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

stairs in his honse.1 aIotaoliqIa div laIe
George Pinnix examined { Lives in Casr
well. 12miles from YanceyyiHe, wes at the
meeting 21st of May; arrived abont 8 or
10 O'Clock ;;awas iii the meeting IN the fore
noon. and stayed some Is fmiautesa3afhey
were making pomin ations. s. - t3x ec1lf IN
T iStarted home about 20 O'clock. Saw
Stephens and had talk with him when
first got there in - - tailor shop. He
came in and proposed walk we vert
out toward bIacksmithrshop, Tabgut $50
yards off; Stephens proposed that should
run for. Sheriff, and on my refusal, asked
| if would run for the Senate; which [ also
declined. He then said Wiley would make
good Sheriff, be was a mild man; that he
had a conversation with him on the sub
! iect and intended to see him again about
| it, After some further talk witness went
| to the Court House and soon left for home.
In April last, at Court. had a converse
tiou with Wiley, in which he said he want
ed no office, that he was 50 situated it would
be to his interest TO remain at home to
| take care of his mother and educate his
children Itashic conversation Wiley in
cidentaIly alluded to some kindness Ste
phens had done him and said be could not
forget it, or words to that effect. z
CROSS EXAMINED. .
Question-Was there not very bitter
| feeling in the community against Ste
| phens. p"
Answer-With some there was; think it
was pretty eXte nsiye. a-. ..
i -~s ..-sr. TO THE COURT. e.s.- .~f
! Don't know that Stephens was in Ihe
| habit of attending Democratic meetings;
was not surprised at his being there; had
seen him at Democratic meetings before.
John Mckee examined, am IA years old;
live in Yanceysille il my fathers store;
was at The meeting on 2ist May little
while IN the afternoon. Saw Mr.. Stephens
sitting at the end Of bench near the mid
die aisle. Saw Mr.. Wiley Ia the Court
House.; saw Mr.. Stephens tough Mr.. Wiley,
| and Mr.. Wiley put his hand on the bench
and stopped down towards him, Mr.. Ste
phene said something to him and then Mr..
Wiley raised up. I soon left and went
back to the store. ..r r5.-e.5...s ia :
| Ill.,. gr CRoss-EXAMINED. - g
T have been examined before on this
matter; stated then that Mr.. Wiley put
his hand on the bench; am sure I stated
this before.
Brice Haralson sworn and examined
Lived in Vance vile, have q store there,
was there on day Of the meeting. Went
up in the afternoon while Mr.. Livingston
Brown was speaking; saw Stephens sitting
near end of a bench taking notes; saw
Wiley stoop down towards Stephens and
Stephens saying something to him; Wiley
| bowed his head to him. Didn't see Wiley
any more then, but saw Stephens take up
his cane and hat as if to leave. [ went
down at the close of the meeting and
| found Wiley and Wilkerson in my store
They were about opening bottle OF bltters
which Wiley had bought in the morning.
| Did not hear what was said between Wiley
and Stephens in the Court House. It was
| but short time after seeing Stephens take
| up his hat and stick before [ went to the
store. saw Wiley when he left; soon
| after he and Wilkerson were in the store
| think about 5 O'Clock.
CROSS EXAMINED. r- a<
Mr. Boyden read from printed evidence
OF witness as given before jury of inquest,
and asked, did you state this before
| Answer.-Wiley was not on trial then
and of course did not state these things
recollect whether there was any one in :he
vestlbule when I came down from the
| Court House.
Question-Was there not very bitter
| feelingngainst Stephens ? -.
Answer think there was.
Question-Have you reason to believe
I.there are secret organizations In the county
to punish white or black for supposed
violations of law
| think there were. E g
Thomas Bigelow examined. Live in
| Caswell some two and @ half niles from
| Yanceyyilie; was in the Coart House on
| the day Of the meeting; was in the meet
| ing in the afternoon at the beginning and
| lett just as Col. Brown was going to speak.
Saw Wiley and Stephens in the Court
| House; Stephens sat at the end Of a bench
near the aisle. After [ went out and was
I1n~.o = lon
come out. not very long after had come
out. I met Wiley on the square and had
short talk with him; while talking young
John Kerr came up and he and Wiley
| went off together; think they went towards
| JohnstCn's store; saw Mr.. Wiley three
times that afternoon; saw them when he
watered his horse at the pump and started
| home in company with Wilkerson; this
was about o'clock or little after. left
for homo about bali an hour by sun, in
company with George Bigelow, colored,
who lived with me; saw Dismukes at the
grocery; he got flask Of liquor, and l
think he then left for home o short time
before Wiley did.
| CROSS EXAMINED.
| Didn't see Wiley nor Stephens go out of
| the Court House. [ was not examined at
the inquest. Saw Wiley come out and go
| to Harason's store before Hill was done
/ speaking. ..-...
! IThe same questions wero put to this
witness in regard to secret organizations
as were to the other witnesses. ..-zT -
Thinks there was bitter feelings against
Stephens for other than political reasons;
knows OF no vigilance committees; don't
believe there were any such organizations
in Caswell; Hodnett bore down pretty hard
on Stephens in his speech. -s. Sd,
REDIRECT.
Have heard Wiley say he had struck 6
negro and was brought before Stephens
for it and that ne Jared much better thar
he expected, and that he felt kindly TO him
for it. --.
! TO THE COURT.
t. There have been some three or fou1
people whipped in Caswel'; his opinion
/ was that several of the boys would get to
gether and whip; thinks they put on some
/ disguise to prevent being known knows
lnOthiug about It except from rumor