The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1864-11-04
|S0NS OF LIBERTY.
ASTOUNDING DEVELOPMENTS
TRB iSON. TREASON .
J.J. Bingham's Con-
fessiOn.
INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. %.

a Third Degree member and q Grand
Councillor of the Sons of Liberty, tes.
tilted before the Military Commission
to. day follows: joined the Ameri
can knights in October or November
1868, at Military Hall, then leased
to the Democratic Club of this city
l was inflated then Dodd, Harrison,
NJ. Jacobs, DR.. johnson. Vandegrift
and others were present In August
or September l was introduced to p.
G.. Wright by Dodd. Wright gave
his history and claimed to have found
in the papers belonging to General
Gaines of New Orleans, the records
of secret society which existed du-
ring the Revolutionary War, of which
Gen. Lee was President, and Mad
ison, Jefferson and Washington were
members. Wright designed to es.
tablish n similar order, aud had came
to this State for that purpose. He
said it existed in Missouri, Illinois
and the central American States and
was to extend all over the world. He
wanted Bingham to help found it here
but he declined because he was op-
posed to secret societies. He asked
other leaders to join. Most of them
declined. 1t was understood that
Dodd was to be a member. Dodd
was an active leading Know Nothing
Dodd urged Bingham to join, and
said it was political and educational
A State University, to inculcate SOUND
political doctrine, and newspaper
were to be started. Dodd said he
wanted to 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 obliga
tion bound him to such secresy. HC
offered to put Bingham through in
formally Bingham saw the seeds oI
discord for the party, if he did not
join and unite the different elements
against the Administration. Dodd
informed Bingham that he was a del
egate to the State Council of Novem
Der, 1868. He attended and took the
Grand Council Degree. Dodd PIE
sided. Harrison was Secretary. Mr.
Vandegriit was at the meeting. DR.
Athon, Joseph Ristine, l.. ID. Milligan
and Mr. Cushman from the North
part of the State. The Council was
opened and committees appointed
Bingham was chairman of the com.
mittce on literature. He was present
but an hour; when he retired and
wrote his report,advised the postpone
mcnt of the paper until funds were
raised to support it a year, and the
indefinite postponement OF the Uni
versity scheme. DR.. Bryant ano
Cushmnn were on the committee. llt
told Cushman he could not stay, and
got him to read the report. Did not
hear of any military appointments
then, nor until after the exposure OF
the Sons of Liberty. He was notified
by Dodd to attend the Grand Council
of Feb. 16. Was in twice that day
Heard Conklin, one OF the Maj. Gen
speaking. He was called on for t
report, and replied that he had not
drilled any body, and had nobody tc
drill. 1t was his first idea that it was
a military organization. He never
read the Ritual, Constitution, or by
laws. Heflren was present at the
February Council He came to his
office and told all about the Order
Bingham said that he thought no
good would come from the order, and
Heffren coincided with him and said
it was humbug. He concluded not
TO belong to the organization; paid
his fees and asked Dodd if any formal
withdrawal was necessary. Dodd
said he could withdraw when he liked.
He didn't consider himself member
after that, though his having been in
the Order gave him the confidence OF
the members, and he had learned
many things he otherwise would not
have known. Heard that Dodd deliv-
cred an address on the 10th of Febru-
ary. At shat meeting DR.. Bowling,
DR.. Bryant Mr.. Blake, ofTerre Haute,
Mr.. Cushman and Squire Mcbride,
of Evansville, were present, also
Heffren. His next connection with
the members of the Order was with
Dodd, Bowles, Judes Bullitt, of Ken
lucky, and a Mr.. Barrett, of Missouri,
who met at his office. He supposed
they were all members of the order.
Judge Bullitt invited him down to the
House to take whisky. He went
there and Iounu Conn, uvteotire
present. He didn't know that then,
but thought him Republican, and
that they had queer company. He
shook hands with him, and Coffin said,
81 have caught you at last" He
asked Coffin what he meant as they
were goidg to dinner. He passed it
off with an ancdote. In the afternoon
he met Jos. f. Mcdonald, and told
him about Coffin, and he said he was
a detective. He talked with McDon-
aid frequently about the order, but
had not told him he was q member at
that time. That the middle or latter
part of May. Shortly after the first
Sunday in June, Stidger was intro
duced to him in his office. Dodo
called him private Secretary to Bull
lit. 1t was remarked that Built
thought Coffin had compromised him
him. He knew OF the meeting OF th'
Council in June, but was not presen