The Portland daily press., 1884-02-19

WARRINGTON, Feb. 18.--The investigation of
the Danvile election riots was resumed this
morning.
Heuse Lawson, the colored man, whose
quarrel with Charles D. Noel preceded the riot
was the first witness. He is small man
weighing probably about fifty pounds less and
standing about six inches shorter than his as
sailant Noel He said he met Noel for the
first time on the third of November. The wit
ness was getting out of the way of some ladies
and ran against Noel.
The witness said, Excuse me, Sir"
Noel replied, "You damned niger, what do
you mean by running against me?"
Davis Lewellyn, one of the witnesses COM
panions, said, go on, Noel" and they came
to blows and Lewellyn knocked Noel into the
gutter twice. The witness met Noel in bug
gy the same day. Noel kept looking back.
The witness said to Lewellyn, Better look
out for him, he may attack you"
A few minutes later Noel having left his
buggy approached the witness and struck him
with pair Of knuckles when he was not look
ing. The witness had two companions while
Noel had several. Lea was one OF Noel's COM
panions. He had o cooked pistol in his hand
as he came up, and thrust il in the face of the
witness and threatened to blow his head off.
The witness described the quarrel, its anteced-
oets e.ad sAsni.~ i. 5.*~ii.
Mrs. Sophia Powell (nolored) testified
Heard OF the disturbance and went to see II
her husband was one of the crowd; saw several
men with guns, one man she knew, Mr.. Blunt
she saw him stand on the corner of the street
near her and shoot several times at escaping
blacks. Witness went home but was afraid TO
stay there and went with her husband to the
house of friend and remained over night.
Mrs. Violet Keeling (colored) saw Mr.. Blunt
fire.
Senator Sherman-How did he act?
Witness-He acted like man dat nebber
seed anybody in wah He acted like man
dat was willin' to take life. 1t looked like if
he seed anybody runnin' he would shoot.
Witness described the assemblages of color
cd people on Sunday to discuss the riot and
danger TO colored people. "IL seemed dey
were all afraid to go to the polls. l don't
think we had got ober dat fear up to de pre-
sent day." The reason why her husband did
not vote was because she did not think it safe
to let him co.
New ORLEANS, Feb. 18.-Before the Senate
Committee investigation of thelCopiah county
outrages today, David Bell (colored) testified
that he was chairman of the Republican Exc
cutive Committee of Copiah county. On the
night before election his house was visited by
25 men who called him up, forced open the
door and took him out. They took the cleo
tion tickets he had for distribution away from
him and destroyed them. They were mixed
tickets, republican and independent, and the
udku0 Vi NlititE the ucmOCkdtlC Cduu1QAbo was
on them. He denied having offered to testify
for the democrats.
Mrs. Wallace (colored) testified that on the
Friday night before election about one o'clock
party of armed men came to her house and
said they had writ for her husbands arrest.
A man outside said he was West Dunbar, the
sheriff of Osyky. Finally the crowd pushed
the door open and came in. They attempt
ed to throw rope over her husbands neck
when he threw up his hands asking what
they meant to do. One man then shot him in
the neck. Several shots were fred. one ball
striking her in the arm and passing into her
husbands neck and killing him. The men
| then went away; she did not know who they
were. She has nine children, two small ones
| After her husband was killed she went to the
| woods and remained until after election.
| Handy Farther (colored) described terrible
beating which he received at the hands of the
| mob who took him from his house one night
| two weeks before election.
To Mr.. Saulsbary the witness said he had
sued man named Thompson of Clairbernt
county and had beaten him in the suit anG
| thought this was the reason he was whipped
| by the mob.
j. w. Bondurant, white Republican, tes-
titled concerning the reign of terror prevailing
| in Copiah county preceding the late election.
1t was caused by an armed mob riding over
| the country and committing outrages as detail
| ed by the other witnesses. Bondurant was al
| Matthews store when the mob came there and
| fred through the door with pistols and guns
| and shot off cannon. Orman and Matthews
we're with him in the store. He related tho in
| cident of attending the meeting at Hazelhurst
| Part of the mob was there. Bsrkesdale said
he was glad to see by the faces of the men rid
| ing about town, that they were determined to
carry the election regardless of the issues
| Barkesdale advised them to hang r. M. Buf.
kin SO high that the birds of prey could no
| bury their beaks in his body.