The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-09-27

went with them. de thought they were firipg
were not no got away from there as soon as he
could. This was all he know and heard nothing
or any order TO fire.
N. F. Normoyle testified that he was ON the
We West sue OF the JAIL standing near and part Of
not snoot at all, as he was near him all tho time
ne cav 10 rock thrown nor heard any crash, but
dia see three or four men pounding on the west
AS this pounding was going on rifle was stuck
out OF the side window OF the 20 ice court room
anu hred Into the air, then the firing became
general Incre WAS an order to fire given from
and the first shot was fired from the ms idc OF the
room.
When the firing commenced he got up close to
the jail wall. with several Others and waited there
TIL 1t stopped He SAW no one fall, but cav them
lying on the ground when the firing ceased.
when asked now many were on the west side OF
the lall he said he did not know, but he did not
THINK there wero many more than ITO people close
A. L. Jamison, the fcs and coal dealer, was
next examined tlc said that he was sitting at
ms nome about $50 o'clock, or perhaps little
He ran down the street. and when no stopped ne
was about tweaty five feet from the jail building
q little later heard and saw ehots from the crowd
In front OF the Jail and that they were the irst
shots artd. lie conld not tell how mary shots
were Hired or how many men were firing them
but they were answered by shots from the rifles
OF the s. militia The fusilade became general and
himseif nc noticed the crowd running and saw
wounded 2nat and Ss dead men lying about him
n m
In front OF him dcliberstiy shoot four or five
ehots from revolver into the miitiamcn
standing in front Of the jail. lie got away as
quickly as he could, but went back as coon as the
filing ceased.
as soon as the first shots were fired the crowd
began to dspcrse, bat the firing continued tin
they reached Commerce street
Herald that there were twenty men or moro
who were we'll up near the jail and who were
make an onslaught and captur. the negro. In
all there were not more than eight miiitamen
guarding thc front door and DO ice were Occa-
sionally passing through the crowd.
lie heard no order given to fire, nor did he
notice anyone making an effort to quiet the mob
the front jail door and he was certain that at
least nine out the ten citizens there were simply
there as spectators.
w. l. Jonc. testified that while standing on
the corner of Campbell and Henry streets he
saw the crowd coming in from Bctctourt headed
by young Bishop, son of the injured woman
The crown consisted mostly OF boys and young
men and fastened to the jail to join the throng
already there.
AS well as he could tell there were 500 or 2 COO
around the JAIL and at least twenty fyc or thirty
moving around the crowd melting them to make
an assault on the Jail and take the prisoner from
it.
lie saw bricks thrown against the door and
heard crash and little LAYER the firing began
He raw one man drop wounded and another
iall TO keep from being hit by the flying bullets
hut heard no order to fire.
he was close to Mac Morris hut said that Nor
ris took no part in the affair. He said he
thought the firing commenced the inside.
firing until they reached Commerce street when
the hrng ccas, d. About five mir utes before the
firing began he saw Captain Bird and Mayor
Trout on the outside CT the building
Peter Dugan the contractor, next testified lie
said he was standing at the end OF tn. front stops
nearest tn court house and was nearer the mill
tia than anyone el.c. lie thought the first firing
commenced on the inside, though he heard no
sgnal nor order given He did not see Mayor
through the crowd. lie heard uone make m at
tempt TO dispersc the mob till the firing bcran
anu wheh u started and he saw the people ruh-
ming he laughed Mt them, think ing only blank
cartridges were being used.
lie soon realized the danger OF his position and
only seven or eight militiamcn standing In front
of the building and he was so close to these that
he had to push the muzzlc of the rifle of one OF
while he wastrying TO make his escape
The citizens had no intimatioa there would be
warning, He saw o citizens firing NJ all. The
whole thing lasted about minute, or perhaps a
minute m and half Two men fell almost immc
the majority thot were found to have been ia
1uTTe edI In an alley immediately opposite.
Daily Record. testified that he came OH the
ground at O'Clock and remained until after the
firing had ceased. There were from 1000 to
about nifty from Botetourt AS soon as the rus
TIC delegation arrived there was rush made on
the guards on the front steps OF the Jail which
was repealed with the bayonets.
Then the crowd seemed TO edge around to the
west side of the Jail for the apparent purpose of
making an attack. All this tir1e was in the
court room and could zee quite plainly Very
coon the bittering commenced on the western
door and Captain Bird stationed at the western
windows four militianen.
he sent others upstairs. Someone at this time
raised the sash OF the window and the men put
the muZzles OF their guns through the opening.
Al this moment some one from the outside
threw rock through the window aud few
IN the window BEGAN shooting and the fusilade
hecame general. There was one police man in
the room and he was filing his revolver but /
cannot remember who IL was.
Ii was his impression that the frinr throuph
the side window did not damage as they seemed
to he aiming above the heads OF the mob.
Most OF the shooting done In front Re.
lore the hiring stopped lie went into the corridor.
lie heard no one ask the mob to dispersc, nor did
have suggested another plan OF guarding the
Jail by putting the militia In the jail proper, but
Captain Bird was so husy that he did Tot have n
chance TO talk or his plan TO him.
When the tring ceased the mob had scattered
and the militia Just seemed to melt away Some
had citizens clothes brought TO them and otht rs
went ont the back way.
Policemen AZ that time were also scarce arti-
Gle Tine firing began Mt 7:55 O'Clock and did not
las over couple OF minutes.
He said he was told there were about ifty
armed men in all in the Jail, both upstai and
down. AT the close OF Mr. Pngh's testimony it
he4ng 5:45 o'clock, the inquest adjourned Til ii
O'Clock Friday morning.
The coroner's jury met ut Hotel Lee Friday
morning AID resumed their lAbors. Adjutant-
General Charles j. And. rson. OF tho State mill
TIA OF volunteers, was present. but he stated that
he was not at the inquest in his official capacity
The first witness examined was Robert e. Cole
man, clerk OF The city market, who testified:
was in the city OH the night OF the 10Th. I
started at o'clock to the reading room of the
Democratic executive committed Saw ali i'm
mense crowd around the courthouse-about 1000
wren got near the Ponce de Leon the firing
commenced. and l heard bullet whiz BY nv
head: ran into the basement of the hGtel i
couldn't tell where the first firing began. l heard
| oftn
wards in the hotel lobby. lie asl / INC to go up
and tell the crowd they could have the negro /
asked him why he did6t do that before these m zen
were killed. lie made no NJ swer,,
The next witness introduced WIS J. " Jami.