The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-02-15
SHERMAN'S INQUISITIoN.
The senate subcommittee Work Begun
Nesre witnesses and Their Prepared sso'
y,es-rheir statements Contradicted by Sub
s,an,ial White Testimony.
inv telegraph to the DIspalch.I


,,oa,,on Of the Danville election riots was
hcc,,n this morning. Congressman Cabell
and John 8. Wise. OF Virginia, were pres
emf. Walter s. withers (coloredI, who at
,hc time OF the riot was policeman In
DsnyiIle. was the first witness. lie de-
scribcd his experience on the Sd OF No.
yemlcr as follows: A white man and a
colored man were fighting, and crowd
nod assembled. Witness arrived after the
Sombalants were separated. but the crowds
remained. The whites were ranged In line
sIong the curb and the colored men were
n tbe street, The white men had pistols
IN their HANDS. Witness advised the col
ored men 10 leave. fearing they would get
hurt heard the white men say they (the
~olored mcu) could get enough II they
wanted Il, and il they didn't leave some
81 Them would get hurt. Witness was un-
Successful in his efforts. Some OF the col
cred men objected TO leaving, saying the
whites were irving TO override them. The
witness stepped to one side and upon the
Sidewalk lust before the firing. The first
firing was in the air. The colored people
heoan 10 run. after which the whites aimed
al them wherever they could see them.
THE witness did not make any arrests, be-
Il
were ReSdiusters. The military company
WAS called out about an hour after the riot.
some Of Tie white rioters were on guard
tbqt evening. None Of the colored men. so
ter ne the witness knew, had pistols. One
man was shot dead and several were
wounded. In consequence OF the riot the
colored people agreed among themselves
moi 10 vote 40 the election three days after
wards. fearing violence.
In renly 70 Senator Vance witness said
his affidavit. made before the committee
of forty NJ Danville WAS incorrect so far
a. II averred that colorcd men had used
firearms. Witness bad signed the atfida-
vii hut did not write It, It being read over
n him: but il seemed something had been
added thereafter. The coiored men OF
Danyille had been assured by leading
white men OF Danville after the riot that
tbey would not be disturbed at the polls.
Int still they feared 10 vote. Witness was
moi afraid 10 vote, but because OF an I'M
derstandlng that the colored people would
moi vote. No orders were received from
any source not to vote.
Jack Redd tcoloreD was called 10 the
witness-chair. He was chairman OF the
Republican Committee. Lived three miles
Design. He went into Danyille on Satur-
day. November Sd. TO see Colonel Sims.
Had heard that Colonel Sims was threatened
IN consequence of a speech be had made.
About , o'clock was told that there was
fighting. and went towards the spot. He
left hastily, as did other c0lored people,
when the firing began. Afterwards, re-
turning to see the result, was met by Colo
81. III IL. 1-r1 rlnF 40
Colonel Cabel said, "This is just what
[ have been telling you would happen"
Ned Hatcher came along with another man,
and asked Colonel Cabell who witness was.
Being informed, Hatcher said, "Let me
blow his id brains out" Cabell SAID,
"No: let the id scoundrel leave here"
Hatcher struck witness. and then, as VIII
ness left, they began firing at him. VII
ness saw his white neighbors going into
Danyille that night and returning with
guns whicli they had procured in Danvllie.
Saw them going to the polls on election
day with the same guns. The colored peo-
pie were thereby intimldated and conclu-
ded not 10 go TO tae polls.
In reply to Senator Vance, witness be-
came excited, and evinced ignorance OF
the distance from Danvile to New Design,
witness own precinct, where the coiored
people did not vote by reason of intimlda-
ton, and from Danville to Wimbeshers,
where they did vote. Did not know tina
New Design was four miles, while WlmI
besher'S was only one mile from Danyille-
l.. l.. Iyey (colored), huckster III the
Danville market. was called. lie saw peO-
pie running and thought that there Was n
fire; went 10 the corner to ascertain, and
s1,sf fIo l.
pistols aimed. Feared somebody might
shoot him. and went back to his place OF
business: then the firing began and the
colored men ran. One was shot dead
across the street. Jack Redd (the pre-
ceding witness) came along and asked the
cOlored men, - What you all runnin' for |?
DE whiIe people Is only burning powder"
They replied. " hats de meanin' of dat
dead man ober dar, II dey don't mean
harm?" Witness described the lnaItreat-
ment OF Jack Reid by Hatcher and Others,
and the threats which were made TO him.
self on the same day by white people.
Witness did rot vote because OF the fear
inspired bv the riot.
The committee then took recess.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The proceedings were resumed at 9
O'Clock, ana w. X. Taylor (white). tobacco
mist OF Danyllle. took the wItness-chair.
Replying 10 series Of questions ~ SEN
ator sherman and Senator Vance, he said
that on the afternoon OF November Sd he
was doorseeper at the Democratic meeting
in the 0pera-House in Danvllle. Mr.. Noel
told witness he had been insulted by ne
gro named Henry Lawson, and asked wit
ness and Mr.. Lee TO go down and see fair
play while he (NoeD thrashed Lawson.
The three went down the street, met Law
son. and Noel administered a thrashing.
Two policemen came to separate the COM
batants, and witness told Noel he had done
enough. and the two were parted. just
then Lee called witness, and the latter,
turning, saw a large negro trying to
take Lees pistol away from him. Wit
ness struck the negro on the back with a
cane' and then tripped and fell. At this
moment Lees pistol was discharged, but
whether by accident or design witness did
not Know. The negro ran, and crowd
OF coloreG men began to gather, asking,
Who fired at that negroY" Witness was
pointed out by some one as the man who
nred. a negro named David Lewellyn
stepped out Of the crowd, and witness said
10 him: - have not fired; but II YOU
want the contents OF my pistol you can
nave IT," Leweilyn drew white-handled
pist0l from his pocket and returned it
again. The crowd increased and became
threatening. When the fight began there
were but three white men and some fifteen
negroes on the street in sight. At the eli
max there were between two and three
hundred negroes and about fifteer white
men. In witness opinion, had the whites
shown fear they would all have been MUIR
dered. Then witness saw two or three pis-
tolls among the negroes. Witness emntjed
GXa chnnlh ol-. of his raiStcl At IL -