Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-02-09
The Sons of Liberty Again.
Trial of the Chicago ConspiratOrs.
Vallandigham Initiated.

hHibb Il WltHteH lOE 1ilE Wv Z
ernment testified as follows:
have resided for the past three years
in Paris, Edgar county, Illinois; ] am a
farmer; | joined the organization Of the
Order Of American knights in Spring
field, Illinois, was the presiding officer
iu that city from the spring Of 1868 to
March, 1864, under the name Of Grand
Commander; S. Corning Judd succeed
ed me In that Office; / took the three
subordinate degrees OF the order; / at
tended the council Of ihe order held in
the fall Of 1863, also that in New York
on the 22d OF February and four or FIVE
succeeding days in going TO New York
/ / met DR.. Barrett, Of Missouri, on the
train, who was attending the same meet
\ ing; on our way, when at Detroit We
passed over 70 Windsor, G. w, twice.
/ with view 10 sec MIR Yallandigham; |
communicated 70 Mr. Vallaudigham the
character and nature Of the order, and
he consented 10 become a member Of IT,
I uducted him into all the degrees Of
the order except that of the Supreme
Council degree. II il due to Mr Val
laudigbam to state that represented to
him that the order was strictly constitu-
tiOnal aud loyal | used the ritual Of
the Order Of American knights in Mr..
Vallnndigha initiation. He was taken
through all the degrees IN one day At
the time ! inducted Mr. Vallandigham
into the order / was Grand Commander
Of the State Of Illinois administered
to him the usual oaths, with some omis-
sions in the second aud third degrees;
/ etsm -. tb..r
Of imitation as much as possible, but we
went through the material portions Of IT,
Ny object in initiating Mr. Yallandig
ham was that / might introduce bis
name 70 the Supreme Council at New
York, for the office of Supreme Com
mander Of the States, which was done
At that council the order OF American
Knights was abolished, and new order
called a States Rights Association or
Order of Sons Of Liberty, was adopted
ia It's place To what extent the change
was adopted throughout the lodges OF
the States, do not know, as shortly af.
ter 22d Of February, | attended but one
regular council NEE ting till the Chicago
Convention. At the meeting in New
York, a committee was appointed to con
1 Nt1 ~ hAr EuNAn hta AEHkAhAH
ment TO the office Of Supreme Command
er of the States, aud to induet him into
the supreme Council degree,
Iu September, 1864, shortly after the
Chicago Convention, being dissatisfied
With It's action, General Singleton, Mr.
Holloway and myself concluded to visit
Washington and see the President Il
was arranged thai ] should pass through
Toronto and have an interview with the
Confederate Commissioners to ascer-
tain their views upon reeOnstruetlon,
: with respect TO the unity Of the States.
| saw Colonel Jacob Thompson upon
the subject In the course Of oonversa-
ton he incidentally remarked that Mr.
= Dodd and Mr. Walker, of Indianapolis
had obtained money Of him for the pur
l. chase Of arms Ny inference ioas thd
these arms teere Intended 10 be used fo
fhe release Of ne Confederate prisoner
confined by the UBited States GorerR
meat at Indianapolis, bHt no particHid
place gcds mentioned think The sun
R of serenty:fre thousand dollars gra
> mentioned IN The course Of conversation
as hariHg been furnished 10 Indiana
+, do not know positively where this mon
ey came from. Colonel Thompson dix
not tell me, but from what Colonel Bar
= rett told me, / supposed it came from to
funds in the control Of the Commission
= ers in Canada
F. Colonel Barrett belongs to the Son
of Liberty l have been acquainte
with him for several years / saw hit
;, at the Chicago Convention in Angus
last | had conversation with him re
" specting the money furnished by th
Confederate authorities, and he state
that he had been in consultation wit
Mr.. Dodd some time in July, and wit
y several others in Chicago, and afte
consulting, programme had been a
ranged for the release of the rebel prit
,s oners. He also stated that rnear
would be provided for that purpose, an
he thought the scheme practicable. Il
- also spoke about revolvers and guns b
N ing in Chicago These things wei
spoken of in our conversation. Wit
-, respect to the release OF the prisoners,
- told him that the project was Wild ar
impraciible, aud would involve tho
g engaged in it in iFretrievable ruin, az
would have a bad effect on the approac
ing election; and at that time we we
'N hopeful of carrying the State. final
D. prevailed upon him to abandon the pr
AZ. jeot
~. State whether or not Colonel Barre
stated to you at that time that lie h'
been furnished with money by the Co
federate authorities, TO be used in the
Northern States
j Question objected TO by Robert he
vey, ESQ, on the ground that snythii
-T Colonel Barrett may have said or do
in connection with the Sons Of Libert
A. was incompetent evidence.
The Judge Advocate, in reply, ss
iEW that a member of the Order havi
stated to another member that arr
- had been furnished for the purpose
- releasing the rebel prisoners, and
la having been proved in evidence Il
arms had been found in large quar-
ties at the house of the Brigadier G.
eral of this Order, that the quest
asked was entirely competent
IT'S The Commission retired for delibe
ton, and overruled the decision.
RI. The witness Continued: Col. Barr
YogA informed me that there were funds
Canada for such purposes, and 1 unt
uee, stood, from him, that arms were to
purchased with the means. 1 sas
= C. 565sasss,af nsoaey an Col Barr
il take ,.s, ss.S n M. Dodd, consisssag9s, ooia
ID SiIi Iii - $4,000. The money ~ Oan@I
- "a = Sapoalt there