The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-22
DANVILLE AND HAZLEHURST'
Continuation Of the Inquiry Into the
Recent Southern Outrages.
The Virginia BOurbOns Confronted by Wit
ness Whom They Cannot Discredit-
Testimony in the COpiah Case.
THE RIOT AT DANVILLE.
A witness Whom the Bourbons are Unable
to Discredit.

a
to Discredit.
Special to the indianapolis Journal
WAsHINGroN Feb 2l-Viewed in it's nolitical
bearing, to-days proceedings in the Danville in
vestigation were the most important of any the
committee has had. J. B. Blackwell, a white
man and an attorncy-at-law, the corporation
judge, and gentleman who commands respect
for his intelligence and uniform fairness and
who has held the esteem and confidence of the
citizens for upward of sixteen years, was the
leading witness. He appeared in the interest of
Justice and cannot be said to have been wit
ness in behalf of either race. He testified that
at no time since he had been a resident of Dan
vile was there moment when the colored voters
could not have absolutely controlled every office
within the gift of the people there, yet
there was 10 period when they did
elect even fair representation of
their choice Of candidates; not only that
but the most obnoxious, overbearing and op-
pressive Bourbons had been continuously
elected by a minority and foisted upon the ma
Jorty' This was done by intimidating the
black men. Judge Blackwell showed his fair
ness to the Bourbons in his testimony when he
SAID that he did not think the riot was pre-
arranged affair, but spontaneous. growing out Of
street fight He did not blame anyone partic-
ularly for the fighting, but he scorned Bourbon
rule, and showed up the manner in which the
black voters were inundated, bulldozed and
brow-beaten, in a way that made the Bolrbons
present at the hearing vince and crawl low down
| in their seats. His cross-examination was con-
Quoted briefly and delicately, Senator Vance
fearing the singing utterances of the witness
when he touched anything relating to the right
of suffrage at Danville
Senator Sherman says he could not hope
to have a better case than the one the
committee has already made against the
| Bourbons of the Old Dominion. Were he
! conducting prosecution of a man indicted upon
charge of murder, he thinks he would be per-
fecty willing to let the case go the jury upon the
evidence already adduced, and without argu-
ment
The witnesses who are called to testify against
the voters tell their stories with remarkable can
dor, considering that they do so knowing they.
engender the ill-will of so large and powerful a.
proportion of the influential populace of Dan
vile. They make an impression upon those
who hear them that viii remain during life, and
no report Of a committee of forty can offset it,
One of the most remarkable facts of the whole
investigation is in that the whites who are
called in defense make really no defense at all
They acknowledge the killing, in a general way,
and attempt to justify their actions generally by
setting up self-defense; yet it has not been
proven in single instance that any man who
fired shot on that day was assaulted; not one
that says he was shot at struck by black
person. They all merely say they feared per
sonal injury that there was shooting and the!
joined in the firing. 1t is clearly shown that the
riot was got up to intimidate black voters
and that those who killed were murderels.
There may be indictments grow out Of the affair
Nnt