National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-02-21

to implicate any of his customers was, that
he Didn't 'zactly remember about that
Ho was so badly frightened by tho shoohng
that no ran down into cellar, although ne
was two squares away from the scone ana IN
his shop.
Addison Coles. a colored man, had lived in
Danville "since the third year after the sur
render" He saw the riot but was not within
sixty or seventy yards of the scene Of 1t. lie
saw white man shoot three times at negroes
running away, and two Of them fell lie DID
not know the white man, but bystander
said, That's Johnson; | know him we'll"
The two coored men killed were Edward
Davis and q man named Hail. Alter
this shooting the fire bell rang, and
witness, being q member of the fire
company, ran to the truck house. He found
that there was no fire, but that the bell had
been rung on account of the shooting. Then
he went back, and saw the two dead mem
Some whito men came up and said to wit
ness and some other negroes: Boys, you
better get of the street. Maybe you'll get
shot" The two negroes who we're shot were
peaceable men. After the fire hell rang white
people could be seen running from all direc-
tion with guns in their hands, Witness did
not vote, because the events of that Saturday
bad Iut him "out Of fix" and he was CON
fused aud aleard."
w. =. Averell was n good-looking young
white man, engaged in the shoe and hat busi-
moss on Main street in Danville. lie went to
call the white people from the opera house to
the street. The general firing had not yet
begun. Then he came back to the scene of
the fight. Everything was quiet just then.
He took his pistol from the safe in his store
and had it with him. He had purchased it
three weeks before. He didn't fire his pistol.
He was ten or twelve yards from the white
men who did the shooting. The negroes did
not run at once, but they "scampered pretty
SOON" They didn't show much pluck" Somo
shots were fred after the blacks began to
run. Witness belonged to q democratic club,
but didn't take much interest in politics.
When he went to the opera house to call the
people he met some of them on their way to
the fight, and thought somebody must have
called them before. He thought IL was nee
essary to have aid, as there were SO few white
men on the street. Hess JEFF Corbin try to
get the negroes to disperse. After trying he
came to his white friends and said the me-
groes would not go.
To Senator Vance he said that there were
but four or five white men and $50 negroes.
He thought thei blacks looked threatening
1t seemed to him that if Capt. Graves went
down to Market street and fred at the run
ming negroes after the general firing was
all over it was quite unnecessary.
Nelson Scott, young colored man, was
sworn. He was messenger in the revenue
office at Danville. He saw part of the riot.
He saw four or six white men standing in
front of their store doors with double-barreled
shotguns in their hands. Hatcher said to
Policeman Freeman: Don't try to make us
20 away from here, but drive those
d-d niggers away" Then Hatcher
came out in front, and called to the other
white men to follow him, and they would
kill the last one Of them and them that pro.
tect them" The witness had started to go
away, and was twenty-five or thirty yards
distant when the firing began. Then he
went faster. The white men drew up in line
as soon as Hatcher called to them. After the
smoke rose the witness could sec no more
colored men. The white men were in the
street. and George Lea pointed his pistol in
one direction and then in another, but did
not fire. Then the whites went up the
street, hurrahing. The witness did not vote,
because he was sent out in the country to
Ringold to distribute tickets. The negroes
voted there except about eighty. Last year
was the first that the negroes were permitted
to vote without paying poll tax.
To Senator Vance he said that the negroes
at Ringold, FIVE or six miles away, probably,
had not heard of the Danyille affair
Haven't the negroes q sort Of grape vine
that carries news all around among them 2"
asked Senator Vance.
People used to say they had" said the
witness, laughing, "but don't reckon they
use it any more"
"What did Sims say about the men who
signed that circular2'
al think he said the men who signed the
circular. living right there knew it was a
wilful lie, and were scoundrels for signing
it."
Wasn't that very bitter speech?'
"Not more bitter than both parties make
about each other"
The witness heard Col. Sims say in his
speech Friday night that IL anyone felt
offended at his remarks he would, if chal-
lenged, go to North Carolina and give them
satisfaction. Witness stayed at Ringold all
day. About a o'clock fve or six white dem
ocrats from Danville, with pistols in their
outside coat pockets rode into Ringold on
horseback, and presently a box car load Of
white men from Dsnville came in. Then the
witnes left Ringold and walked back to
Danville. He didn't feel 'zactly safe"
The investigation will be resumed at 10
o'clock this morning.