Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1884-02-15
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.

| The Riots at observation-disclosures Tell
ing Their Story to the Committee-A
Variety OF Theories to Choose From
| WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-THE investigation
| of the Danville election riots was begun this
morning. Walter S. Withers, colored, who
at the time of the riot on November was
| a policeman at Danville, was the first witness.
white man and colored man were fight
| ing and crowd assembled. Witness ar
| rived after the contestants were separated,
| but the crowd remained. The whites were
l ranged in line along the curb and the colored
men were in the street. The white men had
pistols in their hands. Witness advised the
| colored men to leave. Heard white men say
that they (the colored men) could get enough
if they wanted it land if they didn't leave
| some of them would get hurt" Some of the
| colored men objected to leaving saying that
| the whites were trying to override them.
Witness stepped to one side and upon the
sidewalk just before the firing began. The
first firing was in the air. The
| colored people began to run, after which
| the whites aimed at them whenever they
| could see them. Witness did not make any
arrests, being afraid to do SO. The local Off
Gals were readjusters. A military company
| was called out about an hour after the riot.
Some of the white rioters were on guard that
| evening None of the colored men SO far
as witness knew had pistols. One man was
| shot dead and several we're wounded. In
/ consequence of the riot the eolored people
agreed among themselves not to vote at the
election, three days afterward, fearing vic
Ience. In reply to Senator Vance witness
| said that his affidavit made before the COM
mittee of forty at Danville was incorrect in
go far as it avsrred that the colored men had
used firearms Witness had signed the afi-
| davit but did not write it. 1t had been read
over to him, but it seemed something had
| been added thereafter. The colored men
had been assured by leading white men of
Danville after the riot that they would not
be disturbed at the polls, but still they feared
to vote.
| Jack Redd (colored) was called to the wit
| ness chair. He was chairman of the Repub-
| Iican committee lived three miles north of
| Danville; his precinct was New Design; he
went into Danville, Saturday, November 3, to
see Colonel Sims; he had heard that Colonel
| Sims was threatened in consequence of a
| speech he had made; about 2 O'Clock was
| told there was fighting and went toward the
1 spot. He left hastily, did the other col
| ored people when the firing began. After.
| wards returning to see the result he was met
| by Colonel Cabell, who asked where he was
| going. Colonel Cabell said ''This is
| Just what 1 have been telling you
| would happen" Ned Hatcher came along
| with another man and asked Cabell who wit,
ness was. Being informed Hatcher said,
| "Let me blow his id brains out. :"
| CabelI said, mo, let the id scoundrel
| leave here" Hatcher struck witness and
then as witness left they began firing at him.
| Witness saw his white neighbors going into
| Danville that night and returning with guns
| which they had procured in Danville. Saw
| them going to the polls on election day with
| the same guns. Colored people were thereby
polls In reply to Senator Vance wit
ness became excited and evinced
| ignorance with regard to the dis
lance from Dsuville to New Design, wit
ness own precinct, where colored people did
| not vote BY reason of intimidation and from
| Dauyille to Wimbeshers where they did
| vote, Did not know that New Design was
four miles, while Wholesalers was only one
mile from Danv1ile.
| L. L. liver (colored). huckster in the
| Danville market, was called. He saw the
| people running and thought there was fire;
| went to the corner to ascertain and saw the
| white mon along the curb with their pistols
l 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 previous witness, came along and
| asked the colored men "What are you all
| running for? The white people are only
| burning powder" They replied, Whats de
| meanin' of dat dead man ober dar if they
| don't mean harmP" Witness described the
maltreatment of James Redd by Hatcher and
| others and threats which were made to him
self on the same day by white people.
Witness did not vote because of the fear
| inspired by the riot.
| At 1890 the proceedings were suspended
/ to be resumed at 2 o'clock. When the investl-
| cation was resumed this afternoon Mr.. W. Il.
| TAYLOR, white citizen OF DanvilIe, testified
| that after the disturbance began the negroes
| crowded toward the whites menacingly
and that several whites urged the negroes to
! disperse but the blacks angrily refused to
90, saying the whites must dispense first.
! He said he saw negroes shoot into the
| crowd of whites and then the shooting be
/ came general On cross-examination by
| Mr. Vance witness said there was no trouble
| before the incendiary speech OF Colonel
Sims Witness was sworn in as special
constable by the readjuster mayor after the
| riot. Two white men Seward and Holland
| were shot by the colored crowd.
| DR.. g. B. Temple testified that he was
present at the riot and took part in the shoot
| ing. There were ten or. fifteen whites men.
| sced by an infatuated mob of hundred and
| fifty negroes who were declaring the time
had come for settling s'this thing" The
| negroes we're asked to dispense, but would
| not, and the firing began. The BLACKS an
| swered the first volley, but fed at the second.
| There were about seventy-fve shots fired.
/ The white men would have been shot in the
back by the blacks had they retired. Wit
| ness was afterward called on to perform an
autopsy on one of the negroes who was shot
| through the head. -
| A. al. BIount. a photographer of Danville,
said he attempt 1 to take part in the fight,
| but was knockeAz DOWN by fleeing negroes
| thirty.fiye feet from the scene. He testified
| that the inselenee of the negroes before the
| riot caused tho bad feeling.
| Adjourned till tomorrow.
\ The Reward of BrSVsry-LAe"tena
| Rhodes to BE Promoted For Heroic Ser
| vice.
| WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-The President has
ordered the promotion of Lieutenant Rhodes
of the revenue marine cutter Dexter ip rec
oenition of his gallant services on the occa-
| sion of the wreck of the City OF Columbus.
NO Licenses for Deaf Pilots.
| WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-THE supervising
INSPECTOR of steamboats, has ordered that
hereafter no licenses shall be issued to engi-
neers or pilots Who are deaf or who cannot
read or write -
Mrs. Garaeld's Thanks to Horr.
| WASHINGTON, Feb. 14-Mrs. Garfield has
written letter t9 Mr. Hqrr, Eof Michigan,
1 thanking him for his speech in opposition to
the Fitz John Porter bill