, 1864-10-06
THE Q. A. K, CONSPIRACY.
How it Worked In Illinois.
Startling Developments Illinois
to be Invaded by Price.


mony Of VIM Clayton, witness In the Dodd
case, It Indianapolis, sho wing the workings
Of the Q. 4. Z. society In Illinois:
Questloa oy the Judge Advocate. State
your nsme, residence and occupation.
A: Vim. Cia5t reside in Wsr1en r7uu-
y, 1n.nots, Where have lived since the TALL
OF 1861. an farmer,
=. have ycu ever been admitted to the
lodgeR q certain order known as the Order
9 O. Amencah nights, or Order of the Sons Of
an Organization =
A. suppose lam
Y. flease to state when you were first I'D
mitted to the Order of American Knights,
and where.
A. l think It vns about the 1st of July, 'os;
/ was initiated in the congregation formed in
tho timber at place by the name Of Pearce's.
Grove. Warren county.
y ~ Whom We're you initiated into the
4 By man by ths name of Griffith, and
natp ~ nft meta Mccartney. They resided at Mon
:, e E. What was tho general principle and aim
a. In he first place 1t was organizea-at
lenst II was SO reported to uB-f0r tho pur-
pose Of b1inging the Democratic party to-
gs'aes, shoulder to shoulder, SO that BY snch
party If possible. Ii wns at arst reported to
oe political organization. Afterwards VIC
were Informed by the officers that It IVES
military organization.
Q. Whist service were they going to per-
form?
a. They mentioned great many diiftrent
itles who hAve control Of our Government
we're tyranntcal; that we were being
tsemp1fd under loot; and thu: VIE should
haye to stand In defense OF our rights.
. @. Was 1t In contemplation to zesist the
Government authortties2
A. No time was set to my kno N1edge.
@. Was 1t not talked Of?
a. 1t twas reported frequently BY the OIL
GERS that If they did not work right, when we
got regularly organized, that there would be
q time set to rise and maintain our rights.
9. Did the Order have any drilling!
Q, Did Jon ever drill!
a. Frequently sir.
Q. How often?
A.: could not etate the number Of times.
Q: How many times IN month did they
A. Sometimes once, sometimes tEice q
month.
q. How long is 1t since you commenced to
4. About year ago, in June. We haye
been drilling on and oil for GEAR.
. @. Dld you get pretty we'll dfilled?
a: Pretty well, sir; but we had no great
drill master.
O. To what extent ras this organization
that you belonged to armed?
A. cou]6 not tell exactly. Most Of the
aims were pistols.
Q. III yo1r township, to rhat extent were
the members Of the organization armed:
A. guess about two-thirds were armed.
@. Do you kCow how extensive the Or
ganjzatipn in Illinois YVES?
a. could only learn through the officers
OF the Grand Lodge In their returns to the
Gsar0 Council, and according to their re.
ports It wss over 1o0, GOO In that State.
9. Did you liam bow many could be re-
liea upon, in military point Of view, in
casc Of resurrection!
a. Mr. McCartncy, who was the Grand
9igntur, Informed me that there were 40, GOO
IL 1te State we'll armed. and they could de-
lend upon 80, coo in the State Of Illinois.
@. Did you learn the strength Of the Or
gstizatIon In the State?
4. ! learned from reports Of officers Of our
Temple that there were abcut 50, 600 In the
State of IpdfaDa, but did not learn how
many were srmed here.
Q, Dia you ever hear Of any plnns or dis
cussicrs OF any plans among members OF the
Order or OF the officers to assist the rebels In
csse ol the 1bvnsion Of Missouri, or Of assist
ing III N by moving into Kentucky?
d. beard come talk OF that Kind. We
were informed In that vicinity where I live,
tbut sometime between May and June. pro-
hably, that there waa to be an Invasion at
/ three ditfe1elt points. One was to be into
Ohio, one into .1ncians, ard another into H.
