The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1864-11-03

State Sentinel, Chairman of the Den
ocratic State Central Committee, Thirl
Degree member and Grand Commar
der Of the Sons Of Liberty, testifo
before the Military Commission t.
day, as follows:
joined the American Knights
October or November, 1868, at Milit
ry Hall, then leased to the Democrat
Club of this city, and was initiate
then. Dodd, Harrison, NJ. Jacobs, y
Johnson, Vandegrift, and others, we
present. In August or Septembd
was introduced to A. G. Wright, b
Dodd. Wright gave his history an
claimed to have found, in the papc
belonging to Gen. Gaines, of New O
leans, the records Of a secret socic
which existed during the Rcvolutio
airy War. That Gen. Lee was Pres
dent, and Madison, Jefferson al
Washington were members. WrigI
designed to establish a similar ordc
and .had come to this State for thu
purpose. lie said it existed in Missol
ri, Illinois, and the Central America
States, and was to extend all over tn
world. lie wanted Bingham to hcl
fund it here, but he declined, becaus
Eo was opposed to secret societies. III
asked other leading Democrats to joirI I
Most Of them declined understood
DOdd was to be n member. Dodd W;
an active leading Know Nothing
Dodd urged Bingham to join said
was political and educational Stat
University, to inculcatc sound poltica
doctline, and newspaper were to /
started. Dodd said he wanted to az
wise with witness about many thing
but he could not unless he joined tt
Order; that he could not even tell Il
names of the members of the Orde
for the obligation bound him to sue
secresy. lie offered to put Binghar
through informally. Bingham SAY
seeds Of discord for the party if he did
not join, and unite its different ele|
mcnts against the Administrations
Dodd informed Bingham he was It dcp
egate to the State Council Of Novem
Der, 1863. He attended, and took tho
Grand Council Degree. Dodd prcsi
dcd Harrison was Secretary. NJ. Van.
degritf was at tho meeting, also DR.
Athon, Joseph Ristinc. l.. p. Miligan
and Mr.. Cushman, from the North
part of the State. The Council was
opened and Committee appointed
Bingham was Chairman of the Com.
mittce on Literature. Was present,
but in an hour retired and wrote his
report, advising the postponement Of
the paper until funds were raised tC
support it year, and an indefinite
postponemcnt of the university scheme
DR.. Bryant and Cushman were on the
Committee Told Cushman lie could
not stay, and got him TO read the re.
port. Did not hear of any military
appointments then, nor until after the
exposure of the Sons of Liberty. Was
notified by Dodd to attend the Grand
Council OF February 16. Was in town
th"t day. Heard ConkIin, one of tAc
Major,Gcnerals, speaking. He was
called on for Il report, and replied that
he had not drilled any body, and had
no body to drill this was his first
idea that it was q military organiza-
ton. Never read the ritual, constitu-
ton, and bylaws. Helfrcn was pres.
ont at tho February Council Came
to his Office and told all about the Or
der; Bingham said that he thought nc
good would come from the Order, and
therefore conceded with him, and said
it was Il humbur; concluded not ia
belong to the Order; paid his fec, and
asked Dodd if any formal withdrawal
was necessary. Dodd said he could
withdraw when he liked, Didn't con.
slider himself n member after that
though having been in tho Order, il
gave him the confidence of the mem.
bers; and he had heard many things
that otherwise he would not have
known. Heard that Dodd delivered
an address ON tho 10th of February
at that meeting DR., Bowles, DR.. Bry,
ant, Mr., Blake, Of Terrc Hautc, Mr.
Cushman, and Squire Mcbride, of Ev,
ansvillc, were present; also lletiren
His next connection with members Of
tho Order, was the meeting of Dodd
Bowlcs, Judge Bullitt, OF Kentucky
and a Mr.. Barrett, ofMissouri; met AT
his office; supposed they werc all
members Of the Order, Judge BuIlitt
invited him down to the Palmer House
to take whisky; went there and found
Coffin, n detective, present. didn't
know that then, bat thought him Il
Republican, and they had queer COM
pany; shook hands with him, and
Coffin said "I have caught you at
last" asked Coffin what ho meant, as
they wero going to dinner; he passed
it off with an anccdote met just after
ward, James Il, Mcdonald, told him
about Coffin, and hc said he was do
tcctive; told Mcdonald it was sin
gular secret society whore detectives
met with its members, He talked
with Mcdonald frequently about the
order, but had told him he was n NOM
Der at that timo. That was in the
middle or latter part Of May; shortly
after tho first Sunday in June, Stidser
was introduced to him at his office
Nnhh nnllnh him nriuntn Snnrntnrv tC