Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-10-13
Arrangements for Cooperating
Confederate Authorities TO Furnish Arms

DtAocfat IN indiana, charged with CODSplr-
ing against the Government, as member of
secret disloyal and reasonable association
began at indianapolis On the 9th ult, before
the military commission, Gen CoLGRovE,
President. The following is some of the tes-
timony:
Felix G. Stidger testified that DR.. Bowles
gave MIN the first information respecting the
order of the Sons Of Liberty. He was sent
by Capt. S. E. Jones, Provost Marshal to
learn the particulars of the organization, and
had another interview with BowIes about
the 10th OF January, 1864; was regularly in
| ltlated into the order of the Sons Of Liberty.
This was about the 9Th or 9th of June; was
instructed III the third degree by Mr.. Harrison,
the Secretary of the Grand Council of this
State; first met Dodd in the office of Mr..
| bingham. editor of the Indianapolis Sentinel :
had letter OF Introduction to Dodd from
| Judge Bulllitt The letter was produced in
| court. The conversation witness had with
Dodd related to Mr. Coffin, a United States
detective who was to be assassinated Dodd
said that such men would have to be disposed
| Oh The persons connected in this matter at
that time were Mr.. Dodd, Harrison, DR.. Bow
less, MIlhgan, DIR. Humphrey and Il J. Cat
| ling There were a number of others whose
! sons were not admitted to the meeting of the
order of the Sons Of Liberty without pass
| word; witness was at the time Secretary of
! Grand Council for the State of Kentucky;
| was appointed by the chief officer of the
! State, Dr. Bullltt, and still holds the position
| if such an office exists. The Sons of Liberty
was military organization. 1t was in this
organization that Coffin's murder was dis
cussed, and it was decided emphatcally that
| it should be done, There was to be meet
| ing at Hamilton on the occasion of Mr. Val
| landlgham'S return, at which Coffin was ex-
| pected to be present, At the meeting re-
terred to, Dodd called called on those who
would go with him to murder Coffin. Only
one man esponded-McBride, from Evans
vile, Ind.-who thought he knew Coffin. He
could not join Dodd. The witness, Bowles,
| Dodd and Milligan, went to Hamilton, but
| Coffin could not be found. There were
two meetings on the day referred to. At the
| evening meeting they discussed the military
organization of the Sons of Liberty. A num-
| Der OF speeches were made, all full of the
| oppression and tyranny of the Government,
and that it was to be restored by force of
arms. They expected definite time to be
set for general uprising, in which they were
to seize the United States Arsenals in Ohio,
Indiana and Illinois. The rebel prisoners in
with arms seized from the arsenals The
number in the Order of the Sons of Liberty
was calculated to be $4,000 to Is 900 in Indi-
ana. illinois was counted On as having a
considerable number, and Missouri was be-
| Heved to be almost unanimous. Ohio was not
much counted on. BoWles told the witness
that he had his command organized into COM
panies and regiments. Saw Bowles at Louis
Vile He was there experimenting with f.
g. Booking III the manufacture of hand gren-
AIDES and Greek fire, which were to be used
in destroying Government property. BoWles
said that the Greek fire had been used for
the destruction of the Government warehouse
at Louisville and of the Government steam
ers. The programme Of the meeting of the
Order in Chicago in July was given by the
witness, who said Dodd had told him that Chi
cagoans had agreed to seize the camps and
depots Of prisoners in Ohio, Indiana and Hi
nOis; seize the aTSenalS in those States: arm
the rebel prisoners released, and also mem
bers of the Order and unite at Louisville
The uprising was to be general in those States
and in Missouri, and as much of Kentucky
as possible. The date was not fixed def
nitely, as they were governed in regard to
awaiting for the rebel armies to cooperate
with them. At conference with Bowles,
MilIigan and Walker, it was determined
and carry out the plan agreed upon, and
eventually unite at Louisville. At the Chi
cago meeting of the order, there were pres
ent Judge Bullitt, DR.. Bowles, Pchard Barrett
of st. Louis, Dodd and John G. Walker
They agreed that the uprising was to take
place from the Sd to the 18th of August, as
| should finally be determined by Vallandig-
! ham, the Supreme Commander Of the order,
whom they were sworn to obey. Dodd was
| Grand Commander, and Walker, Bowles,
Milligan and HUMPHREYS Major Generals for
| Indiana. Bullitt had attempted to communi-
cate with Colonel Jesse and a rebel Colonel
Siphert on parole in Kentucky, was initiated
into the order and attempted to get permits
sion to 60 to Canada, from whence he de-
signed going to Mexico and into the Confede-
racy. At Chicago they agreed that the
order was to meet openly in thc mass
! Democratic meetings, and on the day of the
! uprising, August 9th, were to have a mass
meeting at indianapolis, and carry out their
programme-tbe design Of the movement
was to carry a portion of the States into the
| Confederacy. Bowles talked privately about
| a Northwestern Confederacy.
The constitution, rituals, &c, OF the order
were exhibited to the Witness and identified
as the genuine work of the order: also the
roll of members Of the order in Indianapolis,
found in Dodd's Office, which hal been shown
to the witness by Harrison, the Grand Secre-
'tary. Without concluding the examination
of Mr.. Stidger, the Court adjourned.
INDIANAPOLIS, Sept %.
Felix g. Stidger, witness for the govern
ment, continued his testimony. Saw Mr..
Harrison at Dodd's. He complained that the
order was dilatory in their uprising against
the governments; believed that they had not
arms enough to be of service; Dodd said if
they did not openly resist he'd be id if he
would live under the present administration.
This was about the last Friday in July. Har-
rison was Grand Secretary of the State of In
diana. In respect to the contemplated as
sassination Of Coffin, he said they expected
to find him at Hamilton, at the Vallandigham
meeting; pick quarrel with him, If posi-
ble and shoot him.
The roll of the Parent Temple Of Marion
county, Ind. was here shown to the witness,
| when he was asked to designate the names of
such members as he knew belonged to the
order of the Sons of Liberty. He named W.
NJ. Harrison, e. Il. Dodd, Joseph Ristine and
Dr.. Athon. A letter was written TO Dodd,
Bowles and Ristine, signed Dick, supposed
to be written by Dick Bright, warning them
against Coffin, saying that he was a United
States detective, and reported everything
they did. Wilson met other persons II the
Grand Council from other parts of the roun-
try: an old gentleman by the name OF Otey,
DR.. Lemmers. Judge Borden from Allen
county, Mr.. Everett of Vanderburg county,
Mr.. Leech of the Burnt District, Union coun-
ty, Mr.. Myers of Laporte county, and Mr.. 4.
D. Koga of New Amsterdam. The witness
became acquainted with these persons on the
l4th of June; was not sure that Mr.. Lasalle,