Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1862-10-03
Secret Treason in Iowa.
KNIGHTS OF THE GOLDEN
CIRCL Il.

KNIGHTS OF THE GOLDEN
CIRCLE.
The recent arrest of half score of plottel
by Marshal Hoxie, in the southern part of tn
State, was in consequence of information OF
tanned from reports of number of citizen.
confirmed by affidavits Of which the substant
is to the following purport,- as we gathe
from the report published at considererabl
length in the Desmoines Register.
The affiants, who are loyal Democrats, stat
that they were initiated into Lodges Of thu
Golden Circle in Madison county, under tn
pretence that they were secret organization
for the promotion of the success of the Dem
ocratic party, After learning their true char
acter, the affiants were alarmed and shocked
and felt that patriotism and duty demanded
of them the exposure of this reasonable con
spiracy against the country.
At meeting of the Lodge at McComb'
School House, resolution was adopted pledg
ing the members to resist the collection of th'
Federal war tax and the draft.
Joseph Il. Evans, of Winterset, was pres
ent at said meeting of the lodge and made .
speech in favor of the resolution, in which h,
said that similar resolution had passed il
nearly all the lodges in the county, and tina
they generally passed unanimously.
have frequently been informed by mem
bers of the order, that members from Missouri
sometimes attended; that it has been under
stood among the members that they should
supply themselves with powder and ammuni
ton; that VIM Evans came sometimes to Des
moines for ammunition for the members; said
he could get it, but it was not everybody who
could that a majority of the members have
arms and more or less ammunition. And
further depose and say that Joseph X. Evans
said IN his speech at McComb's School House
to which have alluded above, that he be.
leved the war would continue until the whole
Mississippi Valley would belong to the South,
and that if the war should turn out that way,
the members of the order would be benefited
by their connection with it, and that he would
be very we'll satisfied with the arrangement.
And further depose and say that Joseph
K Evans, in his speech at McCOmb's School
House, to which have alluded above, said
that there were eight hundred members of
the order in Madison county, that there are
lodges all over the Northern States-that some
member asked where the order started, and
he answered that it started somewhere in the
South.
* s And / further depose and say,
that am and always have been Democrat !;
that was induced to join said order for the
purpose of advancing the Democratic cause,
! LDoxv,1oIua tO ire
able tendencies; that do not approve of its
reasonable practices and purposes, and for
that reason make these disclosures, believing
that my obligations to my country are strong
er than those to an organization of traitors.
And further say that have been informed
and believe that many others have been in
veigled into it, believing that it was democrat
ic and not unpatriotic.
The disclosures made in this affidavit are
substantially stated in two other affidavits,
one of which was made by Democrat, and
of neither of which this affiant had any knowl-
edge. In addition to this evidence the Mar
shal has many letters and communications
from reliable men, many of them Democrats,
stating facts which confirm the affidavits. In
MANY particulars the evidence is corroborated
by the confession of Missouri knight, now
in the hands of the authorities-a Knight who
has served in Prices army and is well &C
quainted in Madison county. Upon this evil
dence the Marshal acted, and the proper au
thorities have approved his action. Add yet
people who have given and are yet giving
literally of their substance for the support Of
the Government-who have sent their dear
est loved ones to the ranks of the Union army
are asked with an audacity that would be
startling in ordinary times, to denounce the
Marshal for abridging the freedom of the con-
spirators-to shed tears of pity for the i'm
prisoned traitors.
Notwithstanding such testimony of wide
spread plots Of traitors in our State and
throughout the land, we hear little from the
Democratic press but denunciations of Gov
ernment officers for an attempt to check this
treason and arrest and punish the conspira-
tors. This is the burden Of the Courier's
editorials.