The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-02-22
lBy telcrraph 10 ana pIspatch.I

IBy telegraph 20 the Dspatch.l
WASHINGTON, February 21.-The first
witness in the Danyile investigation to-
day was J. d. Blackwell (white). forty-siS
years OF age. attorney at law by profession
and Judge OF the Corporation Court OF the
town OF Danville. He witnessed the en-
tire riot from window opposite to the
position OF the whites, and described II
logically and clearly. He was called TO the
window OF the room by cries OF murder,
and saw white man beating a negro over
the head with stick. The negro was
crying Murder" at the top OF his voice.
This word was the only articulate word he
heard from the beginning TO the end OF the
riot. being very deaf at that time as the re-
suit OF taking large doses OF quinine. He saw
two other white men with drawn pistols
standing by the combatants. A powerful
negro crossed the street 0nd attempted TO
take LEAFS pistol from him. Both fell. and
the negro. for some reason, Immediately
jumped up and ran. Lea arose. took de-
liberate aim at the negro, and fired, but
did not bit him. Whites and coored col
the street, the whites on the sidewalk.
Several whites were gesticulating excitedly
and angrily towards the negroes, appa-
rently irving to disperse them, and three
or four OF the negroes were gesticulating
as eXcitedly in return. Two or three Of
the whites were then seen in close consul
tation, and shortly afterwards the whites
formed in an orderly line, one'end being
curved slightly, owing to distractions
and TO the shape OF the crowd Of ne
sroes. Pistols were drawn and levelled.
Negroes turned to run POSSIBLY all had
not then turned), when vOlley was fired.
The discharge was like that Of q drilled
body OF men. Witness had never heard n
more orderly discharge in battle. The
succeeding discharges were like those fired
sat WILL" The next firing witness saw was
by Captain Graves, who stood on neighbour
ing street corner, and, turning about, dis
charged his pistol three times in different
directions. Witness could not in either
case see the object aimed at. The next
firing, and the closing feature OF the dis
turbance, was by man named Blunt. He
ran into the street swinging his hand and
shouting, and finally discharged his pistol
in the air, turning about two or three
times. He acted like man beside himself
with excitement.
| Under examination by Senator Vance,
witness said that he had no personal ac-
Quaintlnce with either Noel or Lawson.
He repeated explicitly that the white man
he saw beating negro was doing so with
a stick this notwithstanding the fact that
all preceding witnesses had sworn that
Noel had no stick. Witness said he was
sure OF it, and that on reading the evidence
to the contrary he had reached the conclu-
sion that he did not see Noel and Lawson
on that day at all, but some other pair OF
combatants. Witness was surprised when
the smoke cleared away to see that no eX-
ecution had been done by the firing. The
whites had aimed deliberately at the crowd
OF negroes with purpose. so far as wit
ness could Judge, to do execution.
! In reply TO Senator Vance witness said
| he had not issued warrants for any par
| Elephants in the riot, and had advised q
magistrate not TO issue any until the cleo
! ton then pending was over and quiet was
restored, when il was expected the people
would come forward and enter complaints.
| IL thought" said the Judge, sat one time
that myself would issue warrants against
Lea, as the only man whom could say that
| recognized. concluded, as l would
have to be a witness in that case,
that | would not do it. On further
reflection / thought that it was best
TO submit the whole matter TO the grand
Jury" Witness himself drew the grand
Jury. They were so far as he knew re-
spectacle men. No one came forward
as witness had expected to make COM
plant at all. 1.-The truth is" he said, Il
failed entirely to appreciate the condition
of public affairs. | thought that after this
| fight and peace was restored that the per-
sons who were wounded and relatives OF
those who were killed would come for
ward to make complaint"
Senator Sherman, resuming the direct
examination, handed to witness copy OF
the Danyille circular. and asked II its
statements were true. Witness replied
that some of them were. but in his opinion
q great majority Of them were false.
Taking the statements one by one he
pointed out the true and false. The ne
groes were in large majority in every
ward in Danville. There never had been
time when they could not have elected a
negro to fill every position in the Town
Council. AS matter OF fact, the whites
had always had a majority in the Council
and the power to remedy the evils COM
planned of in the circular. 1t was in the
power OF any man who signed the circular
! TO learn that certain OF its statements were
false. Witness did not accuse all the sign
ers OF intentional falsebood. Men became
so blinded by passion as to be unable to
| Judge impartially. Witness was a native
| Virginian, and served four years in the
| Confederate army.
| In reply TO Senator Vance he said that il
| Colonel Sims had denounced all the signers
OF the circular as towards, sc0undrels.
| liars, ETC., he was mistaken, and some OF
| them should have given him ga whaling"
Witness never knew OF any ostracism OF
colored Democrats by their own race.
| Witness expressed the opinion that the
right OF franchise on the part Of the colored
people had not been curtailed by the
whites, and that the latter were law-abiding
and peaceable. There was no evidence
known to him showing generalization on
the part of the Danville rioters.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
After recess the cross-eXamination OF
Judge Blackwell was continued by Sena-
| tor Vance without important results.
Captain W. =. Robinson twhite), eX-
police Justice of Danyille, was called. He
UcuIu ollls , SpttCu, anu uCStllpVu its IL
| ferrlng TO the Danville circular to refresh
his memory. Witness commented on
statements Of Sims point by point, APP
proving and sustaining them. He pro-
nounced many Of the statements in the
circular false. Witness was appointed
Judge OF election before the last election,
| but after the riot declined TO act. His
reasons were that Danville paper had
published statement which led him to
think that II any difficulties did occur
he would be held responsible as one
! of the leaders. He did not know why he
was regarded leader. He had never