National Republican., 1884-04-15
HIDING THE STAINS.
Virginia Bourbons Making a Desperate
NEHort 60 Excuipase Themselves.

Virginia Bourbons Making n Desperate
mETort TO Excuipatc Themselves.
There was another session of the Danville
investigating committee yesterday. DIR. W
I. Voolfolk, of Orange county, Virginia, tes-
titled that an armed column took possession
of tho polls at his homo aud prevented
colored men from voting the democratic
ticket. He saw two white mon armed on
election day, but was not armed himself.
William L. Ray, of Washington county,
Virginia, denied the statement Of a previous
witness that thero had been violence aud in
timidation in that county on election day
Ho bad accepted the color line drawn by the
coalitionists and had on tho stump advised
white men to avenge at the ballot box the
death of their white brethren at the hands of
q colored mob. 1t was reported in his county
that both whites and negroes had been killed
| at Danville.
Ex-Congressnan A. f. Fulkerson, Of tho
same county, corroborated the previous wit
| ness.
G. +. Frigg testified that tho riot had little
| or no effect in Russell and adjoining counties
where he had canvassed.
Isaac Christian, of Charles county, Va,
said the best relations existed between whites
| and black, and between democrats and read
justers, but not between readjusters and
| straightout republicans in his section. Tho
Danyillo riot had little effect on the election,
| but the supreme court decision In the civil
rights case had much effect.
II. j. Cohen, a white transfer agent Of Dan
willie, swore that he saw House Lawson and
| William Llewellyn, colored men, loading
their revolvers in the hall Of saloon on the
morning before the riot. He named several
coiorod men whom no said had pistols, but
could not remember any whito men who
were armed. He said that Matt Lawson
colored, fired the first shot. One negro
showed him pistol and said ii was "loaded
for good use." Another negro exhibited q
pistol to q companion and said, "If you vote
the democratic ticket, that's my game"
Lawson was n bad man, and witness had seon
him chasing a mulatto boy with pistol.
w. p. Everett Of Danville, testified that
Hense Lawson traded one of two pistols
which he had for pair Of shoes week
before the riot.
Mr.. Charles II. OFarrell, contestant for a
seat in congress from Harrisonburg, Va,
| testified that the Danville riot was to the
disadvantage Of the democrats, becanse il
drove people from the straightout republican
| attachment Of the democratic party over To
the coslitionists. For that reason the demo-
Gratis tried to suppress the news Of the riot.
Senator Sherman put In evidence a copy of
tho Richmond Dispatch, dated Oct. 80
1888, with The following passage marked:
| Every day the Main. street idlers put out the
| report that there has been riot at Danville 1t
excites great many people, ana Goes no good
]. r. Peterson, of Petersburg, testified that
he knew of no attempts Of the democrats to
draw the color line.
William Long and A. G. Jackson, of Peters
burg, described the assault upon Gen. Malone
on election day.
George W. Wiemly, OF Tappahannock, a
white coalitionist, testified that on Nov.
2 he was at Paul's ocross-rosds and heard
that report had been circulated that the
negroes were about to rise in Lynchburg
Danville, and other places, and the people
we're sending to Richmond for arms and am
munition. Ho wrote to the Richmond IVhi.
that night asking that the report be denied
as it would tend to reduce tho coalition vote
Thomas Fricker, of Ashtabula, Ohio, gave
his opinions concerning the negro race. Ii
1876, when he was in North Carolina, dcmo
cratic negroes were persecuted by their re
publican brethren. Lately the negroes hat
become arrogant, assumed an air of owner
ship, got in the way OF passing carriages, ant
generally annoyed white ladies and gentle
mon. Witness had been in Danville sine,
the riot, and had formed the opinion tina
there never was little blood shed with bet
ter results than there.