Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-10-25
HE WAS JUSTIFIED.
THAT THE VERDICT IN THE
CASE OF FELTs.
A RIOT WAS IN PROGRESS.
And Grcnt Excitement Prevniieu
on the Train on which Smith was
shot-Thc statement or the De-
tectiye.
tective.

PETERSBURG. VA. October A-(Spe-
cial)-The fact that the inquest upon the
body Of John Smith. the negro who was !
killed Saturday night by Private-Detee-
tive r. l.. Felts. would be held at Waverly
this morning, attracted a large crowd.
Justice Mallory, Of Waverly, was the
! Coroner. and ten witnesses were exam
| med. Captain w. NJ. Farrar. conductor
| Of the train. was the first witness exam
ined. His testimony was that pass was
furnished for sixty-hve persons from Hunl
TO stations east. Upon examination II WAS
found that several negroes were on the
train who were not included In the pass
Smith being one Of them. When smith
was asked for his ticket he replied very
abruptlv that he had none, and did not
intend TO get off the train and dehed Wit
ness 10 put him off. Witness called for
assistance. after notifying Smith that ne
was an officer Of the law. Smith showed
fight and resisted, and witness sent
brakeman 10 wake r. L. Felts, who was
I'm the sleeper Felts responded, and when
ne came I'm to the car notified Smith three
| times that he was an officer
SMITH RESISTED.
Smith resisted Felts. and Felts struck
him three times over the head with his
pistol. Smith then showed Felts towards
the front end Of the car. the door OF when
was omen. with the intention, witness
e thought. OF pushing him off the train. put
. Felts fell over the last seat before ne
reached the end OF the car, and as smith
was standing over him fired al him. smith
fell 10 the floor, on his face, dead.
t This testimony was corro0orated py
I. O. Long and j. G. Wright hagman anu
brakeman, respectively ana Dy ~ r. q
ter. timekcepeT, who testified that ne
heard Smith say at Dardens store IN
- Zuni. rhat he was going up on IRAN No
4: that he had no pass. and that II any
| one attempted TO put him of ne WouId
I smell burnt powder.
6 several witnesses testified TO the eX-
element that prevailed in the car saying
that Il almost resembled riot, ana lhd'
- Captain Farrar was unable 10 Pro'ec
e himself. and appealed 20 the passenger
T. TO aid him in preserving order on HE
train.
:, NEGRO TESTIMONY.
a James Bass and Wash Morgan tcol
e ored who occupied seats next TO an
j. with Smith. testified that they let inc
l. saote on account Of Smiths actions. Inc!
O ] nOSltlNe ltlAl s0ullAli iA''N -
e, intended TO use IT, They said they "oul
re ha,,a ,cted as Felts did If they had pee
a- IA bte nosition. 4 section-master tesliilG'
:. to finding a six-chamber pistol III III
ir bushes this morning near Where IN ~
le shooting was said TO have occurred ~
ne h,rreI was full Of sand. Five CHAMBER
le we're loaded and one was empty. ia
DIR. ]. w. Bryant, or Cre"e' .o
as to the course of the pu,'et' a,torin
90 -" nd heart. GnLtIlI
che backbone. The Coroners jury iTi
er led the following verdict: "Ihat JON
Ge.t,b came TO his death on. OCTOBER :
,coS from pistol shot fired by -
= tic q special agent Of the NOTION az
of -, rouroad. while trying TO ARE
ed ~ said smith. and that said T. L. el
IT., Vas tustified in firing the shot WHO
he killed the said Smith. 1,o,,or
at NIessrs. W. II. Mann, George ;. p5 I ISai
ly. and w. d. McIlwaine repiesen.t nod
as - the Coroner's jury. snllth nou
dy DelUit Tn groceries along with MN
lia Ha 800 he was killed. He knew vi
no no - ~ was as he had twice Intervene
Ter him.
he FELTSS STATEMENT.
he II n statement made to the Dispau
ng, oorresnondent Felts told the lo''o"'
vel stcrv of his part in the matter ~.
VA
eet no., awakened by brakeman seh'
la. la; ra wf Farrar who said there was oo,
zen riot on the train and asking me TO col
there fT' at once. hurriedly dre ,be GOA a
,asno,ded. and when ] got INTO tilv oo'
IV9p 80 tho baggage-car | found thaI
int r,oe, a riot existed, and AMIDST d s ~
''' mos in, crowd Of negroes l saw Captain ~
-. ra 7 and brakeman strusg ,hrsng %,'T
'ile Deero made my way throush
iNH'E- 1 the matter w
ces C C[U%ai Farrar turned, and, seeing W
:ad I : was said: Arrest this man. and
md trying to make the arrest 1t other 9ece med
-. lover TO conquer him, 10 sh'
aid him in defence Of my own life
on, ''' Detective Felts is well known in !
all all city and all along the line ,d Of w ane "
TO D IC, Baldwin when the latter s.
It "a killed Henry Hawkes. at Wilso
REF Der Depot on the 18th of September, ana
5till ~ last term of the County Court
10 lsHH Ia q