The weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1869-18??, 1870-06-01
The Murder off Senator Stephens Con-


fs frmed.
We have received the following letter
from perfectly reliable source, and hasten
to lay the facts in connection with the hor-
rible outrage before the people: "
VAUDEVILLE, May %, 1870
Editor of the Standard:
SIR-On the evening of the 21st instant
we were startled by one of the most shock
| ing murders that can be ciassed among the
outrages of modern times.
During meeting held by the Demo-
| cratic or Conservative element OF this County,
John W. Stephens, Senator from this Coun-
ty, was most cruelty and barbarously muir
dered.
About o'clock on the evening of the
| 21st instant, Senator Stephens was in the
| public court room in the Court House in
the town of Yanceyville, attending public
County Convention, when supposed friend
of his touched him ON the arm and said
"let's go down." and he did go down with
him, and was not afterwards seen.
Mr.. Stephens, on leaving home that even
ing, told his wife he would return as soon as
the meeting was over, and as he did not
return at the time designated his family
became alarmed and sent in search of him
He could not be found anywhere on the
streets and no person could give any account
of him since lie was seen to leave the court
room with this man. His friends concluded
to obtain the keys to the various rooms of
the Court House and search for him.
All the keys could not be obtained and
the building could be only partially searched.
His friends not being satisfied with the
search, concluded to keep watch on this
building during the night and did so.
Early next morning some person looking
in at the window of the Clerk and Masters
room, saw him laying with a small hemp or
grass rope around his neck, dead, The Coron-
er was immediately sent for, and When he ar
rived on the ground soon summoned jury,
and went TO the keeper of tho building and
asked for the key to that room, but the key
could nowhere befound. They then opened
the door and went in, and upon examination
found that he had been choked with rope
made in q loop and put around his neck,
ant. his throat cut in two places with knife,
and stabbed in the left breast to the hollow.
The inquest was continued all day on the
22d, and all proper means are being used to
bhC W JuotiSc, ahQ IL 4Se lcllldillS
to be seen what the consequences are
CASWELL.
1t seems that Mr.. Stephens was present as
a spectator at a Democratic meeting, held
on Saturday at the Courthouse in Yaucey-
vile; that he was invited down stairs to the
room of the Clerk and Master by person
whom he supposed to be his friend; that
he was therein murdered, the door locked
and the key secreted; that not until Sun
day morning were his remains discovered,
though his friends partially searched ahe
building and kept watch all night.
The doubt as to Mr. Stephens death has,
therefore, been dispelled. Treachery, trea-
son and murder have done their work A
State Senator has been ruthlessly assassina-
ted, not in the nighttime, by masked ruff
fans, but in the light of day, in the very pre-
cincts of house dedicated to law, peace and
Justice. Standing as a spectator in Demo-
cratic meeting, he is decoyed to his death.
He is stabbed and hung and the murder is
concealed until the Williams who pcrpctrated
it. escape. Deliberate, cold and malicious,
planned with all the ingenuity OF demons,
place and hour chosen, the murderers OF
Stephens are members of u political khan, the
record of whose deeds excel the CHASTITY
stories of fiction, and who are to man per-
jurers robbers, murderers, and sworn traitors.
LATER-The Charlotte Observer of the
gath instant, says that two young men by