Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-10-07
A SIIRAT THE THEATRE.
FerreIi Expected. bat Does Not Put In
an ApDearauce.

The delegates going TO the Academy OF
Music Tuesday nis ht aud carrying a cOiored
one Frank FerreD with them was the
theme Of conversation yesterday, and the
set caused much Indignation. II was pub
licly known in the afternoon that a telegram
had been sent by the United Pres, which
contained the following
.I Tepnrted that one Of the Theatre
managers has asked for increased police
protection tonight. and be has assured
his white patrons that no colOrcd men, be
they delegates or citizens, will De allowed
seat> with The whites. With this report Is
one that District ~ intends to march in o
body to this Theatre tonight. buy seats for
all. and lake in the colDred delegates, by
force, il necessary"
This made bad worse, and excitement
ran high. Many people confidently eX-
pected that such rn attempt would be
made. and they felt very uneasy lest there
should he riot and blOOdshed.
WENT TO SIZE POwDERLY.
About : O'Clock a DiSpdtch man, while
pas.iEp down Broad street, saw Major
Poe. Chief Of Police, Standing in the Thea
tire door. The reporter stopped and said {;
"W,n, Major. do you apprehend any trou-
ble to-sight?" No. lfthe knights should
attempt TO carry their colorcd member in.
have sufficient force here 10 keep the
pcace-abeut thirty-five picked men, and
lhcv are as true steel"
| see some OF your chief officers among
thcmS
Yes; they are Captains Epps and Angle
and Sergcants Howard, Cosby, Hulce, aud
Tomlinson.
Have YOU been tn the headquarters OF
49i :.
No; vert TO the headquarters at Ford 4,
Hotel and other places TO see Mr.. POwderly,
but failed in so doing. Invent to the Armory
10 see him, but another man came forward
in his stead. told this gentleman that ]
was the Chief OF Police and wanted to see
Nj. Powderly on official business. liesaid
that Mr.. PowdcIly was engaged and could
not see me, but that he would act Tor him.
! called his attention to Ferrell and the
number Of knights going to the Academy
Tuesday night in body, and told him that
II had caused great indignation among the
pcople: also. that had heard that they in
tended repeating the same thing at the The
atre tonight, and l called to say TO Mr..
Powderly that should such thing be at
tempted, 1 have not enough men on the
force TO prevent bloodshed.
He said That will be attended TO.
LARGE CROWD, But no TROUBLE.
People commenced to assemble in front
OF the Theatre by O'Clock, and by a hall
hour later there were several hundred
present To see II an attempt 10 get the col
ored man in would be made. Major Poe
and large number OF police officers were
prcsent, but their services were not needed,
and the colored member did not put in an
appearance, and there was no disturbance.
Excitement ran high, and had any OF the
white delegates attempted TO carry col
ored one I'm there would evidently have
been trouble
Ouite an animated controversy arose be.
tween a citizen and visiting Knight. The
former asked: "Did Ferr,ll and 40 come -
"No." said bystander.
"They were afraid TO-" said the citizen.
"No they wern't," replied the visitor.
Tom Mcclure is'their leader, and he Is
afraid Of nothing;
"Tben why didn't he bring Ferrell and
40 here as he did 10 the Academy"
/" Kecause he didn't want to. lie told
me that he never had any such intention"
..More likely 1t was because they were
afraid Of a row." was the rejoInder.
"So such thing; I tell you McGulre Is
moi the man 10 be deferred by Tear. lie Is
afraid of nothing mortal. lie Is the man
that stood on the bridge al ~. LOUIS ano
dot;cd the mob, and saved properly worm
81 zoo. .OCO. Oh no; he wasn't aifaid."
The citizen still persisted IN his view
the knight in his, and the by-standers De-
gan 10 gather about them. Ihey Were
nnsir. bigh but not angry words, when the
nolIce Thought II best to disperse the
crowd and.clcar the sidewalk.
In the middle Of the street connecticut
RnigLt entered INTO controversy with q
RicImond man TO prove thst the negro was
entitled TO social recognition, and for a