Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1863-06-12
knights OF the Golden Circle
i'm Bcrks County.
TRAITORS UNMASKED.


county, on the charge Of corspiriug to
embarrass illegally the War measures Of
the General Government. The first witness
was detective officer, why. LYON, who
swors as follows:
Saturday morning, 2lst of March, 1868,
| received information there was to be u
meeting; proceeded to the place where the
meeting was to be held went on foot to
Marion township, aud concealed myself iu
the barn of Mr.. Zellcr, under the straw.
There might have been hundred men in
the barn, altogether. Before they pro-
ceeded to business, Mr.. Huber told them
to search the baru, to see if there we're
any spies concealed in tit /; can not name
the parties whom be was addressing; be
directed them to rua a dung fork or hay.
fork into the straw, to see if there were
any spies concealed under it; after this
was done, be ordered pickets to be thrown
outside the baro ; this was as near as
eau judge, between eight aud nine clock !;
the men went out, then the men inside
took the obligation Mr.. Huber did the
talking; he denounced the rar as unholy
and unjust; he said the society pas mill
ion strong; he stated that it first ,oas or
yanized IN the Sou,h I; that the society had
signs, passnotds, and grips; he admins
tered the obligation whether the men
swore on Bible or not, eau not say !;
there were eighty three men, to the best
Of my knowledge, who joined then /; the
obligation was gwen verbally he said the
men should swear; | don't know whether
they kissed the Bible or NOT, | could not
exactly see; they all answered yes, after
tho obligation was spoken to them. lie
advertlses meeting to be held at q GER
tain place-a mans house-and after this
they 60 iuto secret organization the
members sign a LIST, and pay one dollar
each in the first place; then those who
sign, 60 into secret those who do not
sign, 60 away; heard him give the obli-
CATION.
Examined by Mr.. Coffsy] Now think
aud tell US what the obligation is.
"Are you in faDor Of The abduction of
abraham Linco1" p
[Wisus.s.] l heard this: "ly force, if
Necessary"
"Are go" in Jauor of a North-~estern
Conjeterucy p
"Are you an t'',r Of resi.tiny The Draft
or the Coascrip,ioa act ?"
(By Mr.. Cofsy.l Well, sir, did they
snaar fo tho.a oh
Witness Yes, sir-they dnspere3 Yes.
Another witness testified that they ,cere
told to shoot the officers, in their legs, so as
not to kill them, however!
Some Three Hundred of these deluded
men came into Reading, four abreast, aud
demanded the release Of Huber. But the
Mayor aud others explained the law to
the mob. The Union people heard the
alarm also, and began to assemble; they
the X. G. C's % take the oath
Of allegiance, or receive q aoggiug-aud
very soou, amid laughter aud execra,ions,
.hese patent Democrats fed to their homes
some Of them Immediately renouuciug
his new, clandessiue organization.
G1-It was after this first hearing that
pW-,he Democrats Of Berks county-with
bW Clymer, Ancona, &C., aiding-publicly
IS- declared that Secret Political Societies
p9-dre right, and they would protect them
Ia-if the government did not.
A SECOND HEARING was held, last week,
n Philadelphia. Some witnesses testified
'ery reluctantly, as if in secret fear-it
vas necessary to fairly wrench every fact
'ut of them. The officers had o difficult
iue in subp@naipg witnesses, sometimes
'eing resisted by threats and even force,
y people who were made to believe that
heir right to vote was to be taken away!
he following evidence was given in:
SAMUEL MosER, swsrn.-I reside in
'erne township. Berks county know Mr..
eidle be swore me into . secret society
paid one dollar; We were sworn to sup
ort the Union and the Constitution +; be
lid We must be drafted wo we're sworn
OF to resist the draft, but to support it;
be dollars the members paid were to
urcbase flags, &c. Mr.. Seidle did not
lake any speech; the meeting lasted an
our; there were signs of recognition that
Q we're sworn to keep secret We we're
worn by the uplifted hand We all held
p our right hands; there was nothing
i'd about war; l do not remember the
.sswords; l was at one meeting only ; ,
on't know how many were initiated the
Getting irds common Democratic meeting; ,
don't know Why we we're to have signs
I'd passwords, only to keep the party
gether; / have heard of other secret
eetin9s, but don't know that any Of them
e opposed to the principles Of the Demo- 9
attic party, or the Know Nothing party; ,
'ver heard they did anything against the
now-Nothing party; l am 20 years old. I
Miss SARAH BAUER, sworn.-I live in
over Heidelberg, Berks county; | know
uber was at the house where be was
private meeting was held BY him and 9
her men think the meeting Was held
the first part Of March was in the d
tchen when the people came in and
mt into the room there were about !,
rsy persons there; heard Huber tel!
en- that if they should get drafted they q
ould get their pistols and resist being &