Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1884-02-20
DELIVERED By CARRIERS IN THE CRY, II
CENTS WEEK, ~ CENTS MONTH, So 90
YEAR THE SAME TERMS By MAIL
News by Telegraph
FROM ALL QUARTERS.
| ONR MAN who FIRED
In The Political Riot At
DanviIIe.
HIS STORY OF THE TROUBLE.
Other Witnesses Before The
Committee.
VIGOROUS WORK BY GORDON
I'm His Efforts to Restore
Peace.
VIGOROUS WORK BY GORDON
I'm His Efforts to Restore
Peace.
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.

Man Who ShOt-Taking No Inter-
est In Politics, But Right Lively
With q PistoI-YesterdaY's Hearing
On The Danv1lIe Riot.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 19.-Before the DAN
vile committee to day William P. Graves,
merchant, who took but little interest in pol
itics, testified that he fred four out of six
cartridges in his revolver during the riot
two of them into crowd of fleeing colored
men, one across the street at a crowd of COL
ored men who were standing still, and the
fourth in the direction of a colored man he
saw in the street. 81 fred more in the air,
however, than in any other direction" He
was bothered to explain this with his asser-
ton that he fred because he was assaulted.
The witness confessed frankly that had
the negroes had a rumored torchlight pro =
cession there would have been a race COLI
sion, and gave much other testimony of a
similar kind. he claimed that the riot was
totally unexpected. He was sure that the
negroes could have voted with safety and
that the whites wanted them to vote. He
carried his pistol that night not with any
special reason, but as he had for month, in
whites and blacks.
G gorge Adams (colored) described the riot
in the quaintest of negro dialects, swinging
his arms and body in illustrating the move
ments of different individuals and of the
crowds. Witness was the man who attempt
ed to take the revolver from Lea, Noel's
companion, at the preliminary riot. He
Ibis in de country. Rbut his boys work in
town. He was in Mr.. Basil Blsir's sto'
payin' de clerk some money-owed him fo'
dollars, when de firm began" etc. While
scuf1ing with Lea, the latter fell and witness
fell on top. Taylor, one of the preliminary
white rioters, seized witness by the heels and
''soFt a turned him a somerset" illustrating
by diving motion of the body, his hands
over his head). As witness was engaged in
his involuntary gymnastics, Lea fred twice.
Ques.-Did the bullets pass under witness
body?
Ans-No sab, de pistol did not fire his
SET.
The witness manner was productive of
some suppressed merriment among his audi
tors, but he was himself intensely in earn
est.
In reply to Senator Sherman witness
described scene which took place last We'd
nesday night, after he was subpesnaed in the
depot, when old man and Mr.. Freeman
came and shook the door. Witness let him
in after some delay. Freeman then called
in Hatcher, Barksdale, Lea and others,
all OF whom were on their way to
Washington. They told him he had better
know but d-d little about the riot when he
went to Washington. Lea did not speak, but
looked as if he would jump through" wit
ness. Mr.. Barksdale came into the room and
witness described the affair to him. MIR.
Barksdale said: ''Well, Gorge, if youse any
ways jubus 1 Wouldn't advise yer to ven
ture." Witness did not venture, but re-
manned at Danville until last night, when he
NTH nf
ions.
Charles Adams, powerfully built colored
man, driver of beer wagon, the man whom
Captain Graves denied shooting, was the next
witness. He said he ran out of a store to
catch his horses. He saw Captain Graves with
for Gods sake don't shoot me, I'm 60
ing to catch my horses" Captain
Graves said: swell get out of the way and go
into the house, Witness turned to go into
the house when Captain Graves shot him.
Witness rolled up his sleeve and displayed
Graves testimony. Heard him say that he
had saved witness life on that day twice.
cat the same time knew he shot me-
Robert E. Bishop, a painter living just
north of the city of Danville testified, that he
was in a second story room on Main street at
the time the riot began and viewed it from
the window. He first heard the cry of
murder" Looked out upon the street and
saw a white man shoot at negro who waa
running. When he looked out again he saw
the negroes fleeing and the street was soon
cleared There were many white men on
the street with pistols in their hands, but he
saw no colored men armed.
Peter Smith (colored) was at the scene of
the riot when it began Saw Graves shoot
at Adams, the ball taking effect on Charles
Adams arm.
JEFF Hubbard (colored) had lived in DAN
vile ever since Lees surrender; had always
been a slave. Saw George Lea fourishing
the pistol and heard him say, mo d-n man
shall touch me-" There were about three
hundred pistol shots fred. Saw George and
John Lea, Ned Hatcher and Mr.. Graves
shoot; heard the white people yelling,
''Heah! HeahI Heab! Kill en-! Kill emil"
Saw Mr.. Graves with his pistol pointed and
heard him say, Solar yoursefs, clar yoursefs
Well kill de las on ye" Mr.. Hisbard,
who raised witness, drove him OF his place
where he had always worked, and told him,
&c d. you. if you know when you are
well off you had better leave town" Saw
white men with two or three guns each.
There were more than three hundred armed
white men in line. Cross-examined by Gov.
Vance: Was not going to the polls to be
a target for the white men; would vote next
year if he saw light
William Powell (colored, y husband of So
phia, who was on the stand yesterday, said
he heard guns all night on November 8; had
voted in DanviIle ever since 1.-THE surrender"
Oross=exapined: SCOT right smart scare;"
heard the guns when he was two and half
miles from town.
The hearing was then adjourned.