The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1864-10-13
Trial Of H. H. Dodd for Conspiracy
Against the United States---
Astounding Developments.

Wanuer OF the sons Ot Blberty IN tndl
ana, for conspiracy against the United
States Government, ca ntinues % make
astounding developments. On the 6lb
inst, the following STARTLING testimony
was given 20 tho Court viz;
Wesley Trontor; witness for the
Government, testified us follows: Re-
rides a I Shoals Station, Martin County,
Ind, was formerly in the 18th Rcgi
ment Of Indiana Volunteers; discharged
for disability; had been a member Of the
Order Of Knights Of the Golden Circle
or Circle Of Honor; joined ht Shoals Sta.
tion. There wore forty or fifty members
in this temple; had attended their meet
ings. Their object Bt first was stated to
be to organize and revive the Democratic
party, and TO oppose the Administration,
and TO ascertain what force they could
muster. The officers aud members said
q great deal about the rsurpstion and
tyranny Of the Government, and about
preparing to resist oppression, somc of
the m ,mbers had rifles aud, shst guns,
and two boxes ofrevo.vers were sent TO
the organization, and man by tie
UuNIb VI COntu utiDtu wv bbAtht
which were marked ns 'welry. Toward
the last port OF 1863, the organization
seemed to die, bat in January, 1854, the
matter seemed to revive, aud the mcm-
bers of the Order, were notified that a
meeting OF the greatest importance wns
TO be held, and that all should attend
One John Stone was the speaker al the
meeting. He said the Circle of Honor
had been reorganiLcd, nnd was to be
called by different name. He had n
little book or ritual with him, which
Stone said had come from jeff. Davis,
containing the laws and regulations Of
the Order. The new Order was called
knights OF the Golden Circle. He said
they were communication with the
Confederate authorities, aud that the
Order was preparing To do something
that would be felt. their first organizi.
the organizat on would make n simulane-
Gus attack upon indianapolis, Springfield,
ILL.,. and st. Louis. They were TO make |
a dash with such arms os they had, seize
the arsenal, und by this means arm them.
selves more completely. Stouc said
there was no doubt they would be abe
to capture these. places, us the Uaited
States soldiers were mostly at the front.
He said that when these places were |
seized, il would wake up the friends of
liberty in Kentucky, MISS ur and clse-
where, and the organization would have
such standing and character that the ca.
reer Of the Lincoln Government would be
checked. lie reminded them that Old
A Ia, ,,a. ~, a.,rad thataho .,,nn.,J tho
druh but said he, "we will give him
something worse to be scared for than
that" lie said that jeff Davis had thrco
times offered TO compromise, but no
notice was taken OF II, but that now jeff.
Davis with the assistance that could be
offered him from the North, would force
the Lincoln Government to settle.
ment, and that would bring peace to this
country. Tho uprising was 10 be made
not far from the first Of April. Gov.
NJ orton was to be visited before the ut.
tack by o person who signed his name
an. d." and he was not to live long nf.
ter that. Stone said he guessed he
would take sick and die. When the ut
be general advance otthe rebel armies,
and Gen. Lee was TO attack Washington
City. At the close OF Stones remarks
some fifteen additional members were
enrolled in the Order, each man getting
two members TO stand us his sponsors. -
They were bound by oath to the obliga-
tons laid down in the ritual, one of
which was to stand by and defend each
other, and 10 come with their arms
whenever the order for the attack was
made. Those who did not were to be
treated as traitors. Some of the men,
before taking the ostfrss expressed fears
that if captured they would be shot or
hung as traitors. Stone made light of
of the idea, and said that ii any Of the
Order should be captured II was probable
that Lincoln's Government would soon
be notified by JEFF. Davis that they must
he respected as prisoners of war, or hc
would retaliate. Both Dodd an Bow les
We're constantly spoken ot ~ chiefs in
the Order. Harrison II, DJdd, II was
said IN the Order, would be the next
Governor.
The witness next went through tho
various signs, positions, grips aud colo.
quies by which members OF the Order
recognize each other, all OF which cx. /
actly corresponded with that testified To
by previous Witnesses, and whose test.
mony in this respect has not been pub.
lished. Alter he had be,n in tho Order
some time, aud became acquainted with
its reasonable designs, he made his .
father acquainted with il, aud subs quent,
ly wrote to Gen. CUrr,ngton about it,
He joined the Order in good faith. No
fee or reward of any Kind had ever been
paid or offered for making any revelation |
of the secrets ofthe Order. There wEs
a fellow, little fellow, who came u |
their Temple twice, aud who was said 10 |
go TO ana from the rebel authorities. =
The Chiefs of the O7dcr said the only I
way to save the country, was to elect
jeff, Davis us next President, and 10 do |
this they must arm against the blue
coats. He had never, in any way, acted
as detestye for the United States Gov. !
ernment. The members of the Order
drilled; wanted witness TO drill them, as
he had been in the army. He did not,
aud never drilled with them. The meet.
ing referrs to took place on Saturday
night, January 36th or 9th, at the house
OF person named G iddis. about \ mile
east o! Shoals Station. Pending the ex-
animation the Commissioners adjourned
to meet ON Thursday, October 9th, at 10
O'Clock A. NJ.
go -----s----
0yPersons from Montgomery, Ala
bamn, say there are half a million bales
OF cotton there. The rebels will never
&c, this offto Europe, ard il will be de-
stroy or fall into the hands of our troops.