Stephen, an African American man, was arrested in December 1748 in Beaufort County under suspicion of horse theft. When questioned, Stephen stated that he was enslaved by William Sparrel in Virginia (no individual of this name has been located), and had subsequently ran away, or self-emancipated. According to trial documents, authorities believed that Stephen had stolen a horse in Tyrrell County, North Carolina and later was captured and incarcerated in Beaufort County, North Carolina on about November 27, 1748. An enslaved man named Jack helped Stephen break out of jail in the middle of the night. A few days later Stephen and Jack proceeded to steal several items from two stores in Bath, North Carolina before Stephen was caught and rearrested. When the court found Stephen guilty of theft, they ordered his execution by hanging on December 14, 1748.