Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-10-24
THE ROANOKE RIOT.
REPORT or THE SPECIAL lNvesTl-
eating GRAND JURY.
Nineteen Persons Indicted, Four for Fell
osy and Two Accssseriss. the Remsin-
der for demeaner-Remarks.
Special telegram to the Dlspatch.)

Special telegram to the DispatchD
ROANOKE. VA, October 2-The spe-
cial grand jury, A. NJ. Nelson. foreman.
which has been In session for three
weeks. concluded their labors this after
noon at o'clock by returning the follow
ing indictments
For lynching the negro Smith on the
morning OF the fist OF September; Walter
s. Boone; Eward Page. and Frank Shep-
perd. with J. F. Terry and A. II. Griffin.
as accessories before the fact.
For burning the body after the lynch
ing; Walter Davis. Thomas Bugg. Norris
O'Hern. Harry Dow, Charles Mcdaniel,
and Joe Narilla.
For melting riot and attempting to
break into the Jail on the night OF the
10Th ultimo: Walter Davis, ID. ID. Kenne-
dy A. Perry. Thomas Bugg, James G..
Richardson, s. w. Fuqua, and Brown
Myers.
For unlawfully and feloniously breaking
into the hardware. store OF a. NJ. Nelson,
and II. II. Myers on the night of the 10Th
ultimo; James G.. Richardson
The burning of the body and attempt to
break open the jail are classed as mis-
demeanors. The alleged lynchers are In
dicted for murder in the first degree.
THE REPORT
The grand-jury report accompanying
the Indictment is document OF seven
or eight pages Of legal cap. and IL IN
substance as follows: They say after
examining 800 witnesses they find II diff
| cult to reach a satisfactory conclusion in
many cases. They then give an account
OF the negro Thomas Smiths assault and
robbery of Mrs. ishop. Of his capture
and confinement In the city Jail; and tell
| how the Judge OF the Hastings Court in
orer to insure a speedy trial at once sum-
mOned a special grand jury TO investigate
In crime Notwithstanding this. large
number Of persons not disposed TO allow
the law to take it's course. assembled In
front Of the Jail. and staid there all day.
In a threatening attitude. To protect the
prisoner and sustain the law, Mayor
Trout called out the military company.
FORCED THE PICKET-LlNE.
Between 7 and 8 O'Clock in the evening
the crowd. augmented 1t was said by par
ties from the country, forced the picket
line, and was so turbulent that the
Mayor and others. who had mingled with
them warning them to deslst. had to re-
tire into police headquarters. Notwith-
standing the crowd had been warned that
the guns Of the soldiers were loaded with
powder and bail, and that they would
| shoot, the mob made an attack on the
side door OF the Jail, SCATTERING 1t badly.
ORDER TO FIRE.
Finding their efforts TO make them de-
sist were answered by ieers and missiles
the order was given the military TO fire.
The mob continued 10 crowd towards the
| building until the military on the north
end 'front.' Of the jail were forced to fire.
In the confusion and darkness II was inn
possible for the military to distinguish
spectators, who had elected to stay there
at their own peril from rlotous law
breakers, and while some spectators may
have been killed. a portion OF the killed
and wounded were taking an active part
I'm the attempt 10 break in the jail.
THE ENDS OF JUSTICE.
Although Mayor Trout. after being
wounded. was urged by his friends TO
leave the Jail. the grand jury are Of the
opinion that the ends OF justice could have
been attained il the Jail had been held.
The prisoner never should have been
taken out OF Jail. With the spectators
absent. IA they would have been in a
second attack. the mob would have been
much less formidable and easier dealt
with The police force, the grand jury
says, was I'm demoralized condition.
After the Mayor was taken away they
could have removed the prisoner TO a safe
place and the city would have been
spared the disgraceful scenes OF that
night and Of the following day. when it
had no protection and was absolutely
given over to mob law. There were no
means for good citizens to get together
20 aid I'm restoring order.
--. BRUTAL EXHIBITION. .
The riotos speeches then made cannot
be censured too severely. The attempt 20
drag the dead negro through the streets.
and the burning OF his body was an ex-
hibition % brutality hardly ever exhib-
tied I'm n civilized country. and the brave
men who In the face Of an angry mob.
resisted this deserve the highest common
dation In conclusion. the grand jury says
# trials for crime were hastened, the law
would be indicated. and the public would
! be content to let the culprit receive his
punishment legally. Judge Woods thank
ed the grand jury for the care and fidelity
with which they had discharged their
duty. and dismissed them from further
service. The indictments were then
turned over to the Clerk Of the Court,
and orders were issued for the arrest of
the parties mentioned above. number
Of them are out Of the city, and their
whereabouts are unknown.
SOME OFFICIALS IN IT.
J. r. Terry indicted as accessory. was
chief OF police at the time OF the riot.
but was suspended the following day by
Acting Mayor Buckner. Sergeant \. H.
Griffin who has been acting as CHIEF OF
police since then, was also indicted as
accessory to the lynching. He was sus-
| pended by Mayor Trout "a soon as the
report OF the grand jury was made
known. and Sergeant Gold was appointed
acting chief of police The action OF the
grand jury has caused no excitement as
! yet