The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-11-04
ELECTION RECALLS .
BIG OANv|LLE RIOT
OCCURRED WHEN CITY THREW
OFF NEGRO YOKE
IN 1883
WAS TURNING POINT
BLACKS CONTROLLED OFFICES
AND BUT SPARK WAS NEEDED
TO LIGHT THE

LYNCHBURG, VA, Nov. 3.-The
caImness and perhaps even apathy on
the part of great many voters, which
Will mark the election Of members of
the general assembly in DanviIle to-
morrow will be in marked contrast to
a similar election in that city thirty
years ago. On the first Tuesday in
November, 1888, Danville threw off
the yoke Of negro rule.
Yesterday, though not the same day
of the month, may be said to be the
thirtieth anniversary of the Danville
riot. for the riot broke out on the
Saturday preceding the first Tuesday
in November, 1883. and in that year
the first Tuesday was election day. as
it will be this month. The riot. which
occurred on the principal street of the
city on the Dan, came like a cloud
burst. and in almost less time than 1t
takes to tell. several negroes were
lying dead in the streets and two white
men We're wounded.
Was Inevitable.
The riot was not uncalied for. 1t
was something that was almost obliged
to happen. The negroes were about
to take possession of the town. and it
had gotten to the point where white
people could not go on the streets
without being subject to insults There
were negro councilmen, negro justices
of the peace and negro police officers.
The blacks considered themselves bet
ter than the white and acted accord
ingly.
That memorable day, now thirty
years ago. marked the turning point
of political conditions in Danville. 1t
was the climax, for 1t cleaned up the
Malone regime in Virginia and the
Readjuster party; 1t marked the over
hrn Af l,o q n
rule: II was the victory of liberty and
freedom over thraldom and oppres-
sion; 1t was just one Of those in
evitable events.
The immediate cause OF the tumult
was a heated argument between John
A. Lee. a prominent citizen of Dan
VILE. and an impudent negro named
Hense Lawson. During the course of
the discussion Lawson leaped upon
the back of Mr.. Lee, and a struggle
followed. Mr.. Lee shook the black
from his shoulders and hurled him to
the ground. at the same time pulling
his revolver and firing three shots
polntblank at the fallen negro. All
of the shots went wild and the negro
was not killed.
As If they had risen from out of
the ground. over five hundred negroes
gathered around 1t happened that
at tf1ts zxHCr rtrIe, nearly rnG entire
male population of Danville was at
old opera house. which stood on Main
street Hearing the shots on the out
side, the meeting adjourned, and. In
a mad stampede, tho white men rush
ed to the streets. There they encoun-
tered the blacks and a fusiIlade Of
bullets filled the air. The negroes
took to their heels, leaving the dead
and wounded where they fell. orders
were issued to all hardware stores in
town closed, but the white men broke
down the doors and armed themselves.
In short time not a negro was IN
sight, and from that day until this
white men have ruled in Danville.
An attempt was made after the
riot to punish the participants, and
number of Danvlle citizens were sum
moned to Washington. but nothing re-
suited from the investigation.
The outbreak was indirectly caused
by a political speech on the court
house green by William E. Simms. In
which he highly recommended "a con-
tinuation of the existing corrupt polti-
ttnuation Of the existing corrupt poll
tics.
State of Excitement.
This speech was delivered the night
before the riot. and the election was
to take place the following Tuesday,
when Legislators would be chosen. A
political meeting was called the next
day by white people. In order to take
action in regard TO the approaching
election. and 1t was this meeting
which was In session at the time of
the outbreak.
Most of the shooting took place on
Main street, between Craighead and |
Union streets. The first shot was fired
about o'clock In the afternoon and
great excitement reigned during the
entire day. 1t is said by those who
were there that the negroes We're more
insulting than ever the morning be-
fore the riot, and men and women
were rudely pushed off of the side
walks and abused in every concelv-
able manner.