Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-10-07
WISE AS A sLUGGER.
~ He struck Republican who De-
nounced Him.
Froaa tho Washington Post.

o,,-nt of the Wise-Smith affair than ap-
..,arad in our dispatches:
+ MI John 5, Wise, the Republican can
S3isse for Governor Of Virginia, who was
nouuced to speak in Alexandria last
r5bt spent yesterday in Washington
3 tooL an early evening train for Alex
ar5a The train was filed with quite a
''.,q,ber of negroes and Republican office
+.llars whose presence was needed to
@,erlto a respectable size the audience
a. e,Dacted to address, Mr.. John Am
XII Smith. who, though a Republican
4 long standing, is opposed to the
vabope ticket in general and Mr..
wise in particular, occupied a seat
II no smoking car of the train. Mr..
Wisa took his seat Immediately behind
Mr. smith.
osov. In published letter, that he re-
',sr7a6 Mr.. Wise's defeat as certain. For
,6asa words the Republican candidate
t1ols MIN to task shortly after the train
ba8 left thi4 city. He accused Mr.. Smith
cfdasprting his party and was not very
yarr{euiar in the language he used. MT.
smith stood the TRADE as long as he could,
thao iDtimated to Mr.. Wise that he
VA not telling the truth. Without mo-
meats warning the latter raised his fist
ard struck Mr.. smith in the face. This
was The signal for a geners assault upon
MIR. smith by all the negroes in the car,
and before assistance could reach him
he had been pretty severely handled. Mr..
wise. Immediately after striking Mr..
smith. was seized by some Of the latter's
friends and prevented from following up
tba attack. BY this time the train had
reached Alexandria. and the excited
crowd proceeded down Main street to Ar
mory Hall, where the meeting was an
nounced to take place.
When Mr.. Wise commenced speaking
AT Armory Hall Mr.. Smith was in the
room and Mr. Wise evidently did not see
INN. there being about 800 persons pres
emit Mr.. Wise at first began to talk
about the campaign, and read from
memorandum statement to the effect
that while Gen. Lee was cadet at West
Point he was fOrty~fifth out OF class OF
fortv.eght and had 1860 dement's oppo-
ate his name. He had hardly spoken ten
minutes, however, before the audi
ence became noisy and disorderly, and
one of MIR. Wise's sentences was in
terrupted by a clamor from the rear of
the bali.
What did you strike j. Amber Smith
because" said Mr.. Wise, she was ma
king blackguard Of himself, as you are
doing now"
"Weu. you can't whip me now, any
how shouted Mr.. Smith. "You are a
coward"
Mr. Wise paid no attention to the re-
mark but went on speaking. He dis
cussad the Blair bill, denounced Virgin
ians and finally asserted that the Demo-
oh Of ho
State Insane Asylum had seduced the
inmates. This statement was the torch
which kindled into a flame the ex-
cited feelings of crowd in the rear of the
hall.
you are liari" shouted some one.
There is no coward in this hall who
viii dare to come upon the stage with
me-" cried Dir. Wise in return.
why don't you say that to Page Nc
Cartyf" was the exclamation OF another
man in the crowd.
BY this time the scene was one of wild
est disorder, and MIR. Wise thought it
best to stop speaking. The lights on the
stage were extinguished and Mr. Wise
escaped through a rear entrance, and I'M
der the escort of two policemen was ia
ken as far as the corner of Pitt and Duke
streets, where he said that he did not
need their protection any longer. He dis
night Mr.. Smith came outside OF the
nall and hunted in vain for Wise until he
mad 70 take the midnight train for this
city.
FROM Mr.. SMITHS POINT OF VIEW.
81 do not wish to say ANYTHING about
tAe matter" said Mr.. John Amber
smith to reporter. cit is not fair to
ar WISE to allow anything to be pub
hsned until ne has chance to explain
matters, and cannot allow myself to be
interviewed"
as 1t true, then, that Mr.. Wise struck
youg' asked the reporter.
Wen, yes" said Mr.. Smith, heslta-
ungIy, MS anger evidently beginning to
KY me better OF his resolution. 'I'll tell
t3u Just now 1t happened. / got on the
ualn and met Wise at the door.
dow are you, John Amblerg he said.
leaSaatly, and as had been friend of
1r. Wlse's | returned his greeting and
resented my friend, Mr.. Ramsburg, of
Nafyland' We sat down together, and
~ lle course Of our conversation he re-
ielleu 10 some articles which he said had
Ecu fu9llshed In the Richmond DiSDatch
~ quoted from them some remarks per-
tdlhlhs 10 himself, which he objected TO
told him that he was mIstaken. and he
animated that / was living. i then told
utua l had the papers and could prove
mnal l sand. AT this he rose, and. with
ous giving me word Of warning. struck
uI ~ tne mouth. l fell back In my seat,
au1 Tue nfst thing knew several colored
n-eu ndu jumped upon me, and | heard
nlehu kamsburg, who had seized
81 ry Don't double up on manp'
baS S%.'Y oelleVe should have been killed
GU. - I 5e oeen Tor this timely Interfer-
3 So &C., me colored men released me, and
sst1g9 CONDUCTOR came in at that time |
s1 S MN TO tell Mr.. Wise that, as the
TllIIceuiily mad occurred between us two,
9nouid expect him TO settle with me on
T9 @a arrival In Alexandria. Whether this
Isdge was delivered or not / do not
N.Y. MN NJ out when we got to Alexandria
I,'r ise ana not appear, and next saw
NJ 'H ~ the meeting. When in the course
ms ~ remarks he stated that he struck
~ az ne would any other BLACKBOARD, |
,s ose immediately and said: you struck
~ loui dow. which could only have
49, a. ,uoue by pOitrOon and a coward
To,, STATED implicitly that | should ex-
c cro satisfaction. shortly after this the
ro o"G missed and jeered him so that ne
sjJo io4ceu 70 cave the building by the
MAJ e,V9oT' and we saw no more of him.
sgb. j =, wise whipped me in a fair
+ set,' SAID Mr. Smith, a look of anger
sa5d ,Ns On ms lace, II should not have
& nj WoId, but TO strike me when | had
49, expectation Of II than / have
B Ef ~ WI repeat IL. was more than /
rae ho. and propose TO make him
a5g' Y lQr every drop OF blood which
On b.s m,this wound" displaying cut