National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-02-16

tried TO belittle tho witnoss's testimony by
frequently mentioning these desperate
white men," tho free lunch Of pistols" and
asking why the negroes "playod into the
hands" of the democrats by gathering to be
shot but the witness's story was not shaken.
lie said that no expected that they were
going to mako trouble for Mr.. Sims, and for
that reason he was on tho street that day.
George A. Lea, a Danville tobacco commits.
sion merchant, was the next witness. He
was a blonde, young man, with light hair,
moustache, and littlo side whiskers. He had
u long, determined chin and high forehead,
was we'll dressed. and courteous in manner.
He frequently said Sir" and sounded the
"r" very slightly. On tho afternoon Of the
riot he was doorkeeper of the gallery Of the
opera house, and had been directed to keep
tho "niggeTs" ont, as it was private meeting.
Noel came up TO see him, and was asked about
his difficulty with black man, Noel said
that on account of the present excited con-
diton of the people he would take no notice
of the black mans insult until after election.
Then Noel went away but came back in FIVE
minutes and said THAT scoundrel has in
suited me a second time, and ! want you to
come with me and see fair play" The wit
ness had Smith and Wesson revolver. He
and Taylor went with Noel and about
four doors above the opera house encountered
Hanse Lawson, with fifteen or twenty other
negroes. Noel asked Lawson why no yelled
at him in an insulting manner. Lawson
stammered and said ~ didn't holer at
you" Then they both made at each other
and 'the niger got genteel thrashing,
SIR" Noel had the advantage Of Lawson in
reach of arm and did not get hit in the face
"Was there great excitement there?" asked
Senator Sherman.
There was not, sir. As soon as they went
together the Diggers started for them. Taylor
and drew pistols, sir, and demanded fair
IlaN- | gny ~ m fha niugnr mol
sir Robert Adams, but none on the other
niggers."
Senator Sherman asked some questions to
get at the relative size of Noel and Lawson.
There stands Noel, sir, tho picture of man.
hood" said Lea, with the utmost seriousness
pointing to q slight and rather handsome
young man who was standing behind the
senator. Noel never blushed, or seemed in
the least embarrassed by the rather howery
compliment.
Senator Sherman then put suppositious
case of three armed negroes attacking an
unarined white man, and asked If the white
mans friends would not have hung the
negroes.
mo crowd of white men in the south, sir
could have been cowardly enough to attack
three men," said Lea Then the senator put
q number of questions concerning the chiv-
airy of three armed white mon going out TO
fight an unarmed negro, but Lea could not
see any Inconsistency between that action
and his other answer. The senator asked him
what the negro policeman was doing.
"He did nothing, sir, until l told him to
part those men, when | was afraid that Noel
would kill Lawson with his fists"
Then you took commando
"Yes, sir"
what right had you to command him ?"
well, perhaps it wasn't a commando per-
haps IL was request; but we usually speak
that way in the south sir, in speaking to that
class of people. We generally command
them"
Senator Sherman and the witness then got
into adiscussion as to the treatment of negroes
and the trouble between the races. The wit
ness stated that he had endured moro from
"niggers' in Danville than he would from
gentleman.
Noel went away, said the witness, to wash
the blood from his hands, and then the ne.
groes demanded to see the face of tho man
who had fired pistol, The witness showed
himself and the negros said, ave are going
to have our rights; shoot them down."
"Did you fire your pistol at them?"
~ decline to answer that question:
'Why2"
"Because I have been advised that have
a right so to do.'
The witness then gave his story Of the firing,
which he thought was begun simultaneously
by both sides He saw pistols in the hands
of the "niggers," but could name none of
them, as he knew bnt two or three in the
crowd. The witness was complimented by a
number of tho negroes for the manner in
which he secured fair play in the fight be-
tween Noel and Lawson. Some of those men
were allowed to break through the line of
white men. "Those who showed no hostile
intention, sir, were treated very mercifully
every time" The witness evidently forget
ting that he had just declined to answer q
question on the ground that it would tend to
criminate him, said that he began to shoot
when the crowd of negroes began to shoot at
him. II conscientiously avoided picking out
any one individual to shoot at" said he. II
did not give the command to fire, and l
couldn't call anybody to mind who fired"
He was appointed by the readjuster mayor as
his private guard. He was not examined by
the committee of forty, as Dance could testify
to the same things as he could He had sent
his family out of town because Of threats
made by the "niggers."
To Senator Vance's question the witness
said, esquire Tulliver,isir, q leading brindle-
tailed, readjuster, republican coalitionist,
said that few North Carolinians were run
ming the town, and he would show them they
couldn't do it. My brother was attacked
and insisted that should carry pistol. 1t
was the first one | ever owned"
"You are native of North Carolina?"
II am, sir, and proud to say it," The
witness thought that Holland could not have
been shot by white man. lie thought il tho
white men had given way an inch, not only
they but their wives, sisters, mothers, and
childrenl would all have been murdered.
He was reminded by Senator Sherman that
during the war the negroes took excellent
care of the Virginia women and children
who were left in their charge.
Lea admitted it, but said that
then they were not melted to deeds Of violence
by bad leaders. He could only give the
names of Ralston, revenue collector: Major
johnson, "a North Carolinian, am sorry to
say, sir, by BIRTH" and Colonel Sims, as their
bad leaders, and no knew nothing against
Ralston personally. He thought it would be
good thing if tho negroes would divide
politically and not vote solid. He had mo
| luminosity toward the Niger, Sir" but the
"nigger" had become turbulent. "0ne of the
servants at home sir" said the witness,
"even went so far as to tell us that
things had undergone quito change
of late" The negroes did not allow
| any of their number to vote the democratic
| ticket Their wives threatened to leave
them If they voted with the white men. Tho
negro women have political clubs OF the
social position of republicans in Danville the
witness said, "There's republican on our
street who is we'll liked. My wife often
visits at his house. He's a republican,
| though, and not brindle-tail."
Charles ID. Noel, the young man who by his
| fight with the negro Lawson, brought on the
| massacre, gave his account of that difficulty.
| He had never seen Lawson until that morn
ing. As he was passing rapidly down the
| street he was nearly tripped up by one of two