New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-02-15
THE DANVILLE RIOT.
TESTIMONY BEFORE A SENATE COMMITTEE.
coLoRED MEN TELLING THEIR STORY OF BOURBON
yIoLEScE-A FRANK WHITE DEMOCRAT.

IN. .rv. election riot. was begun this morning Con-
gresham Caben and John g. Wise, OF virginia were
present Walter g. Withers eolored, who al the me Oh
the riot was policeman in Danvile, was the FIRST wit
ness. he described his experience. white man and
coIored man were fighting and crowd
assembled Witness arrived after the combatants were
separated but the crowds remained The whites were
ranged line along the curb, and the colored men
were in the street. The white men had pistols In their
hands. witness advised the coored men TO 90 away,
fearing they would get hurt; heard white men say that
they he coored mem "could get enough they wanted
it"-and II they didn't 90 away some OF them would
get hurt Witness unsuccessful in his Efforts
Some of the colored objected to going, say
ing that the whites were trying to override them.
Witness stepped to side and upon the sidewalk be-
fore the firing began The first firing was in the air Inc
colored people began TO rum after which the whites
aimed them, whenever they could see them witness
did not make any arrests, being afraid to do So The
local officials were Readiusters. military company
called out about hour after the riot Some OF the
white rioters were guard that evening None OF the
colored men, far witness knew, had pistols one
man shot dead and several were wounded In con-
sequence OF the riot the colored people agreed among
themselves not to vote the election three days after
| ward, fearing violence.
In reply to Senator Vance, witness said that his affidavit
made before the Committee OF Forty Danve was IN
correct far ayerred that the colored men had
used firearms Witness had signed the affidavit, put did
not Wrlte IL. III Dccn 10
something had been added thereafter. The colored
men had been assured by leading white men Of
Dsnville, after the riot, that they would
not be disturbed at the polls, but still
they feared TO vote Witness not afraid TO vote, but
did because OF understanding that the coored
people would not vote. No orders were issued from any
source not to vote.
"Jack" Redd colored called to the witness chair
He said that he was chairman OF the Republican Com
mittee; lived three miles north OF Eanye mis- precinct
New Design. He went into Dsnyile on Saturday to
Colonel Sims; had heard that Colonel Sims was
threatened in consequence OF speech he had made
About o'clock he told there fighting, and went
toward the spot BE left hastily, did the other col
ored people, when the firing began. Afterward return
| ing to see the result, he was met by
| Colonel Csbell. who asked where he was going.
! Colonel Caben said "Ths is just what have been
been telling you would happen" "Ned" Hatcher came
along with another and asked Cabell who witness
was; being informed. Hatcher said: "Let blow his
id brains out" Colonel Cabel said "No let the id
scoundre leave here" Hatcher struck witness and then
as witness left they began firing him. Witness
his white neghbors going into Danvie that night and
returning with guns which they had procured in Danve
them going TO the polls on election day with the same
| guns Colored people were thereby inundated and
concluded not to to the polls In reply to Senator
Vance, witness became somewhat excited and evinced
ignorance ith regard TO the distance from Danyille
| to New Design, where colored people did not
beshers where they did vote did not know that New
Design was four miles, while Wimbeshers only
+. 1. Ivey, cOored, a huckster 4" on the Dsnvllle
market" was called He saw the people running ana
and saw the white along the curb with their pistols
aimed feared somebody might shoot him. ana went ii
oed men ran shot dead across the street Jack
Redd came along and asked cOlored What you all
rnnnini for the white people only burnn' powder
They replied WHATS de meanin OF dat dead man ober
| dar ii dey don't mean harmi" witness described the
| mall
| threats which were made 10 himself on the same
S because Of the fear inspired by the riot.
w. Il. Taylor white obacco[is Of Danville took the
witness chair He said that the afternoon OF NOvem
Der 3 he was doorkeeper at Democratic meeting in
the Opera House in Danylle Mr. Noel tod witness ne
had been insuted by negro named Hense lawson and
asked witness and Mr. Lee to go down and see fair play
me e''' street, met Lawson, and Noel administered
the hrashing TWO policemen came up 10 separate tne
and the parted. just then Lee called witness
and the latter turning saw large negro trying 10 take
with cane, and then rtpped and fell AT this moment
Lees pistol discharged but whether by accident or
design witness did know The negro ran and crowd
coOred began to gather asking who fired at that
| negro witness was pointed out by the man
| who fred A negro, named Davis Lsweyn stepped out
OF crowd and witness said TO him: Il have not Tired,
pu f ege3Sp drew WaIte landed pistol from his
pocket and returned again The crowd increased aud be-
threatening When the light began there were three
white and fifteen negroes on the street il sight
At the climax there we're between 200 and 800 negroes
ard about hfteen white men In Witness opinion had
the white shown fear they would al have been muir
| Witness three pistols among the
negroes witness empted the five chambers OF his pistol
az the crowd Of negroes. Would most assuredy do
again under like crcums ances didn't know whether he
HIT anybody or not There was not TO WITNESSES Know
LEDGE any predeermnatOn among the whites to bring on
in consequence as witness thought OF
| the local government az Danylile Negroes crowded
had been nsuted by Lawson two days before the rot
Lawson advanced toward witness drawing some kind of
weapon, when witness threatened to shoot IL Lawson
advanced beyond particular spot.
| A MAN WHO FIRED AT "NIGGERs."
DR. d. b. Temple OF Danville, testified TO having been
present at the meeting at the opera house in Danve on
the night the riot and that there great excitement
among the 500 and persons present in the hall He
said there was a stir in the street and somebody
said there was a fight, which added to the
excitement Quiet was restored. however,
through the exeron Of the chairman who said the dis
| turbance on the street caused by some one who
wished TO break up the meeting Witness remained In
the opera house until resolutions had been adopted
When he got out on the street he fifteen twenty
white men confronting nfuriaed mob OF .'niggers"
The latter violent and threatening and shouting
| Some persons among them, policemen, were en-
| deavorlng to allay the excitement Inc negroes
The white fired al Kelly which the negroes returned
and on the noGg o. secghe 'GGy " n ne "T VIZ
armed and fred with the rest he fired four shots into
the crowd Of negroes He said be obliged to do II.
He did make any inquiries TO the cause OF the
trouble. He only ten fifteen OF his feow-eitiZens
conendng against negroes and he took tie side
OF his own people Witness had bought his pistol month
before this thing occurred. IL he said notorious
that the negroes armed and they he whites
had taken measures for their preservation. When
witness fired mis- pistol nc fired rgt utO the crowd lie
ddut snoa whom be INT Did not FIRE after the crowd
began to run, aud tried to prevent others from lrng
| Witness had taken part IN the dscus-
| sion which preceded this riot. Like every
other good citizen, he said, he wanted
20 get terrible miserable government they had
had often said he would leave the country that
| government not overturned. His complaint was
that the people who built and owned the town mad no
voice in s management He said that every white
| woman and child had been enlisted in the
| fight TO get rid OF the government tthey
! complained OF. and had promised implicitly to
obev he order OF their leaders They had been warned
by every man authority TO avoid any collision II they
c9uld He denied that the riot had been precipated ID
ofer 10 inidate the negroes from voting hu Thought
il nad mad that effect. 1t did not Ike any dfecect IN
d.nfa