, 1864-11-01
THE INDIANA TREASON,
An Important Confession.
Testimony Of the Chairman Of The Indiana
Democratic Stale Central Committee,
md Editor Of The l4disn-
apolls Sentinel,

MEMBER and AGrand Councillor OF the Sons
Of Liberty, testified before the military Coa,-
mission today a. follows: joined the
American Knights in October OF November,
1868, At Military Hail, then leased to the
Democratic CLUB Of this city. ! was Initial
ed then. Dodd, Harrison, N. Jacobs. Dr..
Johnso7, Vaadegrift and others were present.
In August or September I was introduced to
T, c. Wright By Dodd. Wright gave his his
tory and claimed to have found 10 the papers
belonging to Gen. Gaihes of New Orleans:
the 1scotds Of secret society which existed
during the Revolutionary War, Of which Gen.
Lee vas President, and Madison, Jefferson
and Washington were members. Wright de,
signed to eslabliBh similar order, and had
come to this State for that purpose. He
said it existed In Missouri, Illinois and 1hs
central American States: and vas 70 e1tend
al oser the world. he s1a, ~aptea 5mgaa% aag;;ma6
to Eelp found it here but ne decEned
because be was opposed to secret societies;
He asked other leaders TO Joln, Mcst q
them declined. It MSS understood that Dodd
was to be member. Dodd was an active
leading Know Nothing, Dodd urged bing,
tam to Join, and said It was pouttcal ana
eaucatioual, 4 State University, to incul-
cate sound political doctrine, and newspa:.
per, were to be started. Dodd said he wanted
10 advise with the witness about many
things. He could not, unless he Joined the
order; that he could not even tell the names
Of the members Of the Order, for the obllga-
ton bound him to secreeT. He offered to-
pnt Bingham through informally. Bingham
saw the seeds OF discord tor the party, If ho
did not join and unite the different elements
against the Administration. Dodd informed
Bingham that he was delegate to the State
Council Of November, 1868. He attended
and took the Grand Council Degree. Dodd
presided. Harrison was Secretary. Mr. Van
dcErift WIS at the meeting. Dr.. Athon, Jo-
eeph Ristine, l. D. MillfgRu and Mr. .C1sh-
nan, from the north part OF the State. The
Council was opened and committees ap-
POINTED. Bingham Was chairman of the
committee on literature. He was present
but an hour, when he Tetiredand Wrote bis
r port, advising the postponenent Of the
prl,er until funds were raised to support it a
year, and the indefinite postponement OF the
University scheme Dr. Bryant and Bushman
were on the committee He told CushmRn
be could not stay, and got him to read the
report Did bot hear Of any military ap-
pointncnt then, nor until after the exposure
Of the soas Of Liberty. He was notified
by Dodd to attend the Grand Council OF Fen.
ruafy 1G. Was In twice that day. Heard
Copklfu, ore ot the Msjor Generals, speak
ing. He was called On for report, aud re-
piled that be had not drilled anybody, and
had nobody to drill 1t Was bis first idea
that 1t was military organization. He
never read the Ritual, Constitution and by
laws. Hefi1ep was present at the February
Council He came to his ofIlca and told all
thought no good would come from the Or
der, and Hetirsn .coincited with him, and
said it was q humbng. He concluded not to
btlong to the organization; paid his ices and
asked Do1d If any formal Withdrawal was
nj cessary. Dodd said he could WithnraW
when be liked. He didn't consider himself
a member after that, though his having been
ixH$ $k.o f%1. f4xr <tFf fkta
members, ana he had learned many thiogs he
otherwise would not have known. Heard
thAt Dodd delivered an address on the 18th
OF February. At that meeting Dr. Bowling,
Dr.. Bryant, Br. Blake, Of Terfe H4ute, Mr.
Cushman and Squire McBtide, Of Evansville,
were p1estnt; also Hefffen. HIS next con-
nection.wit. the members Of the Order Vas
tueky, and Mr.. Barrett, OF Missouri, who
met al his Office. He sur pcsed they were all
membt1s OF the Order: Judge BuIlitt inylt.
ed lin down to the Palmer House to take
Whisky.' He went there and found Cofln, a
CetectiYe present. He didn't know that then,
but thought him Republican, and tnat they
had queer company. He suook hands with
him, and Coffin said. 81 have caught you at
last" he easksd Coffin what he meant as
they were going to dinner he p,sssd 1t of
With an snt cdote- In the afternoon he met
jos. E. Mcdonald, and told him about 'Cof.
