"Negroe" insolence in Wytheville

Discharged black soldiers are able to return to the north where they have much more freedom than the blacks in the south.

"Negroe" Insolence at Wytheville. On Tuesday last the Western train to our depot had on board a number of discharged negro soldiers bound for their homes, North. While the cars were in waiting for breakfast, some three of these negroes went into the Depot Hotel, in the room set apart for the use of the white guests, and made themselves familiar by washing their hands and faces. The gentlemanly proprietor, Colonel Boyd, was not in the room at the time, but soon made his appearance, and requested them to desist, as that was not the place for them ; that the kitchen was for their use, and they must leave that room. They left, uttering threats not, however, until one of them was taken hold of. This created some harsh words and threats towards Colonel Boyd, even threatening to hang him? which, of course, was not done. Peter Gibson, our worthy barber, was at the depot attending to 6ome business, whom he was pointed out to these negroes as a rebel negro, when one of them drew a revolver and took aim at him. Peter firmly believes he would have been killed but for the timely interference of | friends. Several of these negroes were heard to say that when at home they had the privilege of eating, drinking, and associating with the whites, even gallanting and marrying white ladies. This may be so in some parts of the North, but it is not the case here ; and God grant that it may never happen. Such outrages are intolerable, and shows our people the handwriting on the wall.? Wytheville Dispatch. Drowned. On Thursday evening information reached the city that Captain Oscar W. Frank, of the schooner Lawrence, on the way from this port to Richmond, had been drowned at the mouth of tho Patapsco river. The wife of the Captain, with two children, was on board at the time. As far as could be ascertained, the Captain left the cabin when off Bodkin bar, his wife and children being behind. After a time, the crew, consisting of Lewis Roane and William Slee, colored, and Lewis Oellahaud, a Spaniard, who was cook, announced the accidental death of | the Captain by falling overboard. The schooner was then turned to the city, and the parties named above arrested on a supposed complicity in causing the death of the Captain. Yesterday, after an examination before Justice Weathers, they were all discharged. The body of the drowned man has not yet been found.?

“"Negroe" insolence in Wytheville,” Reconstructing Virginia, accessed May 20, 2022, https://reconstructingvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/704.