Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-02-22
THE DANvILLE AFFAIR.
Damaging Testimony Against ths
whites.

WAsHINaToN D. c., Feb. IT, - The
Danvile investigation was resumed and
Hense Lawson (colored) whose quarrel with
Charles Noel preceded the riot testified that
he met Noel for the first time November 3D..
Witness was getting out of the way Of some
ladies and ran against Noel. Witness said
Excuse me, cir" Noel replied: you
damned niger what do you mean by rum
ming against mep' David Lewcllyn, one Of
the witness's companions said, "Go on"
Noel aud Lewellyn came to blows and Le-
wellyn knocked Noel in the gutter twice
Afterwards Noel approached witness and
struck him with pair of knuckles, wit
| ness head being turned away at the mo-
meni. Lea, one OF NOcls companions,
thrust cooked pistol into Witness face and
| thrca cned to blow his head off. After the
preliminary quarrel witness escaped through
the store. He had been in Boston ever
SINCE being afraid to live in Danville
David Lewellyn corroborated Lawson's
| story.
John f. Carl (whitc) testified that he was
| IN the store OF the time OF the trouble. lie
went out TO see what was the matter ana
gathered from the first appearances that two
or three persons were fighting. The encoun-
ter seemed to last minute or two when a
pistol was discharged. Going nearer he saw
crowd of probably 10 or 20 white and
about $50 colorcd men. Witness noticed q
number of white men in the crowd holding
pistols at crest" The affair lasted about
two minutes and the witness estimated there
were $50 shots fired. The smoke obscuted
objects across the street. He saw no arms
| in the hands Of the coored men and no re-
turning shots He could tell by the direc-
ton of the discharge and smoke that the
whites fired.
Mrs Sophia Powell (colored) testified that
she went to the scene of the disturbance and
there saw several men with guns. One man
she knew-Mr. Blunt-and saw him stand
on the corner and shoot several times at the
escaping blacks.
Mrs Violet Keeling (colored) corroborated
Mrs. Powell. She also saw MIR. Blunt fire.
10 answer to Senator Sherman the witness
said Blunt "aced like man dat was willn
TO take life. 1t looked like IL he seed any
body running he would shoot" witness said
'the colored people were all afeard to go to
de polls. | don't tink we hab got ober dat
fear up to dis present day. The reason why
her husband did not vote was because she
didn't think it safe to let him CO." lo
senator Vance the witness replied 'it hear
Of cololed man volin de Democrat ticket
don't hab nothing 10 do with him aud | don
let him come liz my house. Don like Sc,
coored men sell himself. link if de color
ed man votes de Democrat ticket he already
sold hisself.
Senator Vance-"Supposng your husbanc
should vote the Democratic III kct ~
Witness-'I would Just pack up my clo'
aun go to nv I'D Ter. If didn't hab a fad
der I'd Just 60 to work for rs certs a week
10 support ny own set. Witness did moi
Know whether her sentiments were sharct
byI colored women generally. "Coloryt
p, ople didn't hab no trrns AID it vas neccs
sary tor them - stand together"
| j. G. Miller described the riot. lie
| thought the whites were IN danger Of BENG
mobbed by the blacks.
A. &. Walters (whit) grandfather of the
| Holland, the white man who was shot denied
having said to the culOfed men, "Boys Its
warm but its not as hot rs lis going 10 he.
He did tell them i would be worse fol
them if they brought on another riot.