, 1865-02-13
OUR CINCINNATI LETTER .
TEE CHICAGo CONsPIR-
ACX CASE.
From Our Own Correspondent

ACY CASE,
lFrom Our Own Correspondent
CRcnsaAr1, Fob. ., 1866.
TIE Military Commission at present en-
gagged in this city In the trial Of the Cam,
Douglas conspirators assembled this mornio!
In the rotunda Of Tho Court House, pursuan
to adjournment. AL tho members of tn.
Court we're present, also tho Judge Advocate
the assistant Government counsel, the &C
cused and their counsel. The court roon
vas packed with an earnest crowd OF spccta
tors, who manifested the closest attention
throughout the recital of the evidence. In
tercst in tho plot is rapidly increasing with
the people here. for they. see the gigantic
proportions Of The conspi1acy-that, radiat.
Ing from Chicago, It perneated to every chici
city in the country, scattering desolation
through myriads Of peacefM American homes.
4 horde Of fiends were to be released, who
would not only destroy the city In which they
Try to their rebel eygic, marking their path
with blood md ruin. The prisoners also wear
moro serious demeanor than they have hith-
crto done. The anxiety with which they re-
gard each new witness as he appears upon the
stand, and the carnestness with which they
listen to The testimony as elected by ques-
lions from the prosecution, or perhaps from
ihan ever realize the position they OCCUPY.
The record of last Friday's session was read
and approved.
Dr.. Aver, Of Chicago, was then sworn as q
witness for the prosecution. The following
Is his testimony:
Hr1pE1cK Or DR. A1ER.
M7 name is I. Winslow aver, and 7 am ply.
eic!an practcfDg in Chicago: have been ply.
heed IN Chicago. engage in The special practice
Of t1cat1ng throat and chest diseases. Iposscas
au institution for :he reception and treatment OF
at Harvard University, and hare also received two
diplomas from the Eclectic Medical College IN
Cincinnati. 1joiued the Order called the Sons Of
Some lime before that time, while making pro-
fess1onal cal1 on Michigan avenue, l met d..
Winter. We had come conversation on politics,
NM 20 Gee I'D lin unisa Be@osqa ee9R
then said that he belonged to Democratic order,
which he invited me, to join. 20 gave me-
Commander Of the Order. which he asserted en-
Il HaSse o1o 'aa md read f. bnt not E;as ae Sentiments
hass eas nothing @ c g d viii Il. Some % Tins dustng
The month Of June. l WIS one evening sitting. IN
my oillce, the doos Of which communicates with
re lsl leading to the 81 tae sGp5 Of
about mceting ol tho Order. / Immediately
thought Of The document had received from Df.
MndeE md io 3yesgats thts atttr
Isaac n. Arnold, Member Of Congress, but he did
not believe IN the e1izteneo Of any such order.
jeet With Within 4. hna. one q the pfoprfefois
OF the Chicago TE1Brsk. LII. Rand urged upon
me he importance Of continuing. NJ t1resHs.-
o saa EsSa iats H. naod ao
enyc me another letter to the Governor.
lweEt to Springfield and had IN Interview with
tions fu1ther. % joined ed the Urdu order Be Between he
time Of my interview with Arnold and Yates.
any such Organization. On the night Joined
the order, Judge Morris was presiding as Grand
seignior: There were yartors speeches made. a
Grand Council Of Indiana. BE began BY Stating
That he presumed ~ had seen the c. mmunicatton
Of TINT date in The Chicago Timer, over the signs
was written By him. 10 edi1cd Us about tho reiz.
ure OF the arms IN lndfnna, that all was not lost
Es Teetituuon would be had or the bullet would be
nrms was msde, Governor Morton nnst be assassi-
mated. His real name Wns Colonel Walker. at
tended the meetings regularly every Thursday
On TIC evening Of Che 5th Of August We had a
meeting Of The. Order in which The scmi-annnal
election took plaee, for oflcers Of the nrganiza-
Wss @ elected Grsnd seignior. 5 There Va s discus
sion regarding the revelations which had been
made in the Chltaeo Tn1nrsE OF the signs and
Hons were 90 complete that a man With a bundle
ofTR1DuSEs under his arm could initiate any
number Of men into the Order. and that some
shSnd 1en to pln; He
the euhject Of changing the eigns Of the Order.
