The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-10-10

anu says he Bel1eveB Ihere VIII BE NO
More Attempts of Mob Violence In the
City aid That the City for Long Time
to Come VIII BE the Safest Place In the
State and "a Model of Town.
Gen. H. Kyd Douglas, who recently
visited in this city, in On interview with
the Hagerstown (Md.) representative of
the Baltimore Sun, had the following to
say concerning the recent riot in this
city:
II found that many of the scenes and
occurrences Of the recent tragedy at
Roanoke were greatly exaggerated and
unsupported. l also ascertained that
there was no room for giving sectional
color to the miserable scandal. as per-
haps majority who made themselves
conspicuous on the side OF law and
order, as we'll as in the ranks of the
rioters, were Northerners and not Vir-
ginians. And while I have believed
that the immediate result of the dis
graceful scene will be to do the city of
Roanoke more financial harm than the
present monetary depression, I am
satisfied that eventually 1t will be
found to have been of great and lasting
value as lesson which will not soon be
forgotten. l was particularly struck by
the overwhelming revulsion of public
sentiment The apologists of the mob
are silent and the sentiment in favor OF
the preservation Of lawful order is not
only general and outspoken, but 30 in
dignant that one wonders it did not
assert itself whenmost needed.
There are still differences OF opinion
as to whether the right course was pur-.
sued to end the rioting. There are those
who believe that there should have been
no Cancellation with such violent law
breakers, but that the military force of
the State should have been called in
promptly to quell the whole insurrec.
ton with shot and she'll. People who
do not believe in tampering with mobs
will be inclined to that view. Others of
equal respec ia bility think that the con-
ciliatory method that was adopted of
enlisting the leaders of the mob to put
an end to it was better and more effect
i've. They say that the town was in
possession of highly-infiamed body of
rioters; that they might have done in
Unite destruction TO property before the
troops could have been collected, and
that the putting down of the riot by
military violence would have left
behind revengeful bitterness which
has no existence now. The course that
was adopted was strongly urged upon
the committees by Col. Joseph a. Sands,
vice president Of the Norfolk and West.
ern railroad, and seconded by others,
and for all practical purposes it was
successful. There seems to have been
much mistaken criticism upon the course
pursued by Mayor Trout in leaving the
town
ut is generally conceded that this
was q mistake for which Mayor Trout is
not so much to blame as the friends
VINO ADVISED him. If the people who
were eager to give him a gush of recep-
ton on his return had been as united
aud enthusiastic in his defense when he
was'threatened by the mob there would
have been no occasion for his leaving.
he is no coward, and they, with good
Intentions, placed him in false posi-
ton Had he, after he was shot, held
his position with his company of the
guard, kept that negro in the Jail and
ordered it to be defended to the last. he
would to-day be the foremost man" in
Virginia. as Baldwin is now the most
admired man for pluck in Roanoke. The
jail would not have been taken. Cap
tain Bird had his men we'll in hand, and
am assured that when, after the first
yolleY, he drew his little company up in
line in front of the Jail not man
flinched, but they were aligned and
counted tours" as coolly as il on pa
rade.
They did not scatter, as has been
reported, and did not break ranks until
ordered to do SO by Captain Bird, who
gave order, as he says, under instruc-
tons They would have held that jail,
and no second volley would have been
necessary. The company is stronger
to-day and in better morale than be-
fore the riot, and was glad that public
sentiment now gives them due recogni-
ton. The meetings of the company
have been larger since the mob than
ever before, and 1 am told that a new
company is about to be organized in
the Machine Shops of the Norfolk and
Yves tern, to become part of the Virginia
National Guard.
"The lynching, the mob, the rioting
were disgrace and stigma on the
good name of Roanoke, and yet but for
the unfortunate deaths that it caused
the compensation may wipe out the
stain. / believe there will be no more
attempts at jail breaking and lynching
In Roanoke and that part of Virginia;
that the people have been taught bY this
bloody lesson that unlawful violence is
not civilized substitute for lawful pun
ishment, and that mob will not again,
In Virginia, undertake to attack q pub.
lie building OF city or State when held
oy the civil authorities, backed by the
National Guard. I believe, moreover,
that the aroused public sentiment of
Roanoke has taken aud will take such
steps to insure tranquility and order in
that prosperous tow. that law and con.
hdence will be fully restored, and that