Trouble in Fairfax: The Quander Case

National Republican, March 24, 1879

The Quander Case.

How Colored Men are Arrested in Virginia.

In your issue of this morning (March 21, 1879) you published a series of resolutions, &c., signed by no one, that are so infamously false and malicious that I must beg you to give me space for the following true version of the case: Felix Quander is an old colored man who has raised a large family, was always free, and has acquired a respectable little property, consisting of nearly fifteen acres of ground, with orchard, team, cattle, poultry, &c. Quander lives about nineteen miles from Washington, on the Mount Vernon road, and either in person or by some one of his family has been bringing garden truck, fruit, and other products of his place to the Washington markets about three times a week for many years––in fact, ever since the war. He has attended to his own business, respected himself, partially educated his children, and tried to live such a life as would compel his neighbors to respect him and his family.

A good many years ago a horse belonging to Mr. Quander got out and trespassed upon the property of one Richard Roberts, a white man, who, it seems, took him up. Looking for his horse, he found him and took him home; whereupon Roberts swore out a warrant and placed it in the hands of one Kerby, who gathered up a large body of armed men and came, with terrible uproar, shooting, yelling, and cursing, to arrest him. Having been warned of the danger, he left his house as the mob reached it. This was contorted into resisting an officer, for which he was tried and sent to prison.

Five weeks ago to-day Mrs. Quander and her son came to Washington with some chickens and other things for market, arriving here before eight. Almost as soon as they arrived a man named John Truax, who lives near Woodlawn, on the road known as the old Gum Spring track, in Fairfax County, Va., about nine miles from Alexandria, in a different direction from Quander's place, and not nearer than six miles to Quander's, ordered a policeman to (and he did) arrest the old woman and her son, locked them up in the station-house, and in time swore out a warrant against them, charging them with stealing his chickens. When the case was called before His Honor, Judge Snell, Truax made out no case and the Judge discharge the prisoners and reprimanded the accuser. 

Not satisfied with Washington justice, when he returned to Virginia this Truax swore out a second warrant against these same parties, again charging them with the same offense. The warrant was placed in the hands of an officer, John H. Sartin, to execute. Before attempting to do so this officer summoned to his aid an armed mob of eighteen ruffians, who, amid yells, curses threats, cries of "Lynch him!" calls for the "nigger" to come out, and shooting off guns, accompanied the officer to Quander's house, arriving on the ground about four o'clock on Sunday morning. When this mob reached Quander's house, with this noise, shooting and threatening, the family were quietly sleeping in their beds. How a white man would have deported himself under the circumstances it is not hard to guess. But when we take into consideration that Quander is a negro, is of that unfortunate race who has been for years and is now daily persecuted; whose person, property, and house is not considered sacred in the estimation of many Southern gentlemen (?); of a class many of whom, as it is well known among them, has been dragged from their lowly homes in the still hours of the night and hung to the nearest substantial tree, after being shot full of lead, for no other cause than because they are not white. it would take a better guesser than I am to even imagine what his thoughts were on being so rudely awakened on that holy Sabbath morning by this din.

Quander refused to come out and be lynched; so this posse comitatus of eighteen armed gentlemen, surrounded this little house, containing one old man, one old woman, two nearly-grown boys, three half-grown girls, one of whom was sick, and three small children, all armed with one loaded musket, without a cap, one empty musket, and an old axe, and sent off for reinforcements. After this brave mob was reinforced to thirty-three they bravely attacked the house, shooting in through doors, windows, knot-holes, and every crevice they could see until there was not a window left in the house and the door was broken from the hinges; then set fire to the house and otherwise amused themselves until about five o'clock in the evening, when, having wounded a greater part of the family (some seriously), they quietly walked in and arrested the family and ransacked the house. During the early part of the day the house became so dangerous that the family sought safety by coming out, but were soon driven bak into the house, four of them receiving shots from the enemy.

When arrested, the family were all put into wagons and hauled to near Alexandria, and although one of the boys was supposed to be dying, nothing was done for them; they had no medical treatment, and to know how badly one of the boys was injured it is only necessary to inquire of Dr. Morgan, on E street, near Ninth, in Washington. In the morning Justice Kerby examined the warrant on which the Quanders had been arrested. It was issued for the arrest of Joseph Quander and July Quander, and all known persons. Justice Kerby said he never issued this warrant, and reprehended the manner of the arrest and the way the parties had been shot to pieces. From Esquire Kerby's the family were taken to Esquire Thomas Brown, and when the chicken question was brought up Justice Brown declared that Truss had failed to make his case. Whereupon warrants were procured against the family for resisting an officer, and they were put under bond to appear before the court at Fairfax Court-House. The family appeared at Fairfax Court-House this last Monday, the 17th instant, and were sent home on their own recognizance. 

The resoluters whose fulminations you gave light and air to this morning are evidently none others than the brave posse comitatus or armed mob who behaved so gallantly at the battle of Quander House on Sunday, February 16, 1879. Very respectfully,

Felix Quander. 

Alexandria Gazette, February 17, 1879

Trouble in Fairfax.––The neighborhood of Accotink, in Fairfax county, has been in a state of turmoil since Saturday night, consequent upon the arrest of Felix Quander, colored, and his family. It will be remembered by the readers of the Gazette that notice was made on Saturday of the arrest of two of the Quanders in Washington on the charge of stealing chickens from Mr. John Truax, of Fairfax. The magistrate in that city discharged the prisoners because Mr. Truax could not identify the chickens after they were killed and plucked. Upon the return of the parties to Fairfax a warrant was issued for the Quander family by Justice Brown and placed in the hands of Constable Sartin for execution. When the constable arrived on the premises he was unable to make the arrest and had to call out a posse comitatus of some twenty men. The negroes barricaded the doors and windows and "held the fort" until last night, when the posse broke in the doors and arrested the inmates consisting of Felix Quander, Sr., his wife Julia, and his two sons, Felix, Jr., and Joseph. In the melee all of the negroes were wounded, the two last named very badly. All of the prisoners were brought to the office of Justice Brown near this city today and examined by him and Justice J. Owen Kerby. A large crowd of colored men assembled in front of the premises and were so violent in their language that fears of trouble were expressed. It was reported this evening that Felix Quander, Jr., was in a dying condition. Joseph Quander succeeded in making his escape from the wagon while enroute to the city.

Alexandria Gazette, February 20, 1879

Died from His Wounds.––Two colored men, who came to this city to-day, report that Felix Quander, Jr., colored, who was so badly shot by the officers on Sunday, near Accotink, died from his wounds yesterday.

It is understood that an attempt will be made to get the grand jury of Fairfax Co. to indict the officials who were concerned.

. . .

The negroes living near Accotink have held a meeting and denounced the officers concerned in the shooting and trial of the Quander family. 

Evening Star, March 24, 1879

Fairfax Court.––The grand jury of Fairfax county court has found a true bill against Felix Quander, Sr., Felix Quander, Jr., and Julia Ann Quander, for an assault on constable John H. Sartin, of Mount Vernon district, while in the discharge of his duties. Constable Sartin was citied before the court, to show cause why he should not be removed from office for charging illegal fees. Judge Sangster decided that illegal fees must be refunded.