Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-04-28

snOuiu Dy 5ni5 time nave cOnFlhEed All
candid men that the loyal States have as
much to fear from il as from any rebel
army. Ii has the purpose, The spirit,
and is steadily gaining The strength, 70
make a very effective diversion IN be-
half Of Is friends. We have stated that
our authorities had afsid&vits by the
score, confirming these statements aud
describing its featzres, members and de-
elared purposes, but deemed 4 best 70
retain them to guide operations TO de-
feat it, and that when these aisidasits
should see the light there would be no
more hesitation in believing all that was
said than there was last year, when the
disclosures before our Grand Jugies and
Courts made ineredalitY silly or saspi
cious Some Of THAI evidence Aas seen
the light, and those who viii read il will
see that It establishes the existence Of
the order, its signs and passwords, by
the very best sHfhofity--no less than
oue Of the inmates Of is meetings made
BY its own officers The original docu-
ments have been captured, and we pro
daee the mate6si portion Of them be-
low. They we're frst pablished IN the
Randolph County JoHraak, ky permia-
sion OF the DepHty Provost Marshal of
that county, as the papers we're caPtared
there.
The frat paper Of the series Is tie af-
fdavit Of John X. Martin, q detective Of
Randolph county, dated the Iith inst,
stating that upon information '.of the
existence Of lodge Of the Knights Of
the GoldeH Circle Al Emmeftsxille, 10
this county, and being assared that books
aud papers relating 10 their proceedings
were in the possession of G. III Cool, Of
that village, ] gave Lieutenant Jones au
order to take the necessary assistance
and proceed TO the house of said Cool
aud take them, which he did one day
about the first Of February last
The second is the affidavit Of Lienten-
ant Jones, that upon the receipt Of in
formation that there was lodge of the
X q. G. 10 EmmegtsFille, and that It's
books and papers we're. ia the haads of
{. II. Cool, be, in ecgnpany with Lieu
tenant John Barger and others, went to
Coofs house on the I'd day of February.
and captured them, This WAS sworn TO
on April 5th, before Bennett King, No
tary Public So much for pFeliminaries
Nov for the documents thus captured and
verified. As some Of them are merely
formal entries Of meetings we viii copy
only such az make distinct statements
or allusion TO the character, name, puf-
pose, OF secrets Of the order The FOL
owing Is the 6rss
II -
Circfa caiIsd 70 ordar o. Reeves, Vice
Captain New instruction, given as by
order Of the County Circle, suggested
NOT 20 be Engaged IN open discussions o..
politics.
The order positive from the County
Star Circle 10 meet February Sd, Al the
Old Orchard, 10 nominate candidates for
Township officers The usual oath being
administered 70 hn present. adjourned.
Number 9th Report received and iiled
T. REKvEs, Captain.
C. II Cool, Secretary.
The suggestion we have italicized ex-
plains the silence OF tho order, and the
success with which I'LL lately il has sue.
eeeded IN making is existence. The
second docamsst s.~ajane 9th, 1868,
only mentions the election Of dos Coous,
an old Whig we Judge from bis name,
Captain Of Circle &c, of Randolph coun.
| "; the admissiou oF John Miller, X Roe,
Il Jenkihs, Sr., ] Hsstiags, and Jesse
Ellielts sha giving Of signs aud inst.uc-
tioas ard the presence Of visiting snen'
bers Rolsirt Jones, Captain Of Circle "a
J. Stewart, aud IT. Tool. Here Is ths
third one in full. .re -
JuLY 9th, 1863.
A meeting being called by Brown,
FOR the purpose Of orgsaizing class Of
men in Green township, knosn As The
Knights of the Golden Circle. upon q
fnAl vote E Z. Stephens was. elected
Captain, C. II. Cool, Secretary, + Reeves
Vice Captain, Henri jenkins, Treasurer
and +. Cough inspector. III
The meeting being organized, motion
was then made to send delegate e
Winchester TO represent the Circles oi
this county at indianapolis, on the 22d
of August Carried.
The names enrolled for the night--II
Jenkins, c. Fl. Cool, F. Cough, T. +
Stephens, c. b. Mercer
Meeting closed TO meet on next Tues
day night
E. SrKpHESs, Captain.
/ f. REEyEs. yice-C&psAin. y. 9
So. there was a general meeting here
on the 22d Of last August, il seems
though at that time everybody supposed
the infamous thing crushed out BY tbs
revelations made in Courts. We maj
notice here that these minutes 90 bael
to the time when the existence Of the or
der was an admitted fact, admitted OF
oath, aud scarcely denied even By .
Democratic editor who belonged 20 il
but it comes on down almost 70 the be
ginning Of the present year, and proves
that all through the period of its appa
rent torpidity Il was active and fnif O
| life. The fourth document Is df no spe
ciAl interest. Il is dated July l4th, thu
showing regular meetings at very Gloss
.sinteryals, but nothing more except tn
admission OF James Anderson, WIN
3 Wilson, joseph Sspnhens, fsaac Nor
dixie. Levi Whitzel, John Scarborough
and Harvey jenkins The hfth docu
ment, dated July 23d is not more impoz
,ant- II mentions the collection Of 2
cents from each member to pay the ex
penses Of J. Brown to indianapolis, an
. the admission Of Jacob CaFler, Jane
Bailey, Charles Jones, Rob. Stephens
Abraham Miller, and J. T. Gilbert. Th
sixth document is dated Aug 5th, stil
showihg regular aud close meetings anl
, notices the admission Of Luke Ullin, J
, Thornburg, John T1lum, Harvey Jen
kens, and John Wilson, and their ''be
, ing instructed in the signs" The se'
| enth d6cument IS more to the parPOss
AUgusy 10, 1868.
! Instructions in signs. Fore-fngeI
. right hand across the mouth. Answe
, hy left the same. Military sign, bot
! hands over the head Answer by eli
} Gle as with bsyonet or staff Warnin
! signs, right hand to coat collar. Gri
? sign, thumb upon each middle knuckl'