Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-10-13

furnish, and that the 600 in ali were to
hold Missouri against any Federal torce
brought against them. Indiana was to fur
nish 10000 TO $4,000 men to cooperate with
whatever force Ohio might send, and all these
then to be thrown into Louisville, and 1rere to
cooperate 10Th 1nbateler force Jeff Darts could
send to eastern kentucky, under Buckner and
BTecku,Tidgs, OF 1ghosge' JEFF DariS might deem
best to conduct the operations. This was the
programme which Bowles gave the witness
on his first visit, in the early part of Nav.
/ 1864. The object OF witness visit to Bowles
! was TO know what he knew of the conspiracy.
At Salem, Ind, he became acquainted with
Hetfren, who was formerly a Lieutenant Col
onel IN an Indiana regiment. He told wit
ness that he was expecting a commission in
the Confederate forces then in Kentucky.
and some of the forces of Forrest, who had
disbanded after the massacre at Fort Pillow.
He thought witness might be his commission
eF. Before being introduced to Heffren, he
had conversation with John -. who
spoke OF Hetfren as one Of the Butternut tig-
ers OF that county. He said he had been at
| indianapolis a few DAYS before. consulting
with Il. II. Dodd about calling a meeting of
the Grand Council Of the State, and that it
would be between the 18th and 18th of June.
lie further told witness that he and Dedd
were the only two men who had a right to
call the members of the order together. and
that 1t would number between "a. 600 and
$4,000 men. With this information witness
went to visit Dr. BowIes a second time
BOwles had been from home, but no one at
the house knew where. Bowles had been to
indianapolis where there had been a meeting
OF some OF the chiefs of the order. Judge
Bullltt, Of Kentucky, Barrett, of Missouri,
| and some of the chiefs of Indiana, were there.
The occupation on Sunday was testing and
experimenting with this Greek fire IN the
basement Of some building. This matter
BoWles said they had got to answer perfectly
AT the indianapolis meeting, Missouri was
pledged for thirty thousand, and Illinois for
nifty thousand, to cooperate with Price. In
diana, Bowles said at that time, would furnish
| forty thousand.
With respect to this contemplated assassi-
nation OF VIM. Coffin, the United States de-
tective, Judge Bullitt, Mr.. Piper Mr. Cham
bers, of Gallatin county, Tenn. D. G. Wbips.
OF Louisville, Ky. ; DR.. Kolfus, and myself
| had conference. Some others were pres
ent. This was the first or second of June
The witness told them that it was the de-
clslon OF DR.. Bowles that Coffin should be
murdered, or, as Bowles said, that he had
been instrumental in getting him into the
| Order, he ought to assist in getting him out
| OF 1t. BOwles told witness to tell Dodd 10
| set two men on his track, and that he was to
| be made away with. Or. Gattling was pres
ent in Dodd's office when he was speaking of
| the murder of Coffin, but did not think he
took part in it. He was invited to the house
Of VIM. Harrison, and had some conversation
about the Order. About forty or fifty mem
bers were present.
At the Grand Council at Indianapolis on
| the l4th of June, Dodd said that if Coffin had
penetrated the secrets of the Order, he ought
to be made way with. Gattling was present
at the indianapolis meeting when they ex-
pressed unanimous opinion that Coffin ought
to be murdered. There was no vote taken
on the subject Dodd was the only one who
volunteered to go to Hamilton to assist in
the assassination of Coffin. Mcbride said he
would like to go, but circumstances pre-
vented this. Mcbride was a large, feshy
man, Of medium height, 40 years Of age or
more. Dodd, Bowles and the witness went on
| the cars to Hamilton, and Mlligan met them
there, but they did not find Coffin. They
spent nearly all Of one day in Ristine's office,
waiting for young Ristine to point out Coffin
should he pass. He saw Coffin toward the
latter part of the day; knew Coffin before,
and merely feigned ignorance did not know
| why the uprising failed, but got the pro-
gramme from Dodd Bullitt was arrested on
Saturday, and Dodd gave witness the pro-
gramme on Wednesday or Thursday of the
same week. Witness went to Bowles, who
told him they had agreed on it at Chicago
He understood that Bowles had a message
from Dodd that the programme would not
take place. That message was sent by boy
thirteen or fourteen years old, whom he knew
He met him between Paoli and BoWles' resi-
dence. Bowles said he might yet consent to
the uprising if they got the cooperation of
the rebel colonies, Jesse, Sippert and Wal
ker, in Kentucky. Dodd confded the insur-
rectionary scheme to but few. He said he
talked freely about such matters only to Har-
rison and witness. He did not confde much
in Voorhees,, who seemed to be in the conf
dence of the organization. The rebel officer
who got the work of the order in Kentucky,
was Col. Anderson, of the Sd Kentucky Cav
airy, who knew DR.. Kolfus, who gave him the
vestibule and first degree. Witness gave
him the second and third degrees by order of
Kolfus.
George E. Pugh, of Cincinnati, was sworn
and examined as to whether certain letters to
Dodd and Voorhees, offered in evidence were
in Vallandigham's handwriting He identi-
fed them as such because he had seen him
write many letters and had received many
from him. The counsel for the defense were
satisfied on that point. The only letter of
Vallandigham's yet admitted is as follows:
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, May 81.
r. e. Dodd, Esq.,:
DEAR SIR: That District Convention is at
last fxed-Hamilton, Butler county, June 10
Be there and bring friends and speakers. Don't
fail ISigned1 c.. L. VAIL.
Your letter with names received all right.
Jos. kirkpatrick, of n. Y. City, dealer in
! arms, was sworn and examined in reference
to purchase of arms shipped to j. J. Parsons
& Co., of this city. He identified the arms
found in Dodds office, as those sold by him to
a man who represented himself as Harris
They were marked by Harris, who paid for
them. 81. J. Parsons & Co., indianapolis.
Indiana" He sold him 29O revolvers, and
contracted to furnish him $500 more, and
$4,000 pistol cartridges. He judged from
what Harris first said, that they were to be
shipped to Mexico.
VIM. Clayton, witness for the Govern
ment, was then introduced. He resided in
Warren county, Illinois; was a member of
the Order of American Knights, and since
that Of the Order of the Sons of Liberty; was
initiated into the three degrees; entered and
continued in the Order in good faith; was ad-
! mitted member on the 1st of July, 1868.
He was initiated by DR.. Mccartney and man
by the name of Griffith, residing in Mob
mouth county, Illinois; couldn't remember
the obligation he took on entering the Order,
but had the ritual of the first degree Of the
| O. A. K The concluding portion of the OBJ
| legation is as follows: 81 do further promise
that will, at all times, if needs be, take up
| arms in the cause of the oppressed in my
country first of all against any Monarch,
| Prince, Power or Government which may be