Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1876-10-06
LET SETTLE WITHDRAW
HOLDEN'S CONFESSION.
MURDER WILL OUT.
TRUTH AT LAST.
Who Killed stephens :!

On the night of the 18th OF Septem-
Der, 1876, Rev. G. T. Baily, prom1-
nent Baptis Divine and editor OF the
Bi6LcoI RccOrdcr, in the course OF q
conversation with several gentlemen,
at Cameron. in Moore county,
made certain statements ia regard 10
w ". Holden which were commun-
icated TO a reporter OF the Ralelgh
NosCs and published in that paper on
the morning Of the Both. In conse-
ouence Of that publication, Mr.. Bailey
has written and printed the following
card:
Tn the DaiIy Ne1Us Of the Both ulf.,
ali article was published which pur-
ports 10 give the substance OF a state
meut made by 1ne to certain gentle
men at Cameron on the night OF the
2Sth. As matter OF justice 20 myself
and all the parties concerned 1t be-
comes necessary for me to state the
following facts;
On my way to the Baptist STATE Con
yention in Fayetteville [ was intro
duced to ex-Gov. Holden. During
the session of the Convention L was
invited to dine with him and accepted
the invitation. l 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 lis political troubles. He stat
ed to ne that the plan of the kirk
war" originated with the Executive
Carumiftee Of the Republican party at
Washington, in the interest OF the
party that he was opposed to 1t, but
was allowed no discretion IN the mat
ter that 1t was decided by that COM
mittee to inaugurate and prosecute
the campaign as he did it :; that II he
did not carry out the wishes OF the
party he and the State were to be
crushed and that ii he was success
full in the execution Of their plans he
would probably receive Cabinet ap-
pOintment, the Secretarysh1p OF the
Interior.
In reference TO the death of Ste
phena I understood from him that the
Republicans had much to do with that
crime; that the prosecution OF those
who were charged with IL was discon-
tinued because testimony was either
elected or likely to be ELECTED which
would implicate or criminate proml-
neDt members Of the Republican party
that these fears were awakened III part
by the discovery of the coil from
which the rope was cut which was
found on the neck Of the murdered
man.
The statements of Gov. Holden left
on me the clear and distinct impress
4 l., M
instrument for the accomplishment OF
the purposes of his party and that he
did not merit the odium which ut
tached to his name all over the State
stitutional donvan7tfGh if t lhf ia d Con Con
Holden III his Office at his own request.
In very pleasant interview reference
was made to the removal Of politica
disabilities by Congress, and also to
the removal of his own disabilities by
the Convention then in session. Sc
favorably was [ impressed with state
ments made by him that [ called OF
Rev. j. n. Stallings, of Duplin and q
few other members, and requested
them to use their influence to have
Gov. Holdeu's disabilities removed.
/ stated these facts Or some of them
in the conversation referred to in tbs
NeaU8 as mentioned above. I have
also given them in other parts of the
State, where Gov. Holden happened
to be the subject of conversation. II
was done in the free and easy style OF
social Intercourse, and though l stat
ed nothing which was not true, I did
not expect to see it in the newspapers
or in print.
In any statement which I may have
made concerning Judge Bond or the
hanging of Judge Kerr, gave o,
meant to give my own opinions, has
ed on Information received from other
sources; not from anything said tc
me by Gov. Holden. So far as I Cal
how recollect he has never spoken tc
me in reference to either of those gen
tlemen.
I have made this statement in the
interest of truth and not of any politi-
cal party also as a matter of justice
to myself and all the persons men
toned III the NcaOs of the 30th.
o. T. BAILEY.
twill be seen from the above that
Governor Holden unequivocally con-
fessed to Rev. Mr.. BAILEY that Stephen,
the Radical Senator who was killed in
the Court House in Caswell county
on the 21st May, 1870, came to hi.
death from Radical violence, and that
it 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
true state of affairs, the Kirk war was
ia1 II OF N, IN I,1I oa
Brooks
The record of the infamy OF
the Radical party is now complete,
for it is proved by the confession of
one of its most honored and trusted
leaders, that it hesitates not to compass
the murder of those who may stand
i'll it's way. even though they have
been long numbered among their
friends. That it hesitated not to
compass by murder the death of its
enemies, it needed not the confession
of Governor Holden to Rev. Mr..
BAILEY or to any one else to prove.
That the foulest murder was intended
in the Kirk war is matter of record,
murder that was prevented only by tn e
courage and integrity of Judge
ROCKS. It may not be amiss, how
ever, this morning, to recall a few
facts, not for the purpose of corrobo-
rating Mr.. BAILEY, for he needs
no confederation, but to revive in
mems minds memories of the outrages
THE HOLDEN-KIRK WAR
and the events that preceded it.
LET THE RECORD SPEAK ,
Gnvarnnr Hnl6an WAS inonn1lratod