National Republican., 1884-02-22
The Judge Of Her Chief Court Gives His 0pin-
ion OF Political Methods There.
The "CoaIition Rule" Circular Full Of
Misstatements and Fasehoods.
What II Costs a Man Not 10 Be Democrat in
Virginia.
Testimony OF Liberal Who Taught the
Bourbons TO Respect Him,

tirely concerning the occurrences Of tho after
noon Of Nov. 3, and the story, continually re-
peated, with slight variations, Of Noeps fight
with Lawson, and Of the line of white men
firing at the unarmed negroes, grew rather
monotonous. Yesterday some new ground
was covered, and something of the character
of politics and politicians was revealed.
J. D. Blackwell, judge of the corporation
court of Danville was the first witness ex-
amined, and he remained on the stand until
3 o'clock in the afternoon. He was certainly
the most intelligent witness in tho case thus
far, and, judging from his language aud the
character of his testimony, evidently the
best educated. He is coalitionist, but some
of his testimony was directly in favor OF the
democrats. He was plainly fair and un-
prejudiced, and his opinions are likely to
have much weight. He saw the entire fight
from the window Of his law office, which
is directly opposite the scene OF the
fight. He described the whole affair
clearly. The undisputed points Of the story
are already we'll known. He was very dear
at that time. tho result Of taking large doses
of quinne and the only word he heard was
the shout Of Murder" which first drew his
attention. He saw through the window
white man beating negro with stick. Two
other white mon (Tyler and Lea), with drawn
pistols stood by. powerful negro crossed
the street and attempted to take Lea's pistol
from him. The two fell, and presently the
negro jumped up and ran away. He saw
Lea take deliberate aim and fire at this
negro There was q rush Of colored and
white men from all Quarters; q,ar,;- Inc me
negroes in the street. In each party several
men wero excitedly gesticulating. He saw q
few of the whites in consultation, and soon
after the whites formed in an orderly line.
They drew pistols. Then the negroes turned
to run. Possibly all of them had not turned
when the first volley was fired. The volley
was like that OF drilled body Of men. The
witness, who had been o confed crate soldier,
had never heard o more orderly discharge In
battle. Afterward the firing was less regular.
Tho witness saw Capt. Graves stand on q
street corner and fire his pistol three times in
different directions. He could not see at what
object he was aiming. He saw Blount rush
into tho street, turn around several times,
and fire his pistol in the air. He acted like a
man beside himself with excitement. That
was the last incident of the riot which came
under his notice.
The witness said that he had full authority
to issue warrants for tho arrest of parties
engaged in the affair, and gave as his reason
for not issuing them that he did not think,
as matter of principle, that anything should
be done until after election, and then the
persons VINO wore WOuuueu anu reldUiNeS Oh
the killed should make complaint. No one
made complaint, and then he thought it bet
ter to let the whole affair be investigated and
ventilated by grand jury, which he drew
according to law. One negro was on the
jury, and witness thought he was q repub.
lican. The others, he supposed, were demo-
Gratis. The grand jury sat for two days, and
heard testimony. "The truth is," said the
witness, "that failed entirely to appreciate
the condition Of public affairs at that time
I thought that after the fight was over and
peace was restored that complaints would be
made, but they were not"
The witness was very sick for some time
during the canvass, and could not, of his per-
sonal knowledge, tell about the excitement
of the campaign. He knew that the circular,
headed coalition Rule" caused the excite
ment to increase greatly.
Are the statements in that circular true ~
asked Senator sherman. ..'..
Some Of them are, but the great majority
are false"
At the request of Senator Sherman the wit.
ness went through the circular, and told what
statements were true and what false. Figures
given concerning census, taxes, &C., he
thought to be correct. Since 1869 there never
had been time when every Office in Dan
Vile might not have been filled by negroes
if that race had so chosen. The charge that
the city was divided into wards at the appli.
cation Of the negroes, for tho purpose Of
getting mOro OmCeh, was idloo. ShpI
Clark, whose name is signed to
the circular, was the first mover
in getting the city divided, SO that he appears
as charging the negro with the thing
which no himself did. The witness never
heard of any complaint made by the whites
and rritate them. The council chose DEM
ocrat for its president, and after he resigned
offered the position to other democrats, who
declined it; then Ralston was chosen. The
council was composed of eight white men
and four negroes. The four. negro police
officers were selected by this council. Two
were regular policemen, one was city scav-
enger, the other clerk Of the market, with
certain police powers. The complaint that
of the twenty-four stalls in tho market q
majority were rented to negroes TO the ex-
clusion Of white men is absurd, because the
stalls belonging to the city are rented at
auction to the highest bidder John w
Holland owns eleven stalls, and rents nine OF
them TO negroes. Mr.. Holland is democrat
and his name is signed to the circular. There
was never any complaint that the negroes
occupied stalls until this circular was printed
and there has been none since. There are
now more negroes occupying stalls there than
ever before. The charge that the market il
flthy,and that the white men have been d drVeu
out, and the place converted into squaed
negro quarters is absolutely false. The mar
ket Is as clean as II ever was, and as clean aE
markets III OIHST ClllcS. hlIuooa InOuRnl
that the charge was made to be circulated In
southwestern Virginia, where the Inhahitant:
are mostly white, and he thought IL was in
tended to produce race prejudice and would
have that effect. The allegations against Col
Raiston were false. lie is an intelligent gen
tlemen, and there is nothing to be said
against his character and integrity. The
statement that the city was governed by fed
eral officers and slaves The witness character
lied as a political canard." There were but
five federal officers in the city Of 1900 in
habtants, and these i've were not ruling the
$1,000, except in the circular. There were
but three federal officers in the council. I'm
less three men controlled nine it was Impos
sible, as charged, that the federal officers
made laws for the city. Witness believed
one of the negroes in the council was bad
man. He prosecuted him for seduction and
thought he was guilty and should have beer
sent to the peni tentiary, but white jury
acquitted him. The witness also though
that the negro magistrate was bad man, Al
to the charges made concerning tho police
court, the witness had no personal knowledge
of their truth OF talsity, He had heard {
number of people say, however that the
negro was the best magistrate
of the lot the other two beinI
white men. The charge that two magistrates
had been removed for cause aud one of then
had fled to escape indictment was true, anC
the witness himself was the Judge who re
moved them. These two magistrates weri