The evening times., 1898-11-04

b. b. Steptoe. of Roseneath precinct Hal
flax County. that ex-Congressman Buck
Kitchin, Claude Kitchin, DR.. A. C. Liver
man, John Gray and E. T. Whitehead had
gone to his house at night armed, had
broken down his door, entered and made
him resign as registrar Of elections.
The accused men all arrived in the af-
ternoon before Judge Montgomery bench
warrant was served on them by the
sheriff. Democratic State Chairman Sim
mons was present with them. T. II.
Busbee and W. A. Dunn appeared as
counsel for them, while John w. Graham
and Charles A. Cook appeared for Repub-
lican State Chairman Holton. Mr.. Holton
was also present.
With the accused came thirteen prom
inent Democrats of Halifax County.
Steptoe was the sole witness for the
prosecution. His counsel said other wit
nesses had been summoned, but had failed
to appear. Steptoe said he was a teacher.
He is coal black and about forty-fiye years
old. Last Saturday, he stated, Claude
Kitchin told him that he had been sent
by 4 club OF l55 white men to say that
il there was any trouble on election day,
or if any houses We're burned, the negro
leaders would be responsible, and that
Steptoe was one of the leaders; that on
the night of the same Saturday, between
10 and II o'clock, people came 10 his house
and called him; that his wife asked who
was outside and was told nobody TO hurt
him." that his wife said he was away;
that he crawled under the house through
a hole. in the floor; that with a beam the
rear door was broken and men with a gun
looked for him. found him, and that the
first man he saw was Capt. Buck"
Kitchin; that they made light and were
not disguised; that he asked Capt.
kitchin TO help him; that his wife
screamed and one man choked her and
said If she did not hush he would kill her;
that Capt Kitchin said he had been
sent by a club to have Steptoe write his
resignation as registrar; Steptoe said all
right, and Claude KitchIn told him how
to write 1t; that they swore If he told
what had happened they would kill him
If it took a dozen years 10 do it; that
Claude Kitchin took the resignation; that
Capt. Kitchin told him, IF you don't
sign it we will kill you, and If / thought
you'd tell / would kill YOU" Steptoe
swore he would not tell.
A cross-eHamination OF Steptoe revealed
! the fact that two weeks ago he came
J here to ask the governor and State Chair
/ man Holton TO send troops to Halifax;
that he did this after a meeting of ne
! groes who had adopted resolutions. He
/ said that up to the time when he and
two other negro committeeman came here
| to ask for protection no one had inter-
| fered with him. He did not see Holton,
| he said, but did see Augustus M. Moore,
| whos was in charge of Republican head
quarters during Holton's absence, and
also talked with other Republicans. Step
toe was asked If he was paying the law
| yers for the prosecution In the present
case. and replied no, that he was not able
/ TO pay them but that Holton had agreed
| TO provide counsel
Steptoe was asked IL Claude Kftchin
had not told him last Saturday. at Step
toes school ouse, that negroes had held
| secret meetings and threatened TO do in
jury to white persons and their property.
Here Steptoe wandered in his evidence
He said his township had white majori-
ty. He acknowledged that after his first
visit to Raleigh, Claude Kitchin had
charged him with coming here after
troops, and he had said he came to see
his daughter. He said Capt Kitchin had
made him write out his resignation, and
yet two days ago he said here that Claude
Kitchin made him write 1t.
Capt Ktchin was put on rne stand and
sRore he never saw Steptoe before, SO
far as he knew and never spoke to him:
| never was at his house.
Claude Kitchin said he saw Steptoe
last Saturday; spoke of the strained re.
| lations of the races In Halifax and OF
the secret meetings of negroes; said
6teptoe had attended these. and done al
ne could to arouse the negroes against