The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1863-02-05
A Secret Conspiracy Of
Traitors in the West
IL it not Time for Loyal Men 10
Wake up!
from the Clevela nd Herald |

| tuc CIcNeIa0u Herald.
The Knights Of the Golden Circl.
their aiders and abcttors, have an orga
nization throughout the West as well a.
the South. II is a secret league Of ,rai
tors OF the most dangerous character
The object is to aid the rebels, to pre-
vent enlistments, resist the collection Of
war taxes, procure assertions from the
army, and assist in separating the
Northwestern States from the Union
10 these objects the members are
sworn. The ritual, oath and operation
of the Order in Indiana have been re.
vealed. Its existence is not denied in
that State, and the Democratic party
in the Indiana Legislature have made a
formal and emphatic admission with il,
by voting down proposition to inves.
tigatc it!
A serious case has grown out Of the
secret society at Indianapolis, John O.
Brown, Of Shelby county, private in
the Sd Indiana cavalry, has been tried
by court martial for introducing the
secret society among the soldiers in
camp, the object being to encourage
descrtion, and destroy The army.
Brown pleaded "guilty" to every charge
bnt one, and ,ha. was proved beyond
all doubt, Though the important charges
were those he confessed true. The
penalty of the otfense is death, and the
journal says it is probable that this is
the sentence Of the court hut it is not
known yct. The trial lasted some DAYS
and created no little sensation among
rebel sympathizers.
The guilty Brown was no doubt the
tool OF more influential traitors to the
country. lie pleaded in cxtenua,ion
that he was cajoled into the conspiracy
bytwoprominent Democratic politicians
ef Indianapolis, giving their names,
when he was under the influence of
liquor, but admitted his guilt ana the
reasonable designs of the secret order.
The society operates in two ways, both
reaching the same end, however. First
those who enter it are sworn to give
their help to the scheme of separating
the Northwest from the Union; and
second they are sworn to encourage
and procure desertions from the army
whenever they have the opportunity
One process OF spreading tho order i'll
the army is this: A soldier it at home
on sick list or turlough for few days.
The members Of the order coax him 10
join it, and only reveal its full character
after his oath has sealed his mouth and
tied his hands. Then he is told he
alust desert whenever he can, and he is
empowered to administer the oath Of
membership to any other soldier. Every
appeal and argument that can be made
to excite him against the Government
aud dispose him to act zealously in
spreading dissatisfaction, is urged.
Such, according to the indianapolis
Journal, are the startling revelations
made public on the trial of Brown. OF
some of the workings Of the infamous
order that paper says:
"In this city it is known that there
are number of members in the esd re-
giment, and in some companies Of the
Sd and 9Th cavalry. The 25th battery,
which came here to organize with 1i9
men, was SO completely broken up by
deser,ions procured through the order
that the few who were left about 80,
were transferred to another battery.
And of these so all but one deserted
when ordered to the field. One man. a
member of the order deserted with three
revolvers, another took couple Of
stands of arms, and nearly all took some
portion or other Of their arms or ac-
coutrements. Such operations as these
would speedily rum any army. In the
camps here they have been checked,
and the active men arrested. This or
der the Democrats in the Legislature
refused to allow investigated, by q strict
party vote Remember this fact. It il
significant"
In closing full and clear statement
Of the Democratic movements in In
ldiana for new secession, the Journal
thus warns the friends Of the Union
"ro what do all these facts point? A
naann4 lo. ln.,a j