Morning journal and courier., 1886-10-07
News by Telegraph
FROM ALL QUARTERS.
THE RACE issue AGAIN
Brought Into Prominence
By The Knights.
ALMOST A WAR IN RICHMOND.
Social Circles Stirred To
The Center.
THE DROP IN new ENGLAND.
Startling Evidence Against
JanitOr Titus.
THE DROP IN new ENGLAND.
THE WAR OF RIA cEs AT RICHMOND

Restdents-The Right OF a. GOlOred
Delegate to Sit In the Theater EN-
phaticalIy Dented-The First Fami-
Hes Unite to Uphold the Unwritten
Law. 7rr -.
RICHMOND, Va, Oct. 6.-There' has been a
fear here all day and it is entertained by
many tonight that the race question will
overshadow everything else in connection
with the Knights of Labor convention. The
procedure of the delegates of district assem-
bly, No. 40 last night in going to the theater,
purchasing seat for their colored delegate
along with those for the whites and taking
them in with them would have resulted in
conflict under ordinary circumstances, but
the white citizens waived their displeasure
for the time in the hope that the thing would
not be repeated. This morning, however,
it was announced that the same procedure
would be followed tonight and indignation
began to rise. For many years it has been
the custom to confne the blacks to the bal
cony and so strictly has it been followed that
no trouble has arisen over the rights of the
colored people. The theater managers are
required in assuming control to enter into
written agreement to the effect that colored
the house. So, this afternoon, Manager E.
NJ Castine of the Mozart academy received a
letter from Colonel S. B. Paul, chairman of
the finance committee of the Mozart associ-
alton, calling attention to the fact that last
night the contract under which the academy
was managed had been violated, inasmuch as
a colored man had been permitted to sit in
the main portion of the house. Colonel
Paul said:
casian race shall alone be admitted to any part of
the house except the gallery and that is clearly de-
ments called the balcony: Under the circum-
&c ThiSn SO @ Pee req FAST s ngn
mittee think your action was judfcious; but as
tasy %h e oyd prece the he
ests yop represent ia violation OF contract Of lease
infringement of the lease
With this contract drawn upon him and
the announcement that tonight there would
be repetition of last nights proceedings
by the delegates of No. 40 staring him in the
face Mr.. Csstine was in a dilemma. His
only alternative was to call upon
which 0n's1 he did 0 and ' then As' ASSUMED
his patrons that he would enforce the spirit
of his lease. Major:Poe, the chief, diagnos-
ed the foreboding as serious and during the
afternoon called at the armory where the
knights of Labor convention is in session to
see Mr.. Powderly for the purpose of induc-
ing him to persuade the delegates to desist
from their determination to attend the thea
ter tonight and take their colored delegate
with them. The United Press correspond
emit saw the chief Immediately after his mis-
sion was finished. 'I did not see Mr.. Pow
Derby" said Major Poe, who is a far-seeing
officer. "But Mr.. Hayes of the general ex
To wifi
me. was assured that all possible effort
would be made by the orders officers to pre-
vent the delegates from New York
from visiting either of the
theaters. I cannot see how a
collision can be prevented if the colored del
egate is taken into the theater. The white
citizens will not be dictated to in the matter
of their social rights and especially by stran
gers. The people have extended every cour-
tesy to the visitors and it is not right they
think for strangers to demand that this or
that be done in social life. 1t is not the
proper thing to ask that all customs and
usages be disIegarded to please any class or
whim. I have advised the theater managers
to close their houses if it is known this even
ing that colored men are to demand admis-
sion and if it becomes necessary to avert
trouble the theaters will be closed by an Or
der. I find in seventeen years experience as
chief of police that an ounce of prevention |
best way to avoid trouble is to re-
move the cause. Our white citizens never |
have trouble with the negroes about social
matters, bee ause the negroes know and keep
their place. We have our own ideas and
tastes about this thing and it is proper we
should not be interfered with, especially |
since the colored people themselves do not |
object. Major Poe very patiently and lucid |
ly explained the customs of Richmond in |
social matters, showing that the blacks were
treated as they should be in accordance with |
universal custom and the necessity from
local view of maintaining that custom, and
concluded by saying that the best educated |
and most cultured citizens were the ones
that intended to maintain these customs to |
the last, that they would be at the theaters
tonight to challenge the right of the colored |
delegates to occupy seats with tie whites and
instead of riot it would be revolution
an uprising to maintain popular principle |
The leaders of No. 40 lsarned after the
adjourned that extra precautions
would be taken by the police to check them
and they held consultation. Their reason
ings and determination are not known. 1t
was ascertained, however, that all thought of
visiting the Academy of Music was abandon
there. large squad of officers were sent to
the Richmond theater early in the evening.
This is the Oldest theater in Richmond, a
place where Booth, Boniface, Raymond and
other renowned actors have won fame and is
attended by the highest classes. "The
Strangers of Paris was on the BOARDS H.
H. Mortimer, South Carolinian by birth, is
the manager, while Frank A. Tannehill, who
was an aide to General Sydney Johnston, is a
star of the company. AS soon as these gen
tlemen learned that the disturbance
was to be transferred to their house
they at once proclaimed their in |
tention to cooperate with the whites. |
Main info iOne hat
the house had best be closed the latter said |
emo, there is no use of that. Let the peo |
pie come in and if colored A. man enters the |
auditorium will ring down the curtain, an |
nounce that there no performance and tell |
the people inside to go to the box office and
get their money" At P: m. several hun,
dred people were in front of the theater. At |
8 O'Clock the streets and sidewalks were
blockaded with men, there being few ladies |
in sight, and excitement ran high There |
were earnest inquiries for the forty miners"
and the colored delegate. A more earnest |
of people never assembled any,
where than that outside of the Richmond
theater. They belong to the best families
and it is presumed most of them were armed |
and come to defend their social principles.
When the curtain was rung up not
seventy-flve persons were IN me
house. The. excitement had ruined
the business of the night Fifteen private |
policemen headed by Chief Poe and three |
captains occupied seats in the orchestra
circles. A rattle-brained white man warmed
by liquor mounted box in front OF the the
alter and called to the black men to assert
their rights and enter the theater. He was
promptly arrested and locked up. Hundreds
of people hooted him as he was carried away.
The excitement was at fever heat and the
slightest disturbance would have precipitated
bloodshed, but the delegates of 40 with the
colored man Terrall did not put in an appear
ance and gradually the threatening aspect Of
affairs abated.
Former Ohio Omcials Indicted.
COLUMBUS, Oct. 6.-The Franklin grand
jury, which has been investigating the al
legged crookedness of penitentiary officials
during the Hoadley administration, to-day
returned indictments against B. 81. Marri-