The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-02-16

poslttons had been reversed three armed
colored men having assaulted one white
man--would not witness have been as an
CRY as were the colored menY Witness
answered that he did not think 1t right for
the crowd OF negroes 10 attempt 10 over
power three whites. There was not a
crowd OF white men In the South who
would attempt to overpowcr three negroes.
Witness saw several
PISTOLS IN THE HANDS OF coLoRED PEOPLE.
There were not more than fifteen white
men at the place. During the riot pistols
were aimed at negroes, and they looked
mighty large"
Senator Sherman Why did you carry
arms there: you and Taylori"
Witness: 81 had carried arms for three
weeks
Senator Sherman: "Did you think q
pistol would be usefulyv
Witness: .."No, sir. There were eight
or ten colored men who rushed up aud
complimented me on the way had seen
fair play for that colored man. / wish i
knew their names. These good negroes
were allowed to escape through the store"
Witness asserted that the negroes fired ut
him. Witness did not shoot at man who
he thought was not going to shoot at him.
He conscientiously absta.ned from firing at
any one individual. Witness sent bis wife
from Danvile q week before the riot In
consequence of threats heard from negroes.
! In answer TO Senator Vance witness stated
the reason why he carried the pistol. He
had heard Squire Toliver, leading
BRrSDLE-TAILED READJUsTER REPUBLICAN
say that few North Carolina citizens had
come TO Danville, and he would have II
understood that North Carolinians could
not rule. Witness and his brother were
among those singled out as being in dan
ger, and were advised TO carry arms. Wit
ness believed the first yolley was fred into
the crowd OF negroes, but after the latter
| began TO run great many shots were fired
| in the air. The shot which struck Holland
was fired at witness. Saw eight or ten pis-
| tolls among the colored men pointed at
Taylor and himself, the negroes demand
ing that they should come out and show
their faces. II the whites had not used
! their pistols we would have been shot into
smithereens. sir; and not only that, our
wives and sisters would have been MUIR
dered In their houses, sir. | knew this by
threats made two or three days before by
their leader"
Senator Sherman: Did you hear that
| threat?
Witness: | did not hear IL. Witness
couldn't imagine how an excited crowd OF
people could have shown as much mercy
as they (the whites) did. The general re-
mark was that it was the leaders who
ought to have been killed and not the poor
negroes. The direct
CAUSE OF THE EXCITEMENT
OF. iott1
was the cold-blooded murder OF one OF our
best citizens by our Readiuster brindle-
tailed mayor. There was no feeling against
colored men as unequal in point OF law.
The objection to the rule of negroes was
on account OF their ignorance. The town
government was run by United States OFF,
cIals in the custom-house there. Witness
thought the presence OF young Dance with
his shotgun saved his (witness's) life.
Whenever q negro levelled his pistol
Dance pointed his gun, but witness be-
lieved Dance did not fire the gun.
At quarter past recess was taken
until O'Clock.
Afternoon Session.
After recess the examination OF George
Lea was resumed. Witness spent the bet
ter mart OF the day In the real-estate office
and cartridges, and saw no arms or cart
ridges. It was positively not true that
men went in there and armed themselves
was positive that there We're no arms there.
Senator Sherman: What do you mean
by brindle-tailed?
Witness / mean those men who sail
under so many colors. / thought would
hit them; also, would have them.
Witness did not hear Squire Toliycr
threaten the North Carolinians, but was
informed by friends that he had made such
threats. There was no prejudice against
North Carolnians in Danvile. Excuse
the egotism in this. because some OF the
best citizens there came from Carolina.
The witness feared for the safety OF the
wives and sisters OF the whites because OF
the threats he had heard that on election
day II the white men were found fighting
the negroes at the polls, the negroes would
be numbering the women in their homes.
Senator Sherman: " Did you not know
that during the war the whites left their
wives, mothers, and daughters under the
protection OF colored men!"
Witness: "That was before class OK
mischievous men came there to lead the
negroes astray. Mayor Johnston was
GONE OF THE OBNOXIOUS LEADERS"
OF the colored men. The offence Of these
leaders was in attempting to array the col
ored people against the whites. There
were apprehensions of secret burnings. 1t
was the general opinion OF the whites In
the South that the colored people when not
mised were inoffensiye. There was no
luminosity. The changed conduct Of the
negroes was attributable to bad advisers.
lfog ,.t1la rIiln
any people were ever cursed with. A col
ored man was not safe in being a Demo
crat. Colored Democrats were ostracised;
| their wives threatened to leave them. The
women had lodge among themselves for
the purpose Of keeping the men straight.
| The white leaders OF the party inculcated
that sentiment. The same ostracism did
not operate among the whites when they
turned Republicans.
Charles ID. Noel (white), whose quarrel
with the negro Lawson preceded the gene
| raj riot, was called to the witness-chair.
In reply to Senator Sherman the witness
described the quarrel.
| Charles G.. Freeman, q white policeman
OF Danvlle. was called and examined by
Senator Lapham. Senator Lapham read
portions Of the Danville circular, and wit
ness said they were somewhat oyerdrawn.
In reply to Senator Vance witness said he
saw fifteen or twenty pistols among col
ored men during the riot.
Ac0LORED CLERGYMAN TEsTIFIEs.
Lemon Coleman, colored clergyman Of
Danyile, was called. He had lived in
Danville about fifty years. He heard some
one cry Murder" and went toward the
scene Of the riot, but did not reach IL;
4 A.. n
and sought safety from the flying bullets
| In a Store Whila in there he looked out