Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-10-16

Yesterday afternoon, Frederick Court, Q
Marion county, in this State, was brough
before United States Commissioner Bushne
White, for examination on charge Of being
q member Of the reasonable order, called
"Knights Of the Golden Circle" and with
conspiring with others to overthrow the
Government OF tue United States. The
counsel employei by the defence are 8. B
Prentiss and NJ. B. Castle, Esqs. The Dis
trict Attorney is assi'ted by Hon. R. P. Ran
ney.
The following is the SaidGYil made:
United States Of America.
Northern District.
G. Smith being duly sworn on his oath,
deroses and says that heretofore, 10 wit, on OF
about the iirstof October, A. D. 1851, at Mar
ion county, in the District aforesaid, Fred.
Court, and other persons TO said afiRnt un-
known, did oonspire together to overthrow
the Government Of the United States, and
that the said Fred. Court and said other per-
sous whose uamss are unknown to the ati-
ant, did then and there conspire together to
oppose by force the authority Of the Govern
ment Of the United States, and did then and
there conspire together by force to prevent
hinder and delay the execution Of the laws
Of the United States, and did then and there
conspire together by force to seize, take and
possess the property of the United States
against the will and contrary to the abthOri-
ity of the United States.
G. SMITH.
Subscribed and sworn to by the said G.
Smith, before me at my office in Cleveland,
u Sc I.v 6 n.f
U. s. Commissioner for the Northern District
of Ohio.
The District Attorney then proceeded 10
road, the following letter, but this was OBJ
jected to by the Defendants counsel. After
some argument, it was finally allowed to be
introduced by the Commissioner:
WESTERN HoUsE, June 15, 1861.
DEtR SIR: You no doubt are looking for
line from me. I left Shelby day before yes
terday and got here to-day, and you had
hetter believe l am damned near used up.
I did not sell many goods, as this was not
the object of my tramp. went by way OF
Liberty, a little place six miles from Shell
by. Here we have many true friends of the
South ready 10 help US if a safe plan can be
found. David Cahill, Esq., who lives near
here, is Bob's old friend. He is a true blue.
". r. Cahill, Barber Robinson, Andrew
Dickson, and many others I might name,
live near here, who are true Southern men,
aud will help US with our plan. Mr.. Sigler,
at Amaplin, a place about nine miles from
Shelby, is another influential man who is
with US.
At Bucyrus I found things much better
for US tnan l expected. The proprietor Of
the Western House is for US, and he gave
me much useful information from him.
got the names ofmany who are egainst this
damned abolition war, and here l found
Judge Hall, who was once a Congress nan,
is true as steel. will give you the names
of the most prominent men, who can be
relied upon to carry out the plan of the
Confederacy, who live at Bucyrus, or IN the
neighborhood: DR.. C. Fulton, James Glenn
euts, John KEler, Mr.. Climer, and Judge
Saners. I have many names on my list, but
these that have named are influential men,
and they will help us carry out the plan.
You had better not approach Judge Planter
or Jackson, they are not so reliable. They
perhaps will 60 with US if our plan succeeds,
as I feel it would if every county in the
state was as good for the South as Crawford.
I did not do much in Richland county. How
are you getting along in Monroe and Della
ware? have selected a plac to put the
arms. think two camps Hero some marks
in cypher are interlined,l can be organized
in this county. 1t will take immense work
to 20 all over the Northern States to carry
out the plan. I will make the damned Alb
olitionists feel that there is a South to be
feared. Will you please send me the key, l
either lost mine or did not take it when I
left.
I am going into Wyandott and Seneca
counties; best write to either at Carey or
Tiffin. We must not forget to go TO the K.
G. c. at Cynthiana in July, by that time
we can tell what is to be done.
Excuse this letter. Ihsd to write it part
ly on my knee. Be sure to write. We will
meet some time soon, say either at Crest
line or Bucyrus.
Your D. K, K,2.B.9.
A. T. WITHERs.
(Keep close
The pass [some marks in cipher
Unjust give you a little hint. If cannot
get the names of men when go to a place,
ask who the leading men in the democrat.
ic party are, and then find them, and then
talk as our instructions direct, and I find
out in that way, if 1 dare trust to tell my
objects. I tell them my object is to keep
the democratic party up.
On motion of Mr.. Castle, the Witnesses
were sent from the room and called in SEP
arately. The following testimony was
offered:
A. Kepler-Live in Green county, O.;
know the defendant, Mr.. Court; I was II
Brunswick, the township, where reside
and Court asked me, about the middle oi
July, if did not want to Join their order o.
Knights of the Golden Circle; asked him
what it amounted to? He said it was mere
ly to strengthen the Democratic party; tc
prevent volunteering and drafting; ne did
not say how it would strengthen the party;
told him didn't want TO join the order
this was all the conversation.
Cross examined-I live within q mile and
half of Burwell; the conversation took
place in the village of Burwell; there is G
store and blacksmith's shop, &c, there; the
conversation took place on Sabbath evening
about the middle of July; think it was OF
Sunday I went over TO BurWell to stay ovel
night, in order to get over to farm I have
near, to cut some wheat; Mr. Court lived
| then, and now in Pleasant township, a milt
| and half from BurBell; I don't positively
remember talking with any other man ex
| cept Court; think may have spoken K
| MIR. John Duncan, and to John Brinker-
/ am not sure; I can't tell whether it was be
fore CT after saw Court; don't remembe
whether I went right over to my mother-in
laws or not, after talking; there were SOM
few persons standing some twenty or thirty
yards away from US at the time; l was pas
sing along the street when I saw Court;
don't know which commenced the conver
sation; don't know how the conversa
tion opened; all 1 remember is hi
proposal TO me to join ''his orde
or our order" He called it the Knight
of the Golden Circle. He said it was
strengthen the Democratic party and t
prevent enlisdng, and that it was an unjua
war. never had any conversation. con
cerning this order with him before. He di
not say that he belonged to the organization
or that any other person did. All the con
veraasion was as l have stated. He didn
say he wished TO hinder me or others fror
volunteering or standing draft, but the ide
I got was that wasn't to volunteer or stan
L