1t Wa. not behertd that any one in Chicsgo had
dlv9lsed :hc secret There were many severe re-
and il was stated that II he WIS found ont he
would receive his passports TO he'll, some hno
night and never return. Judge Morris wa. there:
Morris made the drst speech. lie made radical
Democratic speech. in WHICH he alluded to the
nsusrztions and tyranny Of the Government, and
spoke Of the necessity of he Democracy banding
disturbance at the Convention, and that the De-
mocracy would act only on the defensive but II
he 9gpos1tloF party began The dt:tusb.nse thsy
were formed already, and onc was forming; that
they had plenty Of srms and ammunition. he
Eaid thst On Tuesday thsEe Toald be dem3na 1!
the application failed there would be resort to
arms, and revolution would occur In Indiana
inst as eurc as there is God in Heaven or IN Alb
otitipmst IN he'll. There were different remarks
by members; don't remember that Morton's Or
Dodd'e nnmc va. mentioned.
Have heard the teleRse Of these prisoners diE-
cutaed At these meetings repeatedly. The mt set
speech wns made by Doolittlc, a lawyer in chlca-
go. He said that tic camp was accessible on two
sides, and that the guns we're available; that the
weakest side Of The camp vas On the west side;
that he fence was OF boards, and that the force
wae small. During his epcr ch Geary stopped him
dHS doa he e1s em x ho n NJ
Ing nap IVES exhibited, giving an outline Of the
camp, il was shown by gentleman who said he
and was in the army. Several spoke Of the releaso
OF the prisoners; James Rock commercial editor
Of the 1ts also spoke OF the release Of the rrie.
the prisoners would be dangerous element to let
looEe, ard could not be controlled. We were
urged to unl:c ouzselrcs with the Democratic in
ten With captains and lieu.cusnts, and 30 pre-
pared, Hhen tho uprtsin: and revolution took
place; We were to supply The brains and they the
were numbers coming to the city by trains and
wagons. 1t was stated that three hundred wagons,
the occupants ull armed, would come from one
rests should be made. Learned this from MI.
Hand, also from Robert Alexander, my assistant
In this order. Rand and belonged to the Mason.
! sent Alexander to the depots to watch the In.
lux Of strangers, and keep him advised Of the ap'
pearances and purpose Of the strangers in the city
fets on the streets; the city was moro full than
ever saw II before. On Tuesday, ths 1872 Sep.
Order, and, knowing him 10 be an honest man and
him, which Gid. Knew Mr; F. very well ; I be
join nor did give him any opinion ns to the chas
ncter OF the Association.
Judge Adrocae-.Did Mr.. Phelps ever say any
thing to you regarding any armss
Judge Wilson urged that the statements O.
Phelps were not admissible. He WAS a com
pttent witness, and ii the prosecution wanted
to know anything about him let them place
him on the etand, when the defense could cx
ercise the right OF cross-examination. It wa!
not fair to bring In the statements of half {
dozen outsiders as evidence against the wholt
Order.
The objection was overrnled.
Hff7tst-Mr. Phelps stated to me TINT he hat
been applied to by Charley Walsh for place t
store tWo boIes Of stns, that would defy all
scrutiny. Mr.. F. positively declined; kept 4
minute md memoranda Of all the proceedings
This conversation was on the 10th Of September
Was on September 18th; I EaW GearT Judge
Morris sroEe TO the newly initiated he said there
we're e0Ut0 OF the Order In Illinois; that they
we're all well armed and disciplined; he said be
WIS not sanguinc Of Mcc1ellan's election. but /,
was Ill tmportsnI. that the Governor and Lieut.
cratic candidates were members OF the Order, and
he wns certa.n OF the success OF the Democracy
in Kentucky and l.dicna, and all that was wanted
was 10 heye these three States to wrest this Coz
nounced 1Acoln Is p+urper, and the soldiers as
Lincoln hire1fngs. which was common remarks al
these meetings. lie stated thai intelligence had
been received, that in Jefferson county the Aboli-
ttoDists had spirited one Gray away, md the Dc
mocracy had notlied them that unless he was r.
said that was The right spirit and similar spirit
should be pursued in Chicago. lie reminded
them that there were $1,000 Of the Order in the
State, armed and we'll drilled, and who would be
ready In nn hours notice.
~ The tohyt-1 had very little conversation