Daily Kennebec journal., 1884-03-29
FROM WASHINGTON.
MORE ABOUT DANvILLE.
Twenty-Five Witnesses Sworn-The
Riot a Blessing in Disguise.

WAsHISGrox, March 2s.
The Dauville investigation was resumed
this morning and twenty-five witnesses, all
white. were sworn at once.
VIM. B. kurtz. postmaster at Waynesboro,
Va. 200 miles from Danville, described the
state of political feeling in his neighborhood,
and said he was himself the chief object of
the democratic emnity. He heard of the
Danville riot the first day after it occurred.
He heard jollification speech after election
democrat speaker said he thanked God for
DaDville. 1t was a blessing in disguise.
l.. Nj. Shoemaker, former resident of
Danville, described the sntecedents of the
riot. The democrats were much excited and
said they were being better organized
than ever before and were determined to
carry the election.
j. W. Simmons of Floyd county, said the
Danville circular was extensively circulated
before election. The effect of the circular
was to change about $50 votes in Floyd
county.
Job Hauxhurst of Fairfax, the coalition
candidate for State senator, said the Dan
vile circular caused change from the re.
adJuster to the democratic side upon election
day. The democrats relied on the race issue
in the canvass.
The republican side suspended examination
at this point, although few more witnesses
remained to be examined, and Senator Vance
began the evidence in rebuttal, calling to the
witness chair Peter " Booth. a grocer of
Danville.
He described the riot Saw the prelimi-
nary quarrel and went 70 the place The
colored and white men were fighting with
their fists no weapons being used. After the
two men were separated the witness turned
to the colored people and asked them to
leave They refused and displayed pistols,
saying they had been misused and would not
go. Witness went among the colored people
and with several others, whom he named,
tried to get them to disperse. Witness
was not armed. When the firing commenced
there were about 10 whites and 200 coored
men. There was no alignment of the whites.
He heard no command to fire. Witness did
not see the whites when they first fired, his
back being turned. Witness saw the colored
men fire. Witness firmly believed that if
the whites had not fired they would ali have
been murdered. Witness never heard of any
preconcert to bring about the riot. In all the
meetings attended bo the witness the leaders
cautioned their followers to avoid rioting and
violence. The election was a quiet one
Witness repeatedly tried to get the colored
people to vote, but without success. They
said they didn't want to vote. Witness said
that it was untrue that he fired at George
Adams. He did not shoot at anybody.
w. j. Dance, member of the firm of
kufhn, Wolfalk Bla'r, In front of whose
store the riot took place. described the riot:
lie seized gun, cooked ooth barrels and
stoou IN the uoor OF the once. Dldnt nre.
out leveiled the gun when ne saw the colored
men aiming pistols. Ihe ouilets on the
'front.' OF the once could not have been made
oy the shots from the white crowd. 1t was
IN TINS once that witness mad SAID the
whites went and supplied themselves with
arms. The witness said he was the only
man IN the office and he Kept the crowd out