,inois.
@. By whom: ....
A. If mistake not Forrest WAS to lead the
one in Illinois, Wheeler or Morgan, or some
of thssc mel ip Indiana, audIongstreet
wss to make for Ohio. Il was early In the
spring thst this news re.ched u.s.
a In inn y ff3RF
shall rise aud assist theee mtn Wlen they In
yaded the country
A think thst The understanding ~as that
| in caee the rebels cams over into Illinois,
| thty and the brethren Of this organization
/ wire to shake hands and be friends.
Q. Were they to receive mid mud asstaace
from this Order?
A should consider It that way, sir.
: @. Do You know anythiug Of an arrange
mett in which Mr. Valland,gham WAS 10 give
tbesignal for the rising Of this Orders
| 4. htard 1t in this way, that all the orders
Of which be wss the Supr:me Commander,
ard that orders would be Issued when all
things were ready; in other words,. we
didn't do anything till the command Was
given BY Vallandighan: who was then su-
| preme Commanoer. The. next highest IN
| Muand was man BY the name Of H IL
IOwny. In case the command vas not
| given by Va1]andfgham, the word wonld be
! given by Halloway. He lives in Mercer
county: nllhois, and L have often talked
| witA him.
q. Did you ever have any talk about resist:
ing the Government?
A. Not great deal, sir.
| @. state what was the substance of your
conversation.
A. We talked In regard to the movements
| Of the Order. The substance Of it was that
I had my coubts In regard to the Order bding
able to etaud up and maintain what they were
Undertaking. H. did not seem to have any
doubt about being able to maintain thefi
poiht--that is, whether they would be sue
| csesfu1 or not.
Q. When did Jou have this talk?
A. saw them frequently at the country
eeat. live about sixteen miles away IRON
it, but be lives nearer Monmouth than 90.
@ Had the exposures In St Louis any thing
to do IN stopping thu operations Of the Or
der in Missouri aId Illinois.
4. ] think. sir, 1t had 4 great deal
G. Are the5 still 5eeping up their orEant'
zatiopa, not Withstanding these exposures?
4. The military organization remains tha
came, but they have not drilled ans since.
@. How do these meu cross the river to
get into Illinois, that come from the South !
| 4. have beea informed by men who had
! lived in that State that they had crossed at
dlnere1t points. One point was nsar Loulsi.
ana, 1Io.
q. Did You ever belong to the Order OF the
Knights Of the Golden Citcls?
4. Yes. sir, did
! Q. When did You Join that Order?
| 4. / joined that before this Order Ct the
Sons or Liberty, It sss In 1862, guest.
Q. Where did yoa join that Order?.
| A In Jefferson county.
@ Who was the Chief Of that 0rdsr?
4, l did net lea.n. Was d5wu there On
! visit, and beard a great deal Of talk abou!
it, aud gentleman proposed to give me the
organization to bring up home and start 1t,
o. Was The Order of the Sons Of Liberty
OF Order Of The American Knights contiuu-
alton ct the Order Of the Knights Of the Gold
en Circle?
a. never understood that it was. The
0rdtr Of American Knights Was introduced
in cur county In June, 1868. II was at the
| tine Of the masB meeting Of the Dem ocrlfi1
Convention at Springfield, Illinois, that It
| Was inAugurated at that p1ace. The Grand
Council was asinangurated there, and the Grand
Council appointed two officers to each coun-
tY to protnulgate the Order and to set up
Templee.P &C. Wright, who now believe
has m interest in the New York NeWs, In
augurated the Order.
| a Autographed circular rs here psoduced
BY the witness.
Q. Where dld you get this circulars
| A. It was first shown to me by DR.. McCalt-
ney, III our Temple, some tlme lust winter.
The circular signed ?. G. Wright Was here
introduced in evidence by the Judge Advo-
cate, said circular marked Government ex-
hibit o. hereto attached ami made part Of