The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1862-08-28
Arrest of an Alleged "Kuight o
the Golden Circle.o at Urbana.


ed with discouraging enlistments in the
U. S. army:
Estate of fOhiO, Champaign county, SIS.
Before me, the subscriber, a Justice of
the Peace in aud for said county, per-
soaally came Thomas Simpson, who,
being sworn, says that Bethuel Rubart,
of Campaign county, claims to be o
Knight of the Golden Circle, and has
to initiate afiant therein
stating the object to be to protect the
Southern soldiers who are members,
and to have such organized force with
in six months in the loyal Northern
States as will be able to rise and kill the
"Abolitionists." That he further de.
clares that there are nearly enough, and
that they intend to rise and take Wash.
ington City, and that paid Rubart has
been guilty Of the disloyal practice of
initiating into the mysteries of said or
der--inimical to the welfare and main
tenance Of the Governments citizen Of
Champaign county, viz: Calvin Hess, a
man able to be soldier, and that he has
proposed to initiate aliant and John
Shaul.
"Andhe further says that said Rubart
has discouraged volunteer onlistments
in the army of the United States in this
that afiant, in the presence of said
Rubart, was talking with Samuel Organ
and Simeon Muscroft, who were making
offers to afiant to volunteer, which
offers afiant was considering with intent
to accept; that when he retired from
their company Rubart followed, and
dissuaded afiant from volunteering, I'D.
vising him not to do so, and when he
found that afiiant was nevertheless likel y
to do SO, the said Rubart talked abou,
and explained the said order Of the
Golden Circle, and insisted that said
afiant should join it if he did volun
teer with the army. All of which oc.
CURED at Champaign county, Ohio,
within the last week, and farther saith
not. 1T. SIMPSON,"
"Sworn to and subscribed before me,
August IL, 1862. N RHODES, J. P.
"Wm. L. Fuson, being sworn, says
that on the evening of the 7th inst, he
was informed that Bethucl Rubart was
initiating a man into the disloyal order
Of the Golden Cirole, in a stable in said
county; that afiant went to the stable
and found therein said Rubart and
Calvin Hess, and that they were much
confused, and unable to talk in natural
voices, and that Hess admits he was
then initiated into said order by Rubart,
and Rubart has stated to Simpson that
ofiant overheard him at the time in-
itiating said Hess, and that said Rubart
is therefore engaged by act aud speech
in giving aid and comfort to the enemies
of, and in disloyal practices against the
United States, as he believes.
"W. f. FUSON."
"Sworn to and subscribed by w. L.
Fuson, before me, August l2, 1862.
IN. RHODES, J.P.
"The State of Ohio, Champaign
County, ss:-CaIvin B. Hess, an able.
bodied citizen of said county and State,
and over the age of eighteen years,
being duly sworn according to law, says
that on the 7th day of August, 1869, he
was solicited by Bethuel Rubart to unite
with a secret society called the knights
of the Golden Circle, Rubart saying
that If should volunteer or be drafted
in the army of the United States, it
would be worth more than $500 to me.
l was at the time talking of volunteering g
in the army. He stated to ne that there
were plenty of members Of the orde
around, (referring to the Eeighb or.
hood). He took me to a private place
in barn, and in an undertone admins
tered to me an oath, the full particulars
Of which / cannot give, but the sub.
stance Of it was, as explained by him,
that tho order of the Knights of the
Golden Circle would assist the South
ern army in putting down the Abolition
lists of the North, and in taking possess :
ion of Washington City-saying that
thu Southern army were most, if not all
members of the Knights Of the Golden
Circle; that they only wanted their
brothers of the North to put dowr
the Abolitionists, aud not fight against
tho Southern army; that in case any
member should be compelled to 60 into
the army of the United States, they
we're to so FIRE their guns as not to strike
any of the Southern army. They were
to receive a sign from their officers, ia
case any of the officers Of the army were
members of tho order, and they and thu
officers were to give sign to the South
ern army, when near enough to do so
by which they would be saved from tn,
Gre of the Southern army. The privat,
in the Northern army, who are memb