Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1873-03-06
Nerth Cnrollna ku.Klux.

THE PROPOSITION TO AAHxaTY rHEx-DERAz1 IN
THE hxaIALAruRx--A FsARFUL STORY or CRzNE.
A bill is pending in the North Carolina Legis-
lsture to amnesty all the Ku Klux. The Demo-
Gratis having majority it has passed the Senate,
and on Friday was discussed in the House. Two
Democrats favored the BILL aud two opposed 1t.
During the debate. Mr.. Bowman,a Repu blcan
member, related from the sworn evidence Of one
Of the partihs present the particulars Of the
murder of Senator Jonn W. Stephens, Of Cas-
well, which occurred in June. 1870; and that
warrants had boen issued for the guilty parties
He stated that public Democratic meeting was
in progress in the courthouse At Yancerville, the
county seAt of Csawell that Stephens WAS in
attendance on that meeting that prominent
Democrat OF Caswell approached Stephens with
. smile and asked him to go down stairs with
him. Stephens assented, aud they went into a
room formerly occupied by the Clerk Of the
Court Of Equity that a. soon - they entered
the room the door WAS locked that there were
in the room eight white men snd one colored.
Stephens was surprised to find the room full Of
men, and WAS struck with horror when . rope,
fixed As . lasso, WAS thrown over bis neck from
behind, and he WAS told by the spokesman OF the
Kuliux crowd that lie must ronounce his Re
Stephens said he could not give up his Repub-
licAn principles; that he believed they we're
right and that the Republic would prosper II
thoy we're carried ont that he could not leave
the county and State, becAuse his al was there;
that tho cQlorsd people looked upon him
and that he could not desert them: Ste
vens was then told he must die. He then
asked to bo allowed to take last look from the
window Of the Office. Of his home and any Of bis
family that might be in view. The request was
grated, and when Stephens stepped to the win
dow he beheld his little home and his two little
children playing in front Of his house. He was
then thrown down on table, two Of the Kuklux
holding his arms. The rope WAS ordered to be
drawn tighter, and the negro WAS ordered to get
a bucket to catch the blood. This done, one Of
the crowd severed the jugular vein, the colored
man caught the blood in the bucket, and Steph-
ems was dead. His body was laid on pile Of
wood in the room, and the murdsrers went up
STAIRS took part in the meeting, and stamped
and applauded Democratic speeches. . s....
Mr. Bowman was asked IL he made this state
ment OF his own knowledge. He replied that
he WAS in possession Of the sworn evidence OF
one Of the parties who WAS present and assisted
at the murder; that the statement was made
and sworn to before an officer authorized to ad-
minister oaths and to issue warrants OF arrest.
This information fell like bomb-shell from .
battery in ambush. The Democrats were as
founded; q death-like stiffness pervaded the
House, and at the conclusion OF Mr.. Bowman 8
speech the House adjourned.
Since the Amnesty bill passed the Senate, the
Kuklux of AlmAnce County have been raidins
and committing outrages again. About two
weeks sgo pnmber Of theee midnight assas-
sins wont in ihe night time, to the house Of
Alexander Russell. peaceable, honest citizen
Of Alamance County, and assaulted and stabbed
him severely. On Saturday night, the 10th inst.
party Of disguised men went to the house Of q
negro woman living on the land Of j. W. stock
ard, in Alamance County, and with their pistols
and threats to kill drove the inmates OF the
house from the the premises.