Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-08-09
TREASON IN INDIANA.
Astounding Developments before the
United States Grand Jury-Knights of
the Golden Circle Exposed and In
dicted.


|
From the indianapolis journal, Aug. 4.
The grand jury of the circuit and district
court of the United States, during their three
weeks session, have performed more labor
| than any Jury ever before assembled at the
capital Nearly two hundred witnesses were
sworn and examined. Sixty indictments were
written by the attorney for the government
and returned by the jury, sixteen of which
for treason and against the following persons ::
jesse Fuller, Solomon Coker, Nathaniel
Hicks, Theodore Applegute. Noah McCallis-
ter, Thomas Cole Andrew Metford, William
Brownlee, John Huest, Adam r. Johnson,
Richard Lambert, VIM. Lukens, Andrew Hus-
ton, Taylor Mefford, Robert Slaughter, James
Thompson alias James Mcconnell.
| There were also eighteen indictments re-
/ turned against persons for conspiracy to take
and possess the property of the United States
and thirteen for conspiracy to defeat the oper-
alton of this law. The character and objects
of secret organization were inquired into
and fully exposed, and found to be Il hot bed
of treason The country owes this jury a
debt of gratitude for their thorough investiga-
ton. 1t is deemed impolitc to make public
the names of other parties indicted until ar
rests are made.
GRAND JURY's OFFICIAL REPORT.
IN the District Court Of the United States,
for the District Of Indiana, May Term, 1862.
The grand jurors of the United States of
America, withinsand for the district of Indi-
ana, empanelled, sworn, and charged in said
district, at said May term thereof, having
about completed their labors (and being now
ready to adjOurn), feel it their imperative duty
to announce in respectful manner to this
honorable court the general features of some
startling developments made during their in
vestigations. These developments, when con-
sldered in connection with the disturbed con-
dition of the country by reason of the cause
less and atrocious rebellion against the con-
stitution and laws OF the land, are deemed of
the gravest Importance, and should be made
known, that prompt and efficient measures
may be taken by the civil and military author
tiles to meet and ward off the effect of the
wicked and reasonable designs of those con-
nccted with such Developments
\ recent act Of congress made it the duty of
the grand jury to inquire into any combina-
| tlons or conspiracies formed by individuals
within the jurisdiction OF the court to prevent
the execution Of any law of the United States
| Having heard that organizations with this OBJ
| Jcct III view existed in certain localities, wit
| nesseS were sent for and brought before the
| grand Jury. These Witnesses came from MANY
counties, and lived in various parts of the
state. After careful and diligent cxamina-
ton OF the testimony from witnesses well ac-
| quainted with the facts deposed, and hag1ng
q personal knoWiedge Of the matters, said
| grand jury are constrained to say that Sc
| cret and oath-hound organization exists num-
bering some fifteen thousand in Indiana, as cs-
timated by the members of their order, COM
monty known as Knights Of the Golden Cir
Gle, and even in the same localities by differ
ent names. Their lodges. or castles" as
they denominate them, are located in various
| parts OF the state, yet they have common
| signs, grips, and words whereby the members
are able to distinguish each other, and pass
| words to enable the member to enter the cas-
tie IN which he was initiated, or any other
which such member may choose to visit.
Ihey have signals by which they can COM
mumcate with each other in the day or night
time, and, above all, they have Il signal or
sign winch may be recognized at great dis
lance from the person giving it. This last sig
nal we regretto say, was invented for the use
OF such members as should, By means of the
dTGtt or otherwise, be compelled to sej'ce in the
ranks Of the army. In such cases, members
OF the order serving in opposing armies re-
celVlng the sign are reminded of their oblipa-
ton not to impure the member qirinq ii.
This signal is given in every instance upon
the Initiation of new member, and its oh
servance Is strictly enjoned upon every indi-
vidual belonging to the order. BY the teach
ings of this organization it is the duty of its
members engaged in the present war, al
though arrayed on opposite sides, upon the
signal being given, If they shoot at all, to shoot
ocer each othe1." Many members of the or
der, examined before us adnlH the bindiag
force Of the obligation and pretend to justify
ii as correct in principle.
| Said grand jury would respectfully submit
that the effect Of such obligation is to set aside
| the oath taken by every soldier when he en-
| tiers the service ofthe United States The OBJ
legation imposed by the organization alluded
to is inconsistent with the duties of soldier
who in battle dare not spare the person of his
enemy. We must either disarm or DESTROY
him, and especially so long as the rebel may
be seeking to take the life of the loyal sol
der. 70 do otherwise would be grossly
treacherous and justly subject the guilty party
to traitors DOOM
From the evidence introduced before said
| grand jury, it would seem that the order
called the Knights of the Golden Circle had
Its origin in some Of the southern States. and
was introduced into this state from Kentucky.
Its primary object, when it originated, was to
organize the friends of the institution of Af.i-
can slavery In the United States for the mr.
pose OF acquiring more territory in Mexico
and the Central American states and also the
acquisition Of Cuba, thereby to extend and
foster a great slave empire, even thouph il
should dye those countries in human blood
Hence the various raids made upon those
countries which have called out from time TO
the time proclamationso of ourformerpresidents
denouncing such attempts and threatening the
exercise of the power of the government to
put them down Wicked as these hellisb
schemes were, said grand jury would not have
troubled this honorable court with this pre-
sentiment had the Vaccinations of the Knights
Of the Golden Circle been confined solely to
their original designs. Finding how useful
such an organization was for the purposes
originally intended said grand jury believe
that it not only extends at present through
every department of the rebel army; but dur
ing the last winter and spring was introduced
! into the state Of Indiana and other northern
states Since that time it has made alarming
progress in our midst with entirely new
features attached to it in view of the unnatural