF
Rufiin, Voolfolk & Blair, in Danvile, be-
lore whose Office the riot OF November Sd
took place. Mr.. Rufin was the Trainer OF
The Danyille circular entitled Coalition
Rule in Danville." and announced that be
heartily approved OF II, and with u
single minor point, inserted by another
man upon revision. believed its statements
were true. Mr.. Ruflin was not In Danyille
on the day OF the riot. He was examined
with regard TO the condition OF things an
tecedent TO II. He illustrated his state
ment with variations Of matters within his
personal knowledge. On one occasion.
when some negro murdcrers had been ar
rested, he was passing a party OF cotored
men on the street, aud one OF them was
addressing his fellows in very incorporate
language, abusing the whites in the yilest
manner. He said he wished he could have
some chance TO shoot some id white
man; he never had a chance TO kill white
man, and nothing on the face Of the earth
would do him so much good as to kill
n white man; he didn't care who ii was.
| The man at this took a pistol out Of his
pocket and "just tOyed with it," A po-
| liceman sat on the curb near mt hand and
| listened TO the whole haranguc, but did
nothing. IL was one OF the policemen APP
pointed by the Coalition government there.
/ This was month or two before the cleo
! ton. On another occasion witness was
asked by 4 negro TO advise him about
voting. Witness could not advise him TO
| vote the Democratic ticket because OF pos
| sible danger from negro CoalitiOnists.
| He also gave this colored man pair OF old
/ trowserS. Soon afterwards the coOrcd
man came to him and SAID he had been
questioned by another colored man rs TO
why he had not registered. The other
| had copy Of the registration list, and
| threatened him first with election from the
church and finally with violence II he
didn't register and vote. The cOored
man brought back the trousers and said
I he would be compelled to register and
vote. Witness told him the garment had
no relation TO voting. Witness attrib-
uted the turbulent spirit OF the ne
groes to the training they had re-
ceived from the Readiustcrs. Aside
| from the riot and its attendant circum-
stances, the relations between the two races
were OF the most cordial nature-as much
so as was possible between the servant and
an employer class anywhere. Witness de-
scribed an interview between Colonel Sims
and himself, denying the correctness OF
! Colonel SimS's version OF the matter in
several particulars. Witness was told by
his cook that she had heard that Malone
| had sent an emissary to Danville who had
assembled the negroes. administered an
oath OF secresy, and then instructed them
not TO vote at all.
| On crOSs-eXaminatiOn witness said that
! the statement gotten up by the signers OF
! the Danville circular, redSscrting under
oath the facts set forth in that circular, was
I gotten up in consequence OF information
which witness had received from neighbour
| ing counties. This information was to the
| effect that If the statements were cOTrobo-
rated the Democrats could carry the cleo
/ ton in several counties which were other
wise doubtful.
Henry Hill, cOlored Democrat, OF Dan
vile. was examined. He had voted the
/ Democratic ticket eleven years. Witness,
although nearly white, spoke iargon
which was only partially recognizable rs
! English. lie had been threatened, but had
| not met with much difficulty, owing to the
| fact that he usually went home wnen he
got through with his business. He didn't
seek the companionship OF members OF his
own race.
! Edwin Hill, cspectlble-looking old
colored man, was examined. He had al
WAYS been Republican until the last cleo
ton. The reason he changed was because
/ he was always straightout in everything,
and didn't understand the mixture Wit
ness was demonstrated with by another
colored man for his determination TO vote
the Democratic ticket, but remained I'M
convinced. Notwithstanding this the other
mar went of and told about town that he
and witness took of their coats and sat
down on the grass and discussed the
matter, the result being that witness
was converted. Witness thought this
great grievance. Witness attend
ed meeting where a colOred speaker
/ had recommended that colored Democrats
: be assassinated. (Witness called il "satul-
rated.") Whereupon witness thought mat
| tiers were taking personal turn and lett.
I Witness afterwards met the man Who
claimed to have converted him. and the
man "pulled off his hat, an and his coat,
am his weScOt, an trOwed 'em down, and
les doubled up his ham an rubbed 1t up
an and down nv nose, and sed he. Il
nm thar, an and | will drink yo' blood or
YOU mine; and didn't present it, and
took it fo' granted he had feeling towards
me about voting de ticket" Witness
didn't make it clear what gave rise TO this
demonstration, but left room for the as
SUMPTION that it was because he did not
STAY converted.
! l.. ID. Clark, a white farmer, living six
miles from Danville. testified that it was a
usual thing for negroes to go armed, and a
very rare thing for white men to do so.
Judge Wiley, Of Bland county, chairman
OF the Coalition County Committee, was
examined, and said he heard OF the riot the
day before its occurrence. He had seen a
circular cont ming q statement that the
race struggle had begun in Danville and
men had been killed upon both sides.
G. A. Heermans. editor of the Blacks
burg NelcS, OF Blacksburg, Montgomery
county. Va, Readiuster paper, was exam
med. He described the effect OF the Dan
Vile circular. According to his estimates
il gave the Democrats majority OF about
ninety, when, without II, they would have
lost the election by about as much.
Hartwell Alderman, white, Of Carol
, county, thought the Danville circular
caused the loss OF 200 votes to the Re
adjusters. There were siIty-four cOloreC
voters in Carroll county, only three OF
whom were Republicans. The remainder
voted the Democratic ticket.
Thomas j. Lassiter, OF Norfolk, conductor
on the Norfolk and Western railroad, wal
the next witness. He was questioned II
regard TO what he heard at the railroad
! stations OF the minors OF the liOt in Dan
vile.
John Clover (while), Of Fairfax county
was also examined on the same subject
but nothing OF importance was elected
from either beyond the fact that the ru
mors occasioned no great excitement.
Jesse Hargraves (colored), resident o.