I'm raLd he eaid he Was detective. He told
l1m it was q singular eecret society where
detectives met with its members. He talked
with Mcdonald frequently about the order,
but bad not told him he was member at
that time. That was the middle or latter
in June, sudger WAS introduced to him IN
Lis office. Dodd called him private Secrets
r. to Bullitt. It was remarked that Bullitt
thought Coffin had compromised him. He
knew Of the meeting Of the Council in June,
but Was not present and knew nothing oi
: its proceedings. Had seen Bowles before
the LIST Of August Once he came to his Of.
asked Nhe knew Coffin was detective. HI
: told him be had 1t from Mcdonald. On the
I'd or I'd day Of August Dodd called on him
to Issue, as chairman Of the Democratic Cen
tral Committee, q call for mass meeting ct
the 10Th Of August. He asked his word OF hon
might say. Bingham furnished It. -Dode
Eald q revolution mad been determined on a
the Council OF the 10th, held at Chicago
which consisted of four members from In
dina, four from Missouri, four from nllnoi
and. four from Kentucky. Dodd, Bow1es aut
Bu]litt were present Dodd says they AZ
ranged there to release the rebel prissners a
Jobnson's Island, Camp Ch2se, Ohio, Cam
Morton, 1ndlana, and Camp Douglas Illinois
and the released prisoners at Camp Dougla
were to release those at Rock Island Attn
Rame time.they were TO rise In Loufsvluz anl
feize the Government stores and property
Bingham was astonished. Dodd wanted
mass meeting called, under pretense Of op
pcting the draft and iDstructing the ChIca5.
delegates. Bingham refused. Dodd wantet
him to call q Congressional convention Il
nominate Congressman, as cover tor hi
revolution. Bingham refused Dodd wen
to Mcdonald to have him influence Blugh IN
to cali tie convention. Bingham though
be ought to reverse the plot, and tried SIC
Donald with the watchword, "What suc
cess." to know whether the secret had beer
impaired it to Mcdonald on August 4th
They could not determine what to do, ani
agreed to meet again. Next day. whfIa 70
Ing home, he met Mcdonald Kerr, of Nea
Albany, ard said, "What success.'' He an
sHeree, ..Do you know any things The peo
pie are al alarmed in our part Of the State
n..,a In W,ash'reton, ts -. Ha1E3son ;5 and FloYt
lution le in Progress. They are sell
trg their crops becsuse they thinA
g1eepbacks eafer." Kerr went on and re.
Walled Dodd's scheme. Both then went tt
McDonald's. Kerr told him this plot. Bing.
ham did not then tell Mcdonald of his with
drawal trcm the Order, but was understood
to still belong. Kerr's information involved
the way, and Athon to be Governor. They
went to Athon's house, called hin up, aud
he denied any knowledge of the plot. They
met at McDonald's office next morning, and
invited prominent Democrats to meet them,
Mcdonald, Judge A. L. Roache, VIM. Hutch
econ, Aqullla Jones, Sam'l Il. Buskorn, Jos.
Ristine, DR. Yeagle: Col. Ca1liwell, and 9th.
said TIC revolution must be stopped. Dodd
NJ ID John c. Walker were called ia. Thay
did not then acknowledge anything about 1t,
At first Kerr told Binshan n that If they wou1d
rot abandon It, It was his Interest to inform
tie authorities and have them arrested
Dodd and Walker then spoke very earn stls
about public atiatrs, Ing the Governmen1
ihines. and aothng woaia sase @ III Il eas esa ro2
chile revolution Anappeal to the ballot-bo1
was futile; the..people would resist the draft
and they ought to direct the revolution, ,rath
er than let 1t direct them. Dodd and Walker
promised to stop it, and it was understood
they Eent such orders to the various counties
Bingham didn't inform the authorities, be
cause be thought they knew 1t, because II
be given By publishing barsecue near Louis
vile. The revolution Was to take place tht
day after the barbecue. Kerr said Bulliti
hnd ather prominent members OF the Ordel
were arrested because of that notice; ant
that many left the State for Canada. Bfng
ham thought this 80 important TINT he callei
the Democratic Central Committee together
August 18th, to consult on Its effect on ths
party. Another reason why be did not in
form the authorities ras because he didn't
wish to injure his party in the coming e1ec
ton. There was danger Of that, If the revo
lution was made public. Dodd was here fol
two weeks and Walker for ten days. HI
tcld them he would be arrested and they left
Dodd claimed that the scheme was true INIT
Kerr charged 1t upon him. At the two days
meeting Of the Central Committee, August
They said the plot must De dropped. Wake,
wss called to that meeting and assured ths
committee that 1t was stopped August 11th
Walker told Bingham he must be atthe Bates
Houee to meet the rebel officers from Louis