Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1864-08-18


Office Of Chss. L. Hunt. There can be no
doubt Of Wnghfs being the author, from
the fact that il was issned before Vallandig.
ham was elected Supreme Commander Of
this Order. The signature, 4. Gains, Ur.
bsna, 5. y. has . meaning that witness
has never heard explained.
Q-Are any Of the officers connected with
this Order salaried of6cers2
Al don't know my impression is that
the Supreme Commander receives a salary.
Q-By what express have arms usually
been sent 10 North Missouri
A--The United States Express.
Q-Were such arms shipped TO fictitious
parties in packages and parcels purportiDg
TO be anything else than arms?
A-Sometimes to real parties and some
times to fictitious parties. and usually pur-
porting to be merchandise.
Q-Do you know of any considerable
number OF arms having been soishipped by
other parties here in St. Louis2
A--Only one lot, and they were captured.
Q-What was the number shipped and
captured2
AIN the neighborbood Of forty.
Q-When was that2
A--At the time w. NJ. Douglass was ar.
rested.
Y. Did you purchase any Of that lotP
A. Yes, sir.
Q. How many?
A. About forty.
Q. Did you purchase that number at one
house in st. Louis?
A. No, sir; at three different houses.
2. Were they all purchased the same day2
A. No, sir; l occupied portion Of two
Q. What did you pay for those revolvers,
and what kind Of money did you pay
.. A. From Sl5 to $2S apiece, and paid in
| U. 5. currency.
Q, Were the funds you paid for those
arms raised by and authorized to be dis
bursed for such purposes by members or a
member of said Order2
A. A number of said Order gave me the
funds for the purpose, but whether indi.
vidual or company fund. am unable TO
state.
@. For what purpose were those arms
bought?
A. For members of the Order in North
Missouri
q. Was that the frat and only time you
ever bought arms for members in North
Missouri?
A. No, sir.
Q. Were you invariably furnished fund:
to buy with by the individuals for whom
you purchased this lot?
A. No, sir; by different partics.
q. Did you ever buy and ship powder
or gun caps to any member or members OF
said Order2
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Were you paid any commission for
such service by said Order?
A. No, sir; | sometimes made small
commission in making purchases of this
kind.
Q. Who first organized the Order o
American knights in the State ofsMissouri'
A. =. q. Wright Of New York.
@. Have you any knowledge Of ont
VIM. NJ. Douglass?
A. know the man; have met him fou
or five times.
@. Do you know if he has ever been lie
galiy authorized by said Order to establish
Temples in Missouri?
A. Ofmy own knowledge I don't know
but my impression, formed from remarks O
members, lead me to believe he was.
Q. Is it not generally known that VIM
NJ. Douglass is an emissary from Price
army?
A. 1 don't know he became very unpop
ulars with the Order even before his arrest
@. Was Douglass active in organizing
Temples in Missouri?
A. | think he was, very. -
q. Was he not on very intimate and con
fdential terms with Charles L. Hunt, o
! St. Louis2 ..
A. Yes, sir. More so than with any 9th
, er person in this city. .. ..
@. Was there a secret police made up o
, members Of, said Order, whose duty it wa
to ascertain the names of United States de
tectives, and if possible to battle their effort
in apprehending rebels and members Of sal
f Order?
A. OF my own knowledge, 1 can't sa
:. that I heard through members that ther
e was such police to be organized, but to
: known only to the officers Of said Orde
That would properly be the business Of th
Ex. Com.
. @. Was the secret assassination Of an
United States officers, soldiers, Governmel
employees, proposed by any member I
members of said order2
% 4. have heard it discussed in Counc
and recommended.
. O. State what this Order contemplate
$ in the event Of Price sinvading Missouri tn
summer.
II A. They, or rather it, intended to uni
WIFI L TlCt, uTIvt Out Tue OuitCo Otat'
forces and the Union citizens, and appr'
). pirate everything belonging to the Unite
> States Government.
@. Has this Order been aiming an
n making preparations for this purpose2
= A. Yes, sir.
O. Under whose immediate directio
y has, this been done?
!" g.. The Grand Commander Of the Sta
of Missouri >. , >.
., o. Was this Order to cooperate VII
~ that Of other States, in the event Of an i
IN vasion by Price? &,
~ Al. Until recently, yes but lstteIly,
:, dependent and distinctof other States;
~ ~ Q. What was the intention Of this Ord
;" in reference to the ferries here on the rive
!, A. To initiate captains,. pilots and enl
!, neers, and in the event Of a movement,
:" take possession of them, and cross membe
of the Order from Illinois, and other Sta'
of into Missouri.
u @. Did you ever have any .conversati
-, with Chas. Dunn, or Cbas. l.. Hunt,
Is reference to making public under oath yt
r. connection with the Order of AmeriS
KnightsY -
A. Yes, sir; with both Of them.
yn o. State when, where and what the G