Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-02-22
FARMER, FRIDAY. FEBRUARY %, 1875

ed TO last a minute or two, when q pistol was
discharged. Going nearer he saw crowd OF
probably 10 or 20 white men and motley
assemblago Of colorod people Of all ages and
both sexes numbering about 100. The affair
lasted about two minutes. Witness estimated
that $50 shots wero fired. Tho smoke OBJ
secured objects across the street. lie saw no
arms in tho hands Of colored men and saw
them return no shots
r. w. Glass (colorod) said no didn't feel
safe in telling what he knew about tho riot.
Senator Lapham-"Why not 2"
Witness--'I live at Danyillo and havo got
to go back there"
The witness being treasured, told his story.
he heard pistol fired. Rushed to the scene
as colored men are accustomed to do. Found
some 75 colored men and % white men the
white men and policemen we're telling the
negroes TO leave. The negroes replied: 1--WE
are not doing anything, why should we
leave p Heard Mr.. Hatcher say ''This is
a white mans town and I'm damned IL we
don't rule You arc all going to get killed II
you don't leave" Then tho white men drew
pistols. After the shooting he heard whites
going about the streets shouting, "Hurrah for
we Democrats"
w. T. Graves, (white) commission mer-
chant of DRnville, Va, an intelligent, bonov-
olent looking gentleman, who testified on
Tuesday, said he took little interest in poll
tics except to vote He saw no women or
children, only men, in the crowd of negroes
during the riot on November 8. He was not
at the scene of the riot when tho firing be-
gan, but was going toward his place of bust
ness which was in that direction. Ho was
armed and fred four shots into the crowd OF
colored people. Ho fred because he was
never yet able to stand and allow q man to
shoot or strike him without retaliation He
described each of his shots in detail The
colored men were firing in his direction. The
firing for q short time was as hot as he ever
saw. Witness was q soldier during the Mex-
can war and q confederate officer during the
rebellion. He had fred four Shots but did
not know whether he hit any one. He would
not say that he fired without intending to hit
any one but saw no one fall as a result of his
shooting lie had purchased his revolver
because he anticipated difficulty with the ne
groes. II the negroes had held torchlight
procession, as it was announced they would
do, on the morning of the election before
daylight, 1t would have caused a collision.
George Adams (colored) described tho riot
in the quaintest of negro dialects, swinging
his arms and body in illustrating the move
ments Of different individuals aud of the
crowd. lie was the man who attempted to
take the revolver from Lea, Nool's compau-
ion, at the preliminary riot He "libs in dc
SOuHbly Dut LIS DO1h WOIk III Town. l1b was
in Mr. Basil Blair's sto payin' de clerk some
money-owed him TO- dollars, when de frin
began etc. While scullling with Lea, the
latter fell and the witness fell on top. Tay-
lor one of the preliminary white rioters,
seized witness by the heels and "sort a turn.
ed him somerset" illustrating by diving
motion OF the body, his hands over his head }
As witness was engaged in his involuntary
gymnastics, Lea fired twice.
Ques.-Did the bullet pass under witnesses
body
Ans.-No sab, de pistol did not fire hissef
The witnesses manner was productive OF
some suppressed merriment among his aud
itors, but he was himself intensely in earnest.
In reply to Senator Sherman witness de-
scribed n scene which took place after he was
subp Unaed to come to Washington. Mr.. Lea,
white man, warned him that "he had better
know but ID little about the riot when he
went to Washington" He looked as il he
would jump through witness. Another
white, MIR. Barksdale, came into the room
and witness described the affair to him. Mr..
Barksdale said "Well, Goge, if youse any
ways jubus wouldn't advise yer to venture"
Witness did not venture" but remained at
Danville until Monday night when lie ca me
on with crowd of oolored companions