The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-04-08
DEzENDORF'S DONATION
BEFORE SHERMAwY COMMITTEE.
nc "ep"oiiean Er-Congrcssmnn Tells Some
wholesome rruths-Tiit Between senators
vance and Lapham About sims's Charac.

, inc Republican Er-Congre.smnn Tells Som
4 "ho'esome Truths-Tiit Between senator
? vance and Lapham About sims.s Charac
ter.
iby telegraph 20 the Dispa,ch.I
2 WAsnINGroN, April THE examination
oi D. b. Munford, member OF the VIZ
hla Legislature, was continued by tn
p. sherman Subcommittee this morning. III
Geseiioed a number Of measures which Tn,
ooantionsts proposed and attempted Il
carry through the Legislature. One wa
: .ne respportionment bill. BY the terms O
,ne measure as introduced every stron(
plack district contained only 12l,C36 in
. naDilants' while the strong white district,
had lSi,907 Inhabitants. The whites
! mc1 all their rights. objected tc
being disiranchised in this msnncr
Another was the to6acco-inspection
, bill, by the provisions Of which the Cover
nor would have power 10 appoint large
number OF new officials. Other measures
proposed the gerrymandering OF Lynch
burg and Lexington in such way that
the negroes would have control OF those
places. Before the election OF members
OF the Virginia Legislature the Readjuster
candidates were required to sign pledge
that they would go into the Readiuster
caucus and stand by the Readjuster party
and its principles. Measures and acts Of
tue character mentioned inspired the
Democrats OF Virginia to make one strong,
united effort for relief. On cross-exsmina-
ton witness said in answer to Senator lap
ham that he deposited money with the tax
collector before the election TO pay capita
tion-taXes OF Democratic voters. He subse-
quently went away,sand instructed the
clerk to charge him the amounts necessary
to pay certain delinquent taxes. Upon
final settlement il was found that the clerk
had issued sixty dollars worth OF receipts
more than the amount received from wit
ness. This amount witness paid. There
was no claim by anybody that any receipts
were issued for which the State did not got
the money.
. During Mr.. Muniord's examination Mr..
Vance sought 10 lmpeach the character and
general standing Of Colonel SIMS. the Co
alitionist who made the speech in Danville
the night before the riot. Mr. Lapham OBJ
iected. A discussion arose rs to the COM
potency OF this sort Of testimony. Mr.
. Lapham conteuded very positively that
Mr.. Vance could not 90 beyond a question
as to the general reputation OF SIMS for
truth and vcracty. Mr.. Vance maintained
that be bad the right TO 90 into details.
lie said he had given notice that he would
show Sims's reputation to be bad; that he
would show HIM to be dishonest man.
Mr.. Lapham persisted in his objection TO
this line Of interrogation. Mr.. Vance con-
tended that il Mr.. Lapham was right all
the law books ought to be burned, and he
said to the latter: "Pll take this question
before the United States Senate. I'll have
something to say there. You can't shield
Mr.. Sims this way"
Mr.. Lapham " You'll find me there with
the authorities"
Ex-Congessman John +. Dezendorf, Of
Norfolk. was sworn and examined. He
was the regular Republican candidate OF
his district for the present Congress. He
was asked by Senator Vance TO tell what
he knew OF drawing the color line in the
last canvass. and who drew it. He said
while he believed that Of the colored vote
OF Virginia 900 out Of every 1000 would vote
the regular Republican ticket ii left TO eXer-
else their own volition, yet since the advent
of General Malone as q controlling power
the colored vote hal been manipulated
and controlled to greater extent than ever,
even to going rs far as getting out circtI-
lar purpOrting to be signed by the Presi-
dent OF the United States, saying he wish
ed them to support the Resdiuster ticket.
Witness did not speak during the canvass
when the CoSlitionists did not attempt TO
break up the meeting. He described the
meeting at Yorktown, where the military
were brought out at the instigation, as wit
ness believed, Of Captain Dick Wise. a
relative OF John 5. Wise. The soldiers
came on the platform and tried to drag
witness of. They beat witness friends.
Again at Williamsburg, where witness
had secured the town ball by per-
mission OF the Mayor, the CoalitiOnists
came in body and demanded division
of time. Witness declined. Whereupon
the intIuders began to raise hubbub, IN
stigated, as witness believed, by Captain
Wise. At last, the Mayor IA CoalitiOnisD
withdrew his permission Tor the Use OF the
hall. No such scenes ever took place be-
fore between Republicans. The Coalition
vote in Virginia was almost entirely a
colOred vote. A circular was issued just
before the election stating that the Ma
tionaI Republican Committee wished the
Republicans to support the Hancock-and-
English Coalition ticket. The Oftice-hold-
ers of the State understood that the offices
This was a fact. The President himself
would not deny it. These men felt
that their tenure OF Office depended
upon upholding certain men and mea-
sures. Unfortunately, the largest por-
ton OF the cOlOred men could not
read and might he controlled. Witness
was asked il he knew OF any instances OF
ill-trcatment OF cOlored men by their fell
D. hn
Witness told of Il cOlored preacher who
supported him in the election. For this
the Coatlonists tried to have him turned
out Of his church. Witness knew OF an
other coIored preacher who had actually
been turned out OF his church for voting
the Republican ticket. Witness believed
there had be N more persecution OF Re
publicans by Malone than there had
been lust after reconstruction by the Bour-
bon Democratic party. Witness pointed
70 n white man sitting near him who was,
he SAID, turned out OF office for refusing to
vote for Hancock and English. and was
still ont of office and was without means
OF support. Another instance was that OF
a Republican county chairman, who was
turned out of office for refusing to support
the Coalition ticket. Witness secured an
appointment for this man in the Gov
eminent printing-ofilce in Washington.
Senator Latham objected.
Witness said he was merely going to say
that Senator Malone then went and had
him turned out. Publie-Printer Rounds
had told witness that Senator Malone did
this. In the navy-yard there was not a
man at work who did not uphold the pres
ent policy.
Senator Sherman asked il witness did
not know that majority of the Republic
cans who voted in favor Of coalition did so
in order TO Join u sufficient number to-
o.a4Lo,. 81 white men Iyhn had fnrmerlY