Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1876-10-27
LET SETTLE WITHDRAW
M ID r o = = WILL OUT.
THE TRUTH AT LAST.
Who Killed Stephens |!

On the night of the 28th of Septem
Der, 1876, Rev. @. T. Baily, a promi
nent Baptist Divine and editor of Eh
Biblical Recorder, in the course of
conversation with several gentlemen
at Cameron, in Moore county
made certain statements in regard t.
W. W. Holden which were commun
ieated to q reporter of the Raleigh
Nes0s and published in that paper OF
the morning of the 30th. In conse
quence of that publication, MIR. Bailey
has written and printed the following
card:
In the Daily Neeps of the 3Oth ult.
an article was published which pur-
ports to give the substance of state
ment made by me to certain gentle
men at Cameron on the night of the
2Sth. AS a matter of justice to myself
and all the parties concerned it be-
comes necessary for me to Btate the
following facts;
On my way to the Baptist State Con-
| vention in Fayetteville [ was intro
duced to ex-Gov. Holden. During
the session of the Convention I was
invited to dine with him ana accepted
the invitation. I spent the afternoon
with him, returning to the Baptist
church after tea. Our intercourse
was free and agreeable. He gave me
an account of his religious experience
and Of his political troubles. He stat
ed to me that the plan Of the Kirk
war" originated with the Executive
Committee cf the Republican party at
Washington, in the interest of the
party that he was opposed to it, but
was allowed no discretion in the mat
ter that il was decided by that COM
mittee to inaugurate and prosecute
the campaign as he did it; that il he
did not carry out the wishes of the
party he aud the State were to be
crushed and that if he was success |
full in the execution of their plans he |
would probably receive Cabinet ap- |
poiutment, the Secretaryship of the |
Interior.
In reference to the death of Ste |
phens [ understood from him that the |
Republicans had much to do with that
crime; that the prosecution of those |
who we're charged with IL was dlscon-
tinued because testimony was either
ELECTED Or likely to be ELECTED which |
would implicate or criminate promi-
nent members Of the Republican party;
that these fears were awakened in part
by the discovery Of the coil from
which the rope was cut which was
man.
The statements of Gov. Holden left
on me the clear and distinct impress
sions that he had been the unwilling
for the accomplishment of
the purposes Of his party and that he
did not merit the odium which at
tached to his name all over the State.
During the session Of the late Con-
Convention / called on Gov.
Holden III his office at his own request.
In very pleasant interview reference
was made to the removal of political
by Congress, and also to
the removal of his own disabilities by
the Convention then in session. SO
favorably was impressed with state
ments made by him that [ called on
Rev. j. N. Stallirgs, of Duplin and
few other members, and requested
them to use their influence to have
GOV. Holden's disabilities removed.
I stated these facts or some of them
in the conversation referred to IN the
NeaUs as mentioned above. / have
also given them in ether parts of the
State, where Gov. Holden happened
to be the subject of conversation. 1t
was done in the free and easy style of
social intercourse, and though L stat
ed nothing which IVES not true, did
not expect to see it in the newspapers
Or in print.
Iu any statement which [ may have
made concerning Judge Bond or the
hanging of Judge Kerr, I gave or
meant to give my own opinions, bas-
ed on Information received from other
not from anything said to
me by Gov. Holden. SO far as L can
now reeollect he has never spoken to
me in reference to either of those gen.
tlemen.
I have made this statement in ths
ntere st of truth and not of any politi-
cal party also as matter of justice
10 myself and all the persons men
Toned in the NeaUs of the 30th.
@. T. BAILEY.
It will be seen from the above that
Governor Holden unequivocally con-
iessed to Rev. Mr.. BAILEY that Stephens
;he Radical Senator who was killed in
he Court House in Caswell county.
IN the 21st May, 1870, came to his
leath from Radical violence, aud that
{ was because this fact was about to
be made public that the Investigations
we're brought to an end. It appears
also that, with full knowledge of the
rue state of affairs, the Kirk war was
carried on until put a stop to by Judge
BROOKS.
The record of the infamy of
he Radical party is now complete,
or it is proved by the confession OF
,ne of It's most honore1 and trusted
eaders, that it heaitates not to compass
he murder of those who may stand
n it's way, even though they have
,een long numbered among their
friends. That it hesitated not to
by murder the death of its
it needed not the confession
# Governor Holden to Rev. Mr..
BAILEY or to any one else to prove.
That the foulest murder was intended
n the Kirk war is matter of record,
murder that was prevented only by the
and integrity of Judge
BROOKS.
1Dr |