Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-09-02

sPTEMBERaa2s 1870o ss,.ta,s,.svJ
IL --1zL----1 -12 --z------1-----A---4-- - = -
acting, as Assessor for the 'township. Was
| in the meeting in the morning and after
noon left just as Eodnett was concluding
his speech and went to thea Grand Jary
room to bake Mr. Swans ta1ist., Rem ain
bed in the Office taking lists until 5 minutes
ITO 8 O'Clock; door from passage was open ;
fsdw Stephens come into the ofIice and walk
1round ootbe right. on the outside of the
beToWda in the room; knows it was he !;
| didn't see him leave; this was but q
| few. minutes after witness came into the
office Saw Stephens no more; there were
| many in the eifice all the time. Locked
the door aRdi toBk the key to Norfeet's
store. .5. .t-...
| i Had been in the, office perhaps half an
| hour when Stephens came ir. Do not
know of any organization to punish me-
groes for stealing; have no reason to be-
lieFe there nre such organizations in the
Iconnty, dc not Eelieye there is. Don't
know that there was much bitter feeling
against Stephens; heard Hodnett's s speech,
heard him say Stephens got N oney as q
Spy Oh the people of Caswell. st.zt.
TO THE COURT. ...s-
| Saw no one use the 9. and III. room; had
not been to that part of the passage; thinks
it probable the door leading mp stairs from
that end was kept locked.
| Branch Pinnix examined. Resides u
miles from Yanceyyille, was in the meeting
! 21st May, and left about o'clock in after
tnoon. Heard DR.. Roam tell the colored
peoplepthey should have the Court House
to hold their meeting the next Saturday,
| this vas as the people were leaving the
1 room after adjournment. Witness went
s. out to find Mr.. Balm who was going his
i road home, went to Norfeet's and several
other places, and not finding him return
I ell through the Court House to see if
i Bain's horse was gone; the horse was
hitched near the south end Of the Court
House, saw the horse and then turned
round to go back and hunt for Balm. As
4 he rturaed round, saw first door to the left
i THAT OF the Clerk and Mastery standing
jar, pushed it little further open to see
/ II any one was in, saw no one and then
| went on out at front, and saw Balm COM
ing from towards Johnson's store; this
\ about two hours by the sun, started home
4 and arrived at Bain's, one mile from his
own home about sunset, and reached
home about dusk. Thinks he left about
half hour after the close of the meeting,
saw Wiley as he was passing to the Court
House to look for Balm. Wiley was talk
ing with young John Kerr; Wiley had on
O black coat.
CRoss-ExAMINED.
Didn't know Stephens, don't know that
he saw him that day-it was but short
starting home; is certain as to the
door; has not been to Yanceyville since
that day. Heard of the murder of Ste
phens while at Mebanesville on his way to
Salem the Tuesday after the murder; the
| gentleman who Informed him told of the
finding the body in that room, and he then
mentioned for the first time having looked
in there while hunting for his neigh
Dor Balm. Don't recollect from which
feeling against Stephens some talked
against him others did not; don't know
any thing of any secret organization to
whip colored people for stealing; should
not be surprised there was some such !;
have heard so much about them am bound
| to believe some of 1t is true.
ga TO THE COURT.
Recollects seeing no one in the passage;
/ don't recollect seeing key in the door; saw
some wood or chips scattered on the floor
of the room.
| John @. Wilkerson examined Was at
the meeting on 21st May. Resides at Keas-
burg, Il miles from Yanceyville, fourth of
| q mile from the Person line; left the meet
81
down in the vestibule and was reading
some advertisements. Wiley came up and
they talked for q while about Stephens urg-
ing Wiley to run for Sheriff, and Wiley
called witness attention to Stephens at that
moment talking to O colored man in the
passage didn't know the colored man !;
went from there to Mitchell's store met
| Smith and Dismukes ready to start home !;
| Wiley told them he would overtake them :;
| went then to Haralson's store and got a
bottle of bitters Wiley went to Johnston's
and TO the Drug store, and in few min
| utes, not exceeding ten, caIle round with
his horse to the pump and after Watering
his horse they started for homo.
CROSS EXAMINED.
When saw Stephenson passage there
| were q few persons up in the courtroom
where they were appointing delegates to
| Greensboro. Don't remember how Ste
pheng was dressed; seemed talking friend
| ly to the colorad man don't know if any
one was in the grand jury room. Thinks
the feeling against Stephens was bitter
| there were such !; saw q company Of them,
| "a in number, once at Leasburg-they did
no mischief there that witness heard of.
RE DIRECT
Didn't know any of the persons, they
were disguised with long white robes; came
from towards Hillsboro', went back same
way horses were not disguised they
wanted whiekey and tobacco; enquired for
a certain negro magistrate, thinks they
went to his house, don't know wanted
| witness to go there with them, he refused.
/ Jerry Smith examined. Was at the
meeting; came out little before O'Clock,
knew the time by looking at his watch ;
passed Wiley on the Court Square; got his
horse, Wiley said he would overtake me
he did overtake me aboutthree miles from
town. The meeting had closed when [ left
the Court House went right out and
started homo in Is Or 20 minutes.
iva