The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1862-08-06
Astounding Developments before
fhe u. s. Grand Jury.
a SECRET SOCIETY OF TRAITORS IN INDIANA


1852. /
The Grand Jurors Of ts1e United States of
America, within and! for the District of In
diana, sempanneled, sworn aud charged IN |
said district at sa:S May term thereof, hav- |
ing about Completed their labors land being |
now ready ,o'adiourD) feel it their impera-
tive duty Ia auuounce in respectful man |
ner to this honorable court the general fea- |
lures Of some startling developments made
during their Investigations. Thase devel- |
opwents, when considered in connection
with The disturbed condition of the country
by reason OF the causeless aud atrocious re-
beilion against the Constitution and laws OF
the land, are deemed of the gravest impor-
lance and should be made known, that
prompt and efficient measures may be taken
by the civil aud military authorities to meet
and ward off The effect of the wicked aud
treasouable designs OF those connected with
such developments.
A recent act of Congress made it the duty
of the Grand Jury to inquire into any COM
biuatiohs or conspiracies formed by indi-
| vduals within the jurisdiction of the court
| 10 prevent the execution of any law of the
| United States. Having heard that organi-
cations with this object in view existed IN
certain localities, witnesses were sent for,
| aud brought before the Grand Jury. These
/ witnesses came from many counties, ana
| lived in various parts of the State. After
| careful and diligent exImation of the testl-
mouy from witnesses well acquainted with
the facts deposed, and having personal
| knowledge of he matters, said Grand jury
are constrained TO say that secret and
oath bound organization exists, numbering
some fifteen thousand in Indiana, as eslima-
ted by the members of their order, COM
monty known as Knights Of the Golden Or
/ Gle. and even in the same localities oy dif-
ferent names Their lodges, or Castles !"
as they deneminate 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 castle in whieh he was initiated,
or any other which such member may
choose to visit
They have signals by which they can
communicate with each other 10 the dsy,
or the night time, and above all they have
a signal or sign which may be recognized
at great distance from the person giving
it. This last signal, we regret to say, was
invented for the use of such members al
should. BIZ means of the draft or otherwise
be compelled TO serU. IN the ranks Of the army
In sucn cases members of the army serving
in opposing armies receiving the signs are
reminded of theiv obligation not to n1aTt
the men giving is. This signal is given IL
every instance upon the initiation of a new
member, and its observance is strictly en-
Joined upon every individual belonging tC
D. A. = tha mi
cation it is the duty of its members engaged
in the present war, although arrayed OF
opposite sides, upon The signal being given
If they shot at all, "to shoot 0rer edcI
otner.n Many members of the order exam
ined before US admit the binding force Of Thea
obligation; and pretend to justify ii as correc
: IN principle.
Said Grand Jury would respectfully sub
NIT that the effect of such obligation is Il
set aside the oath taken by every soldie
when he enters the service of the Unite'
States. The obligation imposed by the or
gauization alluded to is inconsistent will
The duties of a soldier who in battle dar
not spare the person OF his enemy. W.
must either disarm or destroy him, and es
pecially so long as the rebel may be sneak
ing to take the life of the loyal soldier. II
do otherwise would be grossly treacherous
aud justly subject the guilty party to
Grand Jury it would Seem that the orde
called the Knights of the Golden Circl
had their origin in some of the Southern
States, and was introduced into this Stat
from Kentucky. It's primary object, wbel
it originated, was to organize the friends O
the institution of African slavery 10 tn
/ Sfafa for ho nf ir;r
more territory in Mexico and the Contra
American States, aud also the acquisition
OF Cuba, thereby TO extend aud foster
great slave empire, even though it shout,
dye those countries in human blood. Henc
the various raids made upon those connIrie
which have called forth from time to tim
the proclamations of our former Presidents
denouncing such attempts and threatenin,
the exercise of the power OF the Govern
ment to put th"m down.
Wicked as these hellsh schemes were
said Graud Jury would not have troubles
this Honorable Court with this presen:men
had the Vaccinations of the Knights of th,
Golden Circle been confined solely to thei
original designs Finding how useful sucE
an organization YVES for the purposes origi
nally intended, said Grand Jury believ,
that it not only extends at present through
every part of the South, and every depart
ment of the rebel army; but during :hs
lsst winter and spring was introduced into
the State of Indiana and other Northern
States. Since that time it has made a arm.
ing progress in our midst with entirely new
features attached to it 10 view of the unnat.
ural conflict now desolating our country
Not only are the loyal soldiers in the army
TO be lreacherously betrayed in the bloody
hour Of battle, by the signals before refer.
red to, but said Grand Jury have abundant
evidence of the membership binding them
selves to resist the payment of the Federal
tax and prevent enIistments in the armies
of the United States.
1t is a fact worthy of note, and conclu-
sively shown, that 10 localities where this
organization extensively prevails there has
been a failure to furnish q fair proportion OF
volunteers. Said Grand Jury, after tho
rough examination on that point, have been
unable to find any instance where a mem
Der of said organization had volunteered to
eight for the Union under the late reauisi-
ton for volunteers. Said Grand Jury were
informed that an individual of the Order
had proposed to make up a company to be
called " Jayhawkers,' composed exclusively
of "Knights of the Golden Circle" But
said Grand Jury believe that at no time was
the proposition seriously entertained, but in
| r a