The daily gazette. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1874-1883, 1876-10-06
HoIden's Confession.

ADMINISTRATIONS MURDERS INlNoRTH CARO-
LIMA VILLAIN OWNS UP.To HIS SHARE.
From the Raleigh News.
Rev. G. T. Bailey, editor of the
Biblical Recorder, published in this
city, made in substance the following
statement in the presence Of several
gentlemen That ex Governor w. w.
Holden had on several occasions con-
fessed to him Bailey that the Repub-
lican party was responsible for the
murder of j. w. Stephens, of Caswell
county. Mr.. Bailey said that the first
time that Governor Holden made this
confession to him was on the train on
the Raleigh and Augusta railroad about
two years ago, while en- route to the
Baptist state convention at Fayettc>
vile. He (Holden) said that the reason
that Stephens was made way with was
that he (Stephens) had threatened to
expose the rascalitles of the Republic
can party; that a: that time it was
doubtful whether the Republican party
could carry North Carolina and many
of the northern states in 1870, and to
effect this it was necessary to keep up
the bloody shirt issue. The leaders of
the Republican party at Washington
consulted with the leaders of that party
in this state, Governor Holden and
others. and forced upon the Republic
can party of the state the Holden Kirk
war, even at the risk of losing North
Carolina, in order to save the states of
the north. The plans of the Radical
party in the Kirk war, said Governor
Holden to Mr.. Bailey, were only par
TALLY carried out. The portion of the
plan not carried out was to hang Judge
Kerr, DR.. Roam and other prominent
democrats.
Holden also said to Mr.. Bailey that
the authorities at Washington consult
cd four or five federal judges as to
whether those arrested under kuklux
charges could be lawfully convicted
under the then existing laws. Their
answer was that such convictions could
not be constitutionally obtained. Judge
Ii. l.. Bond, of the United States Cir
cult Count, was then consulted, and
upon his pledge to carry out the wishes
of the government in the matter in
every particular, he was transferred
from Maryland to North Carolina by
order of President Grant. Governor
Holden then went on to state that he
had been promised cabinet office, the
81 ;retaryship of the Interior, if he
succeeded in carrying out the wishes
and designs of the Republican leaders
at Washington. The reason Gov.
Holden gave for not exposing these
things publicly at that time was that
his life would have been in danger and
he would have been sacrificed as was
Stephens. Tie reason he (Holden as.
signed for the stop of the Kirk war was
the release of the prisoners by order OF
Judge G. w. Brooks. of the United
States District Court, and the danger
of the evidence fastening the murder
of j. W. Stephens upon the Republican
party. This confession on the part OF
Holden, Mr.. Bailey said to Major
Scott and the other gentlemen, was to
induce him (Mr. Bailey) to use his in
| iiuence to get the Legislature to remove
! his (Holden's) disabilities incurred by
| reason of his impoachmentan and convic.
ton. Mr.. bailey consented to do this
upon his (uolden's) sacred promise
never to have anything more to dc
with politics. Mr.. Bailey further
stated that Gov. Holden had been tC
him several times during the past tive
years and repeate 1.-The above mentioned
statements, and with tears in his eye!
reiterated his declarations of penitenc'
and promises to eschew politics anC
other temptations likely to lead hin
into error. Mr.. Bailey further stated Il
these gentlemen (Messrs. Scott ant
the others) that he considered himsel
relieved from his obligations of secrec,
by Holden's utter disregard of hi
sacred promise in regard to politics