of the houses where
they were employed as servants. Thus it happened that the
conversation at the supper-table at Poteat's--so the story
goes--was overheard by a negro woman (and other servants), who
had been waiting upon the table, and a most pitiful recital it
was! The servants had retired from the dining-room, and being in
the passage way, outside, and hearing Stephens's name called,
they listened.

Governor Holden said that Wiley was speaking of how Stephens had
been killed that day; that he (Wiley) had done a good day's work
and that he, and the others, had toled (that is enticed) Stephens
down stairs to talk with Wiley about being a candidate for
sheriff; that they got Stephens to the door and threw the noose
over his neck and dragged him inside, and choked him down; that
while this was going on, in the room below, old man Bedford Brown
was making a speech up-stairs, and the applause was continuous,
to drown any outcry; that after Stephens was choked the noose was
loosened, as they wished if possible not to kill him; that he was
told if he would denounce the Republican party and leave the
State, they would spare his life; that he refused and said he
would die first; that he then begged them, as their purpose was
to kill him, to let him go and see his family; that he said to
them, "Gentlemen, you know me, that I am a man of my word and
will come back;" that they refused his request; that he then
begged them to let him take a last look of his house; that they
led him to the window, holding the rope behind him, and he saw
his children playing upon the green; that they told him his time
was up and pulled him back and again choked him down upon the
table; that they loosened the rope when he said, "Gentlemen, I
surrender--spare my life and I will do anything you say;" that a
young man (whose name I will not give, as Governor Holden gave it
to me) said, "No, damn you, you die," and struck him with his
knife on his throat and vest, and then they finished him. The
negro woman, horrified as she listened, upon hearing all this,
exclaimed aloud, "There, by God!"

The supper party heard her words and the story ceased. Wiley left
almost immediately; and then they asked the old woman why she
said those words and she told them, "because the coff