Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-08-05

nicate with each other in the day. the
night time. and above all they have signal
or siga which nav be recognized at a
great distance from the person giving IL This
las sgnal We regret 10 say, was invented Tor the
Of such niembers as should. by mans Of fhe
draft ofheTUise, b. compelled 10 serUe IA the
rgaks Of The army. In such case members Of the
order serving in opposing armies receiving the
sign are reminded of their obligation not 10 injure
fke member giuiHg q. This slgnalis given in every
instance upon the initiation Of lew member.
and its observance is strictly enoined upon every
individual belonging 70 the order By the teach
ings of the organization it is the duty Ofits mem
bers engaged in the present war, although ar
rayed on opposite sides, upon the signal being
given. if they shoot AZ all, ito shoot oUer each
other" Many members of the order examined
before US admit the biading force Of The obligation,
and pretend 10 Justify IL as correct IA PTinei-
pie.
Said Grand Jury would respectfully submit
that the effect of such obligation is TO set aside
the oath taken by every soldier when he enters
the service OF the United States. The obligation
imposed by the organization alluded 10 Is incon-
sIstent 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;ls the rebel may be seeking take the life
Of the loyal soldier. To do otherwise, would be
grossly treacherous. and justly subject the guilty
party TO a traitors doom.
From the evidence introduced before said
Grand Jury, il would seem that the order called
the Knights of the Golden Circle had their origin
in some OF the Southern States, and was intro
duced into this State from Kentucky. Its prima-
~ object. when il originated, TO organize tue
friends of the institution of African slavery in the
United States for the purpose Of acquiring more
territory IN Mexico and the Central American
States, and also the acquisition of Cuba, thereby
~ extend and foster a great slave empire. even
though il should dye those countries IN human
blood. Hence the various raids made upon those
countries which have called forth from time to
time the proclamations of our former Presidents,
denouncing such attempts and threatening the ex
ercise of the power of the Government to put them
down Wicked as these hellish sclemes were said
Grand Jury would not have troubled this Honor
able Court with this presentment had the machi
nations of the Knights of the Golden Circle been
confined solely to their original designs. Find
ing how useful such an organization was for the
purposes originally intended. said Grand Ju-
~ believe that il not only extends at present
through every part of the South and every
department of the rebel army, but during 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 features attached to
1t in view of the unnatural conflict deSola-
ting our country. Not only are the loyal soldiers
in the army TO be tredckeTOusiy betrayed in the
bloody hour of battle, by the signals before re
ferred to, but said Grand Jury have abundant ev-
idence of the membership binding themselves to
resist the payment Of The Federal tar and prerent
enlistments in the armies of the United States
1t is fact worthy OF note. and conclusively
shown, that in localities where this organization
extensively prevails, there has been failure to
/ furui ah far of volunteers Said
Grand Jury, after thorough examination on that
point, have been unable 10 find any instance
,ohere member Of sud organization had rotun
teered to fight for the Union under the late requi-
stion for volunteers. Said Grand Jury were in
formed that individual OF the Order had pro
posed to make up company TO be called jay
hawkers, composed exclusively of knights of
the Golden Circle But said Grand Jury be-
lieve that at no time was the proposition seriously
entertained, but in fact only intended cover
to hide their reasonable purposes when they
found they were about To be discovered.
The meetings of the Order referred To are
holden in by places, sometimes in the woods, and
at other times in deserted houses. Its members
frequently attend icHh arms ia their hands, and in
almost every instance, armed seRfiRels are posted
to keep off intruders Youths not more than six
teen years of age are in many cases introduced
aud initiated into its mysteries. The credulous
and unwary are often aIured into the fold OF the
Order, upon the pretext that it instituted for
no other purpose than the better organization of
their party. Its real character and teachings are
sedulously concealed until the oath of secresy has
| been in due form administered. Having taken
the first degree, the initiate is iamiliarzed with
the obligations and opinions of his associates, and
is gradually prepared FOE the second degree
When he is further taught and found apt to learn,
and ready to adopt its principles and teachings,
he is obligated in the highest degree aud is turn
ed out upon the country thorough traitor, with
the wicked purposes already specified. Said
| Grand Jury are happy To know that in many
cases individuals, after their first introduction into
the Order, seeing It's evil tendencies, haze abaa
doned IL, although unwilling, On account of their
obligations of secresy, and for fear of personal
violence are reluctant TO fully expose its treacher
Gus principles.
Since said Grand Jury began said investigation
it has been discovered that the order crisis among
the prisoners of ,car noU in Camp Morton. ,eho
/ refuse TO testify, up0p the ground that IL may
piicate the members of fhsir order in Indiana, and
/ thereby injure the cause of the Southern Csuted
eracy.
For the purpose of evading any legal liability,
/ in case of judicial investigation, it appears that
their signs are TO be used 10 enable them 10 oct
members of then order the jury, in case of
criminal charges being preferred against them,
Judge who does not belong to the order, to ere
ate judicial delays. until they can find Judge
or juror belonging to this order, and thus escape
all legal liability.
Said Grand Jury have no doubt that the order
of the knights Of the Golden Circle exists in
many localities in Indiana where their vigilance
has not been able to penetrate. They have la
bored under many difficulties in their researches,
and have draUn eridence in most of the cases
from unTilling witnesses Judicial oaths have
but little binding force where individuals once
! consent to abandon the allegiance they owe their
country. The general facts. however. so far as
they have come 10 the knowledge of the said
Grand Jury, have been submitted to this honor
able Court. They feel 1t their duty to
do So The safety of the country in this
hour of peril and civil strife demands il at their
hands. The power of such organization to
do harm. acting as one man, with one purpose in
view, with their influence, may be appreciated by
the honorable Court. 1t is the place where trea-
son is concocted-the nest where traitors are
Matched.
The Grand Jury, therefore, respectfully ask
this Court that this their presentment may be
spread upon the records.
WILLIAM L. FIsBBAcK. Foreman.
/ Charles II Test. George Moon,
VIM. A. Montgomery, James Blake,
I I. b. McCarty, Daniel Sisler.
Leonidss Sexton, Ben. q Stout,