Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1884-02-15
THE DANVILLE RIOT.
An Investigation Of the Affair by the
Congressional Committee at WASH
ingten Commenced.
Three Negroes Examined, All Of Whom
Give the Testimony for Which They
We're Summoned.
A Negro Policeman Has to change
Former Affidavit to Make 1t Come
Up to Requirements.

WASHINGTON, February 14.-The inves-
tigation of the Danville election riots be-
gan this morning, with Congressman
Cahell and John S. Wise present.
Waller S. Withers, a colored policeman,
of Danyille, testified that on November
3d,a white tsah ana colored man got to
hghting. When separated the crowd re-
manned. The whites ranged in line along
the curb, and the colored were in the
streets. The whites had pistols in their
hands, and said the colored men could get
enough if they wanted it, and, if they did
not leave some Of them would get hurt.
The negroes objected to leaving, saving
the whites were trying to override them.
The firing then besan, the first shots being
fired III the air. The colored people began
to run, and the white men fired at them
wherever they could see them. None of
the colored men had pistols. One man
was shot dead, and several wounded. in
consequence of the riot, the c6lored peo-
Pile did. net vctG at the election three DAYS
later, fearing violence. The affidavit of
the witness before the Committee of Forty
was incorrect, in SO far as it stated that
the colored men used firearms. 1t seemed
something had been added to the affidavit
after he signed 1t.
jAck RuDD,
colored, chairman of the Republican
Committee, testified that he woe II Can-
vile the day OF the riot. When the firing
Gegan he left hastily. He afterward re-
turned to see the result. He was met by
Col. Cabel. whe asked where ne was
going. Col. Cabell said, THAT is lust
what 1 have been telling you would hap
pen" Ned Hatcher came along with an
other man, and asked Col. Cabell who
the witness was. Being informed, Hatcher
said, LET me blow his id brains out"
Col. Cabell said, "No, let the id scoun-
drel leave here. Hatcher struck witness,
and as witness left they began firing on
him. Witness saw his white neighbors
going into Danville that night and return
ing with the guns they had procured in
Danville; saw them going to the polls
election day with the same guns. The
colored people were thereby intimidated,
and concluded not to vote.
L. L. IVY,
colored, saw the white men draw up along
the curb with pistols and armed. He
started away as the firing began, and the
colored men ram. One was shot dead.
Jack Rudd THE preceding witness) came
along, and asked the colored men: "What
is only burnin' powdah." He replied,
whats de meanin' oh dat dead man ovah
dab, If dey don't mean harm? ?" Witness
described the maltreatment of Jack Rudd
by Hatcher and others, and the threats
made to himself the same day by whites.
Witness did not vote, because of the fear
inspired by the riot.
W. R. TAYLOR,
white, testified that an ordinary row &C.
CURED On November Sd between a white
man and a negro, which led to the riot.
When the fight began there were but
three white men and some fifteen negroes
on the street in sight. At the climax
there were between 200 and 800 negroes
and about fifteen white men. In witnesses
opinion, had the white men shown fear
they would all have been murdered there.
Witness saw two or three pistols among
the negroes. Witness emptied five cham
bers of his pistol at the crowd OF negroes.
He would most assuredly do so again I'M
der Xix circumstances. He didn't know
whether he hit anybody or not.
A. H. BLUNT
thought the whole trouble between the
races arose from the iusolence of the ne
groes. He thought if Senator Sherman
and Congressman Wise had seen their
daughters slapped off the sidewalk, as the
witness had seen those of respectable men
in Danville. they would want to leave
Virginia. He had seen a white man es-
corting a white lady to church or the opera,
and a negro man burst right through
their arms"
DR.. W. B. TEMPLE
testified that he was in the operahouse
when the trouble began. When he got
out on the street he saw fifteen or twenty
white men confronting an infatuated mob
of negroes. The latter were violent and
threatening, and shouting out that they
could shoot as well as the whites. The
white men fired a vollev, which the
negroes returned, and on the firing of the
second volley by the whites the negroes
an, firing as they ran. Witness was armed
and fired with the rest. He fired four
shots into the crowd of negroes. He said
he was obliged to do it. He did not make
any inquiries as to the cause of the trou-
BILE. He only saw ten or fifteen of his fell
low-citizens %contending against a mob Of
negroes, and he took the side of his own
people. Witness bought a pistol a month
before b thing occurred. 1t was, he
said, a notorious fact that the negroes
were armed, and they (the whites) had
taken measures for their own preserva-
ton. When the witness fred his pistol
he fired right into the crowd. He
didn't know whom he hit. Witness
had taken part in the discussion which
preceded the riot. Like every other good
citizen, he said he wanted to get rid OF the
terrible, miserable government they had.
He said every white man, woman and
child had been enlisted in the fight to get
rid Of the government they complained of,
and had promised TO implicitly obey the
orders of their leaders. They had been
warned by every man in authority to avoid
any collision if they could.