Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-10-25

btOpPIuB W eSSonPsoy usm "
cratic meeting. He accepted, went 70
the place Of meeting, and, upon enter
ing, found Hon. Paul Edmunds address,
ing about forty persons. He Captain
Gsines) took his position near the door,
He had been there some minutes when
his attention was attracted BY some
ones tapping him on the shoulder.
Upon turning around he found himself
face to face with 'seedy-looking indi-
vidual,' whom he recognized Is former
employee Of his, and who he learned
afterw ards was chairman OF the Demo.
cratic Club at South Boston. His first
thought was that the individual
wanted him to give him employment or
to procure employment for him. With
this thought uppermost in his mind,
Captain Gaines followed him and was
led into a room near the place Of speak
ing. When the two had entered the door
was locked by the party whom Captain
Gaines bad followed. Upon looking
around Captain Gaines saw several
other men-three or four-in the room.
His suspicious were aroused, and he
inquired what was meant. His inter-
rogatory was met by demand on the
part of the others what was the object
Of his visit to South Boston. This he
declined to divulge on the ground that
he was . freeman, in free Common
wealth. The demand was repeated,
and the protest of Captain Gaines again
entered against their unwarranted con-
duct. The door, however, was finally
opened, and Captain Gaines returned to
bis hotel. Soon after his arrival there
Captain Edmunds came in to pay his
respects to him as an acquaintance, and,
perhaps, further, to apologize for the
treatment which Captain Gaines had
just experienced. At any rate, the
two sat in the hotel and talked, till final
" crowd collected outside the door
attracted their attention. 1t transpired
in some way that the object Of the crowd
was to see Captain Gaines, and, it is to
be presumed, renew their assault on
him. Captain Edmunds, the Demo-
cratic nominee for the House Of Dele
gates, and the hotel-keeper, also
Democrat. went out and addressed the
crowd, which finally dispersed. Every
thing, it seems, was from this time
quiet till bedtime. At that time,
when Captain Gaines had started to
his room, having stepped outside the
hotel door, he found himself again in the
midst of a crowd. He was again me-
naced. One Of the crowd held club
in his hand another stepped forward
and informed Captain Gaines that
a telegram had been received stating
that he Captain Gaines) had come to
South Boston to speak, or to meet
the Republican nominee for the Senate
from Halifax. 1t was further intimated
10 him that there was reason to believe
that he had campaign money to be used
at that place in the interest of the Re-
publican party. Captain Gaines asserts
that threat was then made that if he
attempted either to speak or to use
money for any such purpose as indi-
Gated he would be torn limb from limb
and thrown into Dan river. Captain
Gaines finally escaped into the hotel and
left for Burkeville on the first train.
In the course of his remarks he men,
toned that prominent Democrats
assured him that if he would
remain over till next day a
meeting of Democrats would be held,
and the treatment to which he had been
subjected denounced. He declined to
do so, however, and, as already stated,
left by the first train for Burkeville. In
the course of his remarks Captain
Gaines said that he had been informed
that citizen of Burkeyille had written
to South Boston for statement Of the
facts by citizens Of that place. The
writer of this, being the person alluded
to, at once addressed Captain Gaines,
and attempted to explain why he had
done so. This he was not allowed tC
do till the close Of Captain Gaines's re-
marks. He then stepped forward and in
formed the crowd that he was the citizen
of Burkeville alluded to as having
written to South Boston for version
of the facts in the case Of the treatment
Of Captain Gaines that he mad done
so acting upon the principle that it was
not fair to decide in any matter upon
an e1 parte statement, especially wher
that statement came from a party inter
ested to such an extent as Captain
Gaines in the present instance. The
writer further proceeded to show from
the version of the affair which had just
been given that it was not fail
to hold the Democratic party re-
sponsible for an act committed
by few seedy individuals, mem
bers Of that party. He inquired o
Captain Gaines TIE population o
South Boston, and was informed tina
it numbered 1000. At this point Cap
tain Games expressed himself as aston
ished that any one should undertake t
defend the perpetrators of the outrage
which he mad suffered, and further re
marked that such were the men that th'
Democratic party put forward to d.
Their dirty work. The crowd, almos
without exception Republican, seeing
the turn which things were taking
that the statement to which they haC
Just listened showed that the ALLEGED
outrage had not been countenanced by
representative Democrats OF South Bos
ton, and as thewriter was proceeding t
show that tie population of South Bos
ton was out Of all proportion to the
number that had been engaged in thu
outrage, raised such howl thatnothine
could be heard. Captain Gaines men
toned BOSS Barbour several times
and in such connection as to product
the impression that that gentleman an'
others composing the leadership of The
Democratic party might be particepl
criminis with the perpetrators Of sucl
outrages as the one that he alleged h
had suffered. viii close this article
without comment, leaving to each reade
Of this to judge for himself of the spiri
in which the meeting was conducted
and the purpose for which it was held
L. +. RoYALL.
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