Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-01-16
LOTS SIDE OF THE STORY.
RAIDS ON POLLS AND CLUBS ON
WOOLLY HEADS.

Negroes Pictured as Injured Innocents
and Democrats Very BioodthIrsty
Crew-Flights Through the Streets in
the Van of HOwling MObs of Pursuers.
CINCINNATI, Jan. 15.-At the session
of the Springer Investigation Committee
to-day, Marshal Wright began TO int %
duce his testimony. A. A. Ferris. at
torney-at-law, was the first witness. He
told of scenes at precinct A, in the Fifth
ward, when a colored man named Spriggs
was taken from the polls while being
questioned by the judges as to his right
to vote. He was forcibly dragged from
the polls, and afterwards beaten by the
police and taken to a station house. Two
other cases of similar kind occurred.
Deputy marshals We're afraid to interfere
with deputy sheriffs, and police deputy
sheritfs were armed with dray pins. The
witness was asked whether there was not
a general feeling among good citizens
prior to the election that the appointment
Of deputy marshals was necessary to a
free ana fair election. Objection was
made to the question.
Mr.. Stewart, OF the committee, thought
that it was admissible.
Mr.. Van Alstyne thought that it could
be admitted only in case the witness had
made such a statement to Marshal
Wright.
Mr.. Springer favored the questions, and
the witness answered that there was such
general feeling, as there were grave
apprehensions of the coming of organized
gangs of repeaters. On cross-examina-
tion, the witness said that his knowledge
of the apprehension that there was dan
ger OF repeating was obtained from gen.
eral repOrt-newspaper talk, etc. He did
not mention 1t to Marshal Wright.
BACKED UP BY SUPERVISOR.
Howard Henkle, Supervisor of Elec-
tiOns in the precincts, cOrrobOrated
the preceding witness as TO the bad treat
ment of colored voters 10y deputy sheritls
and police. He believed that every col
Ored man Offering TO vote was challenged.
Both deputy sheritIs and police interfered
with voters While the judges were exam
ining them. A man named Spriggs was
dragged away and was afraid TO return to
vote, although he was a lawful voter in
that ward. An OtficiOus gentleman from
Kentucky said that Spriggs lived in
Cynthiana, but afterward said that
he thought he lived there. Deputy
marshals did not prevent any Demo-
Gratis from voting. In answer to
a question by Chairman Springer the
witness said that in his opinion it would
the polls if Marshal Wright had appointed
good men from both parties as deputy
marshals.
John WattersOn, attorney at law, was
judge of election in this precinct. He
c0rrobOrated the previous witnesses as to
the action of deputy sheritis and police in
with Republican voters. The
deputy sheritfs were disorderly and rough.
Nobody interfered with any voters that
rh1
vote was less than usual that day.
Amos LudlngtOn was a supervisor at
the Race street precinct of the Eighth
ward. COlored people did not take charge
of the polls and run things their own way.
Democrats challenged every negro. In
some cases, before the judges had time to
examine man, Democrats would shout,
He's repeater" and he would be jerked
down and beaten till he ran away.
POLLING PLACES INVADED.
Deputy sheriffs, armed with dray-plns,
deputy marshals and supervisors
out of the polling places. One of them.
named Phillips, was in the ro ON now,
and had to-day threatened the witness.
Judge Foraker asked if Phillips was
present.
The witness pointed him out, and Phil
lids arose and, looking at the witness.
said: "YOu lie."
Inc witness SAID that he had been told
that Phillips had threatened him.
The witness said that a man with a
hickory club in his hand ordered him out
of the polling place. He put his hand on
the ballot-boX and stood at his post.
Samuel Taylor, colored, bank messen-
ger, told of his effort to vote at this pre-
cinct. He was challenged by colored
Democrat, the only cOlOred man that he
saw there. The judges appointed a man
to go with him to see where he lived. The
moment he stepped down he was knocked
down. He got up and ran away. He did
not dare go back. Later, while on busi-
ness tor the bank, he was passing within
a square of the polls, when he saw mob
after Anderson Bennett, cOlOred. The
mob turned on him. He showed two
scars on the top of his head and one on
his lip, caused by wounds he then re-
ceived.l He was put in a patrol-wagon
and had chance to see the mob trying to
kill Bennett in the house of Peter Webb,
where he took refuge. Bennett was finally
put in patrOl-wagOn, and the mob threw
bOulders at him in the wagon.