Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-04-03
DEMOCRATIC NEGROES.
A Republican Edict Ostracised Them
Under the Malone Regime

A Republican Edict Ostracised Them
Under the Malone Regime
WASHINGTON, April 2.-The first wit
ness examined by the Danville Sub Com
mittee to-day was W. n. Rufin. of the
firm of Ruffin, Voolfolk & Blair, in DAN
vile, before whose office the riot of No
vember took place. Mr.. Ruffin was the
framer of the Danyille circu-
lar entitled coalition RBle
in Danville," and announced that
he heartily approved of it, and, with a sim
gle minor point, inserted by another man
upon revision, believed that its state
ments were true.
Mr.. Rufin was in Danville on the day of
the riot: He was examined with regard to
the condition Of things antecedent to it, He
illustrated his statements with nArrations of
matter within his personal knowledge On
one occasion, when some negro murderers had
been arrested. he was passing party Of col
Ored men on the street, and one OF them was
addressing his fellows in very Incorporate
language, abusing the whites in the vilest
manner. He wished that he could have some
chance to shoot some id white man. lie
never had had chance to kill a white man.
and nothing on the face of the earth would do
him so much good as to kill white man, he
didn't care who IL was. The man at this took
pistol out OF his pocket and lust tOyed with
POLIcEMAN's INACTIVITY.
A policeman sat on the curb near at hand
and listened 10 the whole harangue, but did
nothing. 1t was one OF the policemen ap-
pointed by the Coalition Government there.
This was month or two before the election
On another occasion the witness was asked by
a negro to advise him about voting. The Wit
ness could not advise him to vote the Demo-
cratic ticket because of possible danger from
negro CnalitiOOisfE- hut he did Wis ha oI
Ored man not to vote at all and not to regis
ter.
lie also gave this colored man pair of Old
trousers. soon afterwards a cOlOred man
came to HIM and said that he had been ques-
toned by another cOlOred man as to why he
had not registered. The other had a cony of
the registration list and was threatened first
with election from the church, and finally
with violence, if he did not register and vote.
The cOlOred man brought back the trousers
and said that he would be compelled to regis
ter and vote. The witness told him that the
garment had no relation to voting. The wit
ness attributed the turbulent spirit of
the negroes to the training they had
received from the Readjusters. Aside
from the riot and its attendant cir
cumstances the relations between the two
races were of the most cordial nature-as
much so as was possible between servant and
employer anywhere. The witness described
an interview between Col. Sims and himself
denying the correctness of Col. Sims version
of the matter in several particulars.
MAHONE's METHODS.
Tie witness was told by his cook that
she had heard that Mr.. Malone had
sent an emissary to Danyille who
had assembled the negroes, admin
istered an oath OF secrecy and then in
structed them not to vote at all. On cross
examination the witness said that the state
ment gotten up by the signers OF the DanVille
circular reasserting under oath the facts set
forth in that circular was gotten up in conse-
queDce of information which the witness had
received from nnlUhDOripU couutiqg This in
formation was to the effect that if the state
ments were corrOborated the Democrats
could carry the election in several counties
which were otherwise doubtful.
Henry Hill, a colOred Democrat Of Danville
was examined. He had voted the Democratic
ticket eleven years. The witness, although
nearly white, spoke jargon. which was only
partially recognizable as English. He had
been threatened, but had not met with much
difficulty owing to the factEthat he usually
went home when he got through his business
and didn't seek the cOmpaniOnship of mem
bers OF his race. He gave as a reason why
the colOred people did not divide as the whites
dld that They was afeard to use their reality
for voting for their beneficial on account Of
their fear of bulldozing."
