National Republican., 1884-03-05
COULDN'T STAND MAHONE.' y
The True Reason Of the Danville Massacre
the "NiggerS" Must Be COwed,
White Testimony That the Democrats
Meant to Cary the Election.
Black Members Of the Legislature Must Go 10 Mr.,
WiSoS Kitchen.
Direct Testimony That Hatcher Fired
the First Shot.

Inc Danville investigation was resumed
yesterday morning. Senator Sherman said
that Mr.. Wise wished to make a correction
of his testimony or TO mako 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
connection with tho visits of oolored members
of tho legislature to his house still, as o
general statement of his dealings with mem
bers Of the legislature, tho report did him
injustice. What he referred to was a particular
instance of n person who had come to his
house to see his mother and had called upon
him to talk with him. He mentioned 1t, not
rs reflection upon them In any sense, but to
illustrate that that man in that position was
less exaoting than white person similarly
situated would probably have been. Before
he began his testimony no had asked the
reporter to submit tho notes to him for the
insertion of tables, &c.
Senator Vance. Well, now, Mr.. Wise, / ask
you, sir, how are we to understand you in
relation to this correction? Do you say that
the statement which the reporter made is not
what you said, or that it is not what you
wished or intended to say2
Mr.. Wise. l say this, sir; ] don't care to
make an issue with the reporter as to
whether he took my exact words or not. /
hdN 4 no HOJ DCllONO nt ht tnS bdub
time, pursuant to what had been the under
standing from the moment | testified, l re-
vised it for tho reason that before i spoke q
word / told him l desired to revse tho testi-
mony and put in the tabuated statements.
Senator Sherman said that when Nr. Wise
first applied to him for leave to revise his
statement, he Mr. Sherman told him that
he thought he would be allowed the usual
privilege accorded to members Of congress TO
revise his testimony. Mr. Wise said he would
like to add one sentence more-"1nsofar as
my testimony is sought to convey the impress
sion that made q discrimination between
oolored and white members of the legislature
rs a rule in their communication with me, ii
does them and me injustice, l have always
treated an official call upon me by whOmso-
ever made without any discrimination what
ever and always expect to do so."
1.-The following is the official report of tho
-emark which Mr. Wise revised "The fact
that l agree with them politically does not
mean that ] invite them to my house. |
could not do such q thing in Virginia and
maintain any social standing. There is no
such condition there. Black members Of tho
legislature have come to consult me as to
politics, and they go to my kitchen and send
up their message, and 90 to the back yard
and see them"
Mr.. Wisos revision is as follows: 1.-THE fact
that / agree with them politically does not
mean that invite them to my house socially.
l could not do such thing in Virginia and
maintain any social standing and there is no
such condition there. For example, black
member of the legislature came to consult me
as to politics. You would have thought that,
being q member of the legislature he would
have gone to the front door, but he went To
the kitchen, his mother being the cook, and
sent up his message, and went to the back
yard."]
]. ]. verser (white) was called. He was O
deputy collector Of internal revenue. lie
said that about ten days or two weeks before
the election he was passing n store when Mr.
Graves, Its proprietor, stopped him and began
talking politics. He said they were going tC
carry the city and county. Graves said he
was friend of witness aud wanted to give
him piece of advice. He advised witness to
stay pretty close to his room on election day
as there was going to be trouble and he didn't
want to see him hurt.
The next day X. II. Voolfolk, democrat
stopped him and told him there was going u
be trouble that If witness remained in town
he would surely be killed, Voolfolk advised
witness to go to the country. j. B. West
brooks, ON the nght before election. told wit.
ness that the democrats had made up theii
minds to carry the election. They could moi
stand Malone aud niger rule any longer
After tho election WestbrOOks said to wit
ness "Jim, what told you came true, hui
it came three days earlier than we expected
Witness saw armed democrats at the polls or
election day, aud the cOlored men were
afraid to go to the polls in consequence.
Charles Wooding ,coloredJ was called. Ht
met Mr.. Lea on Sunday night, and was ad
vised by him to go home. Witness retorted
that he had as good a right to be on th,
street as any other man. Lea said that they
(the democrats were going to carry the elec
tion any way, il they had to kill the las
d. Niger in the country"
Walter Gay lmulattoj was called. He heard
the speech OF Sims and did not indorse it, II,
thought the circular could have been con
demned in better way. Some Of its signer
were good and reputable men who had at
tached their names, without being fully ac
quainted with its contents. Witness believed
that had it not been for the riot the read
justers would have carried the town. TIL,
colored people were united in the readjuste
cause. They We're so united because it wa
natural Tor them TO unite against u part.
which denied them their political rights. Ill
knew of no secret organizations among col
ored people, Witness did not know whethe
he was ever a slave. He "never called an,
man master" There was q man who wa
reported to be his master, but witness under
stood he was his father. lie was . years OLE
when the emancipation proclamation wa
issued. Witness was educated at the Rich
mond institute.
Daniel Dugger (whte) was called. II
described the riot, lie saw HStchor fro tn,
nr5G SnOt, anu DtlleNCu tnaU nut Tor that AhO
no negroes would have been killed that day
He knew Hatcher donied having been armed
Witness knew as we'll as he lived tina
Hatcher had pistol and fired it. Witnes
voted tho straight democratic ticket. IL,
saw nothing on the day Of the riot to indicat,
that whites we're in danger. Nothing whicl
he saw justified the statement that the white
fired in self-detense. The riot was uncallet
for 1t was brought on by indiscreet younl
men. Tho good citizens Of Danville did no
sanction it. About 100 shots were fired dur
ing the riot. Had they been fire,
with precision ut least fifty nogroe
would have been killed. Had witnes
been included in Simss criticisms h,
would have held tho colonel personally re
sponsible for his remarks Tho coloret
men were in the habit Of carrying arms
Tho colored men had drawn their pistols OIL
him. Tho razor" said the witness, sis
very formidable weapon with the blacks
Know Of that part of Danyille called Hell
Half Acre. thought it about rs near he'll n
possible. The section 10 called is inhabited
by low colorod mon and women, During tn,
redirect examination by Senator Lapham, tn
latter referred to Representative Cabell, pro
nouncing the name as if spelled Gable"
"Cabell is my name, interrupted the rep
Tesentative of the Danvlle district.
"All right, sir" responded Judge Lapham
"but have right to pronounce 1T ~
please"
Certainly, sir" responded Col. Cabcll
"but you have known mo in the house, ant