The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-03-29
DANvILLE INVESTIGATION.
TIE TRUTH COMING Ar LAST
The Republican side or the Examination
Suspended, and the RebuttaI Testimony
besnn = Twenty-Five White Witnesses
IBy telegraph to the Dispatch.I

Begun = Twenty-Five White witnessc,
Sworn.
fBy telegraph TO the Dispatch.l
WASHINGTON, ID. c.. March 28.-Tbt
Danville Investigation was resumed tbi,
morning, and twenty-five witnesses, al
Wnlte, were sworn at once,
William Il. Kurtz. postmaster OF wavncs
boro', two hundred miles from Danyille
was first examined. lie described the state
Oh political feeling in his neighborhood,
ana said that he was himself the chief OBJ
lect OF local Democratic enmity. He had
heard OF the Danville riot first on the Sun.
day after the riot. He had been told by q
mail messenger, who was an ex-telegraph
operator, that telegram had passed over
the wires ordering q large invoice Of ps.
tolls to Danville.
This was objected to by Senator Vance,
and the objection was sustained.
hurtz heard Notification speech after
the election. The Democratic speaker
said he thanked God for the Danvile riot.
III was blessing in disguise.
! Il. NJ. Shoemaker, OF Lynchburg. but
who up to last February has been resi-
dent OF Danville. was called. He de-
scribed the antecedents OF the riot. The
! Democrats, rs he gathered from conyersa-
/ tons with them. were much excited, and
said they were better organized than ever
before and were determined to carry the
election. They had reason TO object to
some OF the local officials then in power
| The local government as n whole was,
however, in witnesses opinion, an improve
ment upon its predecessor.
j. w. Simmons, OF Floyd county, ninety
miles from Danville, was sworn. The
Danville circular was extensively circu-
lated before the election. First heard OF
the riot on Monday, the day before the
election. The effect Of the circular was to
change about one hundred and fifty votes
in Floyd county.
Job Hawxhurst. of Fairfax. Va, was
called. He was a Coalition candidate for
State senator. First saw the Danville
circular in Alexandria on Friday before
the election. Never saw more than two
copies OF the circular. The circular
caused change from the Readjuster to the
Democratic side upon election-day The
Democrats relied on the race issue in the
canvass.
&. l.. Pritchard, Of Warren county, $40
miles from DanvilIc, in the Shenandoah
Valley, was called. Printed eXaggerations
of the Danvifle riot were circulated by
runners on the day before the election. and
had the effect TO stimulate the Democratic
party and getting the votes OF some OF the
Coalitionists. This effect grew out OF
representations that the negroes were
rising. The Danville circular also con-
tributed to this result.
The Republican side suspended the en-
animation at this point, although a few
more witnesses remained to be examined,
and Senator Vance began the examination
in rebuttal by calling to the witness-chair
Peter V. Booth, grocer OF Danville. He
described the riot. He saw the preliminary
quarrel and went to the place. \ colored
and white man were fighting with their
fists. No weapons were being used.
There were then about three white men
and at least 80 c0lored men. After
the two men were separated witness turned
to the crowd of colored people and asked
them to leave. They refused, and dis
played pistols, saving they had been mis-
used and would not leave. Witness knew
some Of the colored people. One, named
Redd, had a pistol. Witness did not
know the names of any others who
had pistols. Witness went among the
coIorcd people, and, with several others
whom he named, tried to get the colored
people to disperse. Witness was not arm
ed. When the firing began there were
about fifteen whites ana about two hun
bred cOlOred men. There was no alignment
OF whites. Heard no command to fire. Wit
ness did not see the whites when they first
fired, his back being turned. There would
have been no possibility OF missing tue
A.. 10 a h..I No
seeking to kill them. Witness saw cOlored
men fire. Witness fully believed that IL
the whites had not fired they would all
have been murdered. The whites ceased
firing when the negroes began TO run. Some
Of the negroes turned as they ran and tired.
Witness never heard OF any preconcerted
plan to bring about a riot. In all meetings
attended by witness the leaders cautioned
their followers TO avoid rioting and vio-
lence. The election was quiet one. There
never was quieter one. Witness repeat
edly tried to get the colored people to vote,
but without success. They said they didn't
want to vote. Witness heard portion OF
Sims's speech. In his opinion it had a
great deal TO do with raising the not.
Witness went out without pistol. After
the thing commenced he went back and
got pistol, but the firing was over when
he got back. George Adams had testified
that witness fired at him. Witness SAID it
was untrue. Witness did not shoot any
body.
Cross-examined by Senator Lapham
Witness said the riot was Saturday after
noon. when the negroes are paid OF. and
are usually on the street in large numbers.
When witness arrived on the ground Lea
and Taylor, whites, had pistols drawn.
Saw Redd, colOred man, with pistol.
Lea and Taylor were urging the crowd to
stand back and give Noel and Lawson
fair fight. Witness saw no metal knuckles
on NoePs hands. Witness and Taylor sep
arated Noel and Lawson.
Can YOU name any other cOored man
who had weapon that day?"
al can't name them by name"
"Well, can you describe them?"
.'There was a large yellow man; GIN
ger-bread man."
"But YOU don't know bis name? You
can't describe him so that we can summon
him? Can you describe any others?"
- saw them as they ran turn about and
fire. can't describe Them"
"Well, then, Redd and this yellow man
are all that You can specify who had pis-
tols?"
"Yes, SIR
The witness said he went for his pistol
so as to be ready il the negroes should
return. Witness kept pistols for sale.
Had sold a good many pistols before the
election. Had sold them both to white
and colored men. He named William
Osborn and Wheeler Hodges as colored
men to whom he had sold pistols. Witness
named Walter Holland, George Lea, and
Bob TAYLOR as white men whom he saw
with pistols among white rioters. lie
could not remember distinctly others.