The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-12-17

ono say. ZONE ON, waiter Boone" he
got up an hour afterwards and went to
THE TIMES Office and then went back
and found the negro hanging to the
tree. There was about twelve or fifteen
men in the party looking for the negro.
One of them had double barreled shot
gun.
At this this point the investigation
adjourned for lunch for one hour.
Ex-Chief of Police Terry on tho Stand.
The first witness placed on the stand
in the afternoon was Capt j. +. Terry,
who detailed at length the occurrences
on the night of the riot. He said that
when Sergeant Griffin accompanied him
home that night they were talking of
the dangers in guarding the prisoner
and that Griffin said He's nothing
but damned negro, let's give him up"
Continuing he stated: ~ don't recol
lect when Griffin and parted. 1 don't
remember his going with me back up
the street. Griffin told me that the
roads and bridges were guarded when
he first wanted me to give the negro up.
Griffin said on trial that he asked me
for money to take the prisoner away. 1
had money in my pocket belonging 20
the city, and he never asked me for
money"
On cross-examination Captain Terry
said: II only went home to let my peo-
pie know where was going. l don't
| remember seeing Griffin on the third
floor OF the Ponce de Leon. l don't
think l had any conversation with him
inside the hotel. 1 told Griffin to let
Gordon go and get the negro and bring
him back to Jail. This was about or
o'clock. Griffin said: Damn the negro,
chief, let them have him; they will
never be satisfied without him. I re-
To 70
Col Penn asked: Captain Terry, If
you had been reinstated chief of police
would you have obje cted to Sergeant
Griffin being reinstated?" The answer
was ruled out but Captain Terry said
that he insisted on Griffin's being made
sergeant and that their relations were
pleasant.
Captain Terry continued: eff Griffin
had told me that Traynham had de-
clined to receive the negro l never
would have consented to his being
brought back. and had I known thai
Traynham was trying to get him out of
town l would have helped him at the
risk of my life"
Captain John Birds Testimony
Tho next witness was Capt. John
Bird, of the Roanoke Light Infantry,
who said: ION tuesday, or Wednesday
after the riot came up to the Jail after
my sword and met Griffin. and asked
him how those men happened to get the
negro. He said everywhere he and the
chief went someone would follow him,
and he talked over the matter with the
| chief, and they decided to bring him in.
l told him l thought it very foolish for
him or the chief to bring him back
when they were followed. He said he
| didn't think Of that. l asked him WHY
| they didn't walk him down to Salem,
and he replied he didn't think of that.
After the firing asked the sergeant
if he couldn't take the prisoner out of
the jail. He said he could not wi :hout
orders. He left and went away and
came back and removed the prisoner /
advised him to take him out. l have
known Sergeant Griffin for nearly two
years and his reputation as an officer
has been good, except on one occasion"
John L. Trout testified as follows
81 was out Franklin road and crossed
the old bridge three times that night
and didn't see anyone there or anyone
near there." At the conclusion of Mr.
Trouts testimony Mr.. Glasgow an
nounced that the evidence for the city
was in.
Sergeant Griffins Defense.
For the defense Sergeant was himself
placed on the stand, who testified 81
was around the Jail during the firing,
doing all could to prevent trouble.
was called in the station house and
asked to remove the prisoner from the
jail. refused to do so without orders
went to soc the chief at the Ponce de
Leon. He said: Turn the negro out
and let him take chances for himself
refused to do this, and he then said,
take him out and do the best we could
with him. | afterwards saw the chief
and told him that we had left him at
Reeds shop. l told Austin we had bot
ter go and move the prisoner little bit
farther, and Austin and I went out and
they had moved him.
"We went out to the river and fol-
lowed it down to opposite the cemetery.
then went home and stayed about fl We
minutes and came back by the depot
AID met NJ" Buckner and j. G. Daven.
port. AS l passed Catcgni's saw
several of the boys eating and told them
to come to headquarters and | would
assign them their beats. saw the
chief and told him the boys had no
money and he said be would 90 and
get some. The chief said he was afraid
to give the money to Gordon, as he was
afraid he would run away.
when we started after the negro
thought we would put MIN back in Jail
We got him out under instructions from
the chief, and expected to put him
back under his instructions. No one
told me that couldn't place him back
in Jail. 1 asked Gordon to slip him
back as he brought him out, but no re-
fused to do so, and Austin, Aiken and |
l started back with him. The mob |
sprang out and the negro ran. One
man threw two guns in my face and |