Edward Hill, a respectable looking old
cOlOreu man, was examined. He had alWaVs
been Republican until the last election
The reason he changed was because he was
always stralghout in everything and did not
understand mixture. The witness was re-
monstrated with by another colOred man for
his determination to vote the Democratic
ticket, but remained unconvinced notWith-
standing this other man went OF and told
about town that he and the witness took off
their coats and sat down on the grass and dis
cussed the matter, the result being that the
witness was converted. The witness thought
TINS great grievance. The witness attended
meeting where a colored speaker had re-
commented that colOred Democrats be assas-
slnated. The witness called il ''saturated:'
whereupOn the witness thought matters were
taxing personal turn and left. The wit
afterwards met the ms -ho clair 70.
nave converted hlm, land the man pulled off
his hat an his coat. an his wescOt, an trowed
em down and jes dubbed up his ham an rub
Deu IL up an down my nose, and sed he. i am
thar. an will drink you blood or you niue
and didn't present il, an TOOK il fo' grant
ed that he had feeling toward me about vot-
ing de Ticket" The witness didn't make it
clear what gave rise to this demonstration.
but left room for the assumption that it was
because he didn't stay converted.
l.. ID. clark, white farmer living six miles
from Danville, testified that 1t was a usual
thlng Tor the negroes TO go armed, and a very
rare thlng Tor White men to do so.
=, Judge Wiley, of Bland county, Chairman of
the Coalition County Committee was eX-
amined and said that he heard of the riot the
day before its occurrence. He had seen a
circular containing the statement that the
race race ,g struggle had begun in Danville and men
had been killed upon both Sides c. A. Her
mons, editor OF the Blacksburg Ne1cs of
Blacks0urg. Montgomery county Va a Re
a,J a,aJuster paper, was examined. He described
a
to his estimates it gave the Democrats a ma
lorlty OF about 80, when without it thev would
haye Iye lost ta the election by about much.
HartWell Alderman, white, OF Carroll cOun-
ty. thought that the DanYille circular caused
loss OF 200 votes to the Readjusters There
were 64 colored voters in Carroll county, only
three Oh WhOm were Republicans. The re-
malnder voted the Democratic ticket
WHAT coNDUcToR HEARD.
Thomas j, Lasstor, Of Norfolk. a conductor
on the y. and w. Railroad. was a Witness
He was questioned in regard to what he heard
at the railroad stations of the rumOrs Of a riot
in Danylle.
John Glover, white. of Fairfax county. was
also examined on the same subject. but moth
ing OF Importance was elected from either
beyond the TACT that the rumOrs OccasiOned no
great excitement.
Jesse Hargraves, cOlOred, a resident of Dan
Vile for nine years, driver for a lumber
merchant there, testified that a rumor had
been current he was going 10 vote the
Democratic ticket, and he was told nv other
colored men that if he voted the Democratic
ticket they would ''give him the devil" He
VOleu the democratic ticket, and since then
negro men had not visited him, saving that
they had mo use for a Democratic negro .
He had seen George Allen and two other col
ored men with pistols three or four days
pistol himself for ten or fifteen years, on
ross-eXamrnatiOn he said that he did not
know now his employers voted.
w. III. Mccormick, white, a Democrat of
DanYille and policeman. saw both white
ana cOlored men with pistols prior TO the riot
He thought that nearly every man in the
crowd on the night Col. Sims spoke had a
pistol.
THIRSTING FOR BLOOD.
j. r. Peasants. white, a Democrat Of DAN
vile and builder, had heard negroes say
that they wanted to kill some - poor white
people. 1t was general rule for coored
people to give the sidewalk TO the whites
until about two weeks before the election He
had been compelled to give the sidewalk to
negroes, however, a dozen times, and twice
when negro policemen were in the crowd
b. +. Jefferson, white, a Democrat of North
Danville, lumber and coal dealer. on the
morning after the riot saw five cOlOred men
in the post office, four of whom had pistols.
lie employed twenty-five or thirty hands and
saw pistols in their overcoats. but said notb-
ing to them about 1t. He knew that indict
ments had bpen found a.ra,Dsf so,~o,of -.