Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-11-01

V 10 you Know VINO composed the
committee Of thirteenp
A. No, sir. The Committee OF Thir-
teen, IN my opinion, was a myth. The
next thing that came up, in connection
with the Order, was tbis: DR.. B0wles
Mr.. Dodd, Judge Bullitt, and Barrett
we're st my Business Office. met them
on the platform as / was going down
from my room; ] was introduced to
them, and supposed they we're ell mem
bers Of the order, though nothing was
said aboat ii; / supposed so from their
association. Judge Bullitt | had known
previously. | think Efteen years; he had
done me q great kindness; we renewed
our acquaintance, and he asked me TO
call and see him at the Palmer House,
said he had some fine Kentucky whisky,
aud invited me take g drink. About
half past eleven / thought I would 20
to ny dinner early and stop in and see
him. ] knew where the room was, it
vas No. 2s5 went right up stairs aud
knocked 81 the door He said, rC0me
ia, and / opened the door. The frat
man ! saw was q person By the name Of
Coffin. did not know thez what his
occupation was, but from bis sssocia-
lions | thought he's was Republican,
aud | thought it was queer company for
Democrats ! walked up and shook
hands with him; he whispered
70 me "Tve caught you at lass" /
thoaght that was very strange, very sin
gular, walked around the room, and
mentioned to one Of the gentlemen that
It was a singular company. We passed
the salntAtions Of the day, and then
said 70 Ballitt, "If you have any coed
whisky, bring Il out BE brought il
out, aud We had drink. | asked Cof-
I'm If be was going 10 dinner, be said he
was. and we walked together. AS we
walked out | asked an explanations Of
the remark he had made TO me ATve
caught yoa st last He told q story
not necessary to be repeated here, and
applied il to me; said that was all be
meant A few days afterwards | met
Joseph K. Mcdonald on Washington
street. ! told him the circumstance, and
be remarked 60 me "Don't yeu kuow
who this Coaiu isT He said "He is q
United States Detective; be Is in the
employ Of the Government, and has
been for two years" remarked 70 him
that Il was a singular secret society, the
ne ahers Of which should sit in council
wish United States detective
Q. Did yoa at that Tins unfold to Mr..
Mcdonald your association With tha,
0rder7
A. No, sir, ! do not think told him
iii some time subsequent
Q WhA, was doae BY these gentle
meat
A. They never told me their business;
ana % this day do not know shat they
met together for.
Q Yeu SAP that you met Mcdonald,
aud that you remarked to him that II
sas = singular secret association that Il
should have Uaited States detective in
Il, hos did you come to tell him that, il
yoa did not make known TO him thai you
vsre a member Of the orderf
A. We he'd talked upon tbs subject
frequently; and DO not know if be knew
whether was member or not
Q Did you ever give bin TO ander.
stand that yoa were member Of the
0rder7
A No, sir.
q Whsn was this conversation with
Mr. McDonald9
A. The interview occurred sbIut the
middle Of MRy, and il was, think with
in week afterwards, that had this
conversation with McDoaald.
Q. Where we're you nrss introduced
70 Mr. Sddger--in yoar ohce7
A. 6rst saw him there. Every Sun.
day morning a number Of political
j friends met in my Office TO hear The tele-
grams read. One Sunday morning,
about the lat Of June, vas coming
down 70 my Office and met Dodd aud
sudzsr. Dodd introduced me 10 him,
Aud reeoIiected the man, though not
/ bis name, be said he was the private
/ Secretary Of Judge Ballitti sad either
At that interview or within q ! srt time,
8 day or two, Dodd or Stidger de this
I remark that this man Coffin b1 con-
promised Judge Ballitt, or that 'dge
Buliits thoaght he had, ! don't rec. eet
/ which. The next meeting Of the Order
was held 10 June, but | know nothing Of
| its proceedings, as / was not present
That brings us along to about the lss Of
August In the meantime | had seen
| Col Bowles once; be came to my ofice
one evening, said be wanted 10 taIk
with me about matters generally; and
be asked me II thought this man CoE
En was . detective, be had bis doubss
about il told him there was no doubI
about IL
| Q. Who did you have il from.
/ q. Mr. McDonald. Another circum
stance il may be we'll 10 reIAts; il show
the perfect system Of espionage here.
| THE Judge Advocate remarked that i
was unnecessary 70 state that here.
| / do not reeolleet anything special oc
curing until the ID or Sd Of August
About that time, one morning Mr.. Dodl
came into ny room and said, wan
10 have talk with you" He said b
wanted to tell me something; but,
said be, you must give me yUur wort
of honor that you will not reveal what
say 70 yon TO any living being" No
knowing what il was, said, :" Certain
w." he went on 10 ssy that it bal
besn determined at meeting or Couu
ell, DO not recollect which; I think b
. said at a Council Of Sixteen. believ
be said something about its being com
posed Of four from Indiana, four fror
Illinois, four from Kentucky, and fou
from Aiszoari do not think an
names were mentioned but Judgs Bu
litt and Mr.. Bosles BE said that 8
! the Council s resolution had been detsi
mined upon, and he went on 10 explsi
il. He said that arraEgemsnts ha
been made to release the prisoners o
: Johnsons Island; at Caanp Chase, nes
Columbus, Ohio; at Camp Morton, an
: also st Camp Douglas; and that th
prisoners at Camp Douglas, after the
] release, were to 60 over and releas
1 those At Rock Island At the game tim
there was to be sn uprising At Loui
vile, at which the Government store
etc, were to be seized 3.
r O Al uprising Of what, and whc7
/ a he did not state What or who;
Z a II