Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1865-04-13

a, lhey were represeu'eo ne s"'" W w
$4,000. %
O. How many in the State of Missouri
& That | do not remember. II
q Do YOU remember the number in
Kentucky ? II,
A. understood there we're over half
O. In Ohfo2.
a. Not over So 900 When came to
Dayton there were not 90, though Judge
Holt says that was one OF the places where
they were the most numerous; the numbers
in every place were greatly exaggerated.
u Bv whom we're those forces to be
commanded
A. Dr. Massey was the original com
mander.
o. Was there a temple in this city?
A. That do not know.
o Do YOU know the names of any per.
sons in this city who were members of the
order2
Objected to by the accused as irrelavent,
seeking eross-examination in matters not
introduced in the examination in-chiet
The witness continued.
desire to explain, that did not know
the name of single officer of the organiza-
tion in Cincinnati, and was never present at
any of their meetings. There might have
been some five thousand in june, and
think that they never exceeded from $4,000
to 10000 There never was military
organization in Ohio. | was opposed to it
ritual Of Sons Of Liberty was handed to
the witness
o. Do YOU recognize that?
4. This is the private copy OF the decla-
ton Of the principles and obligations OF the
Sons Of Liberty
q. Do understand you to say, that the
purpose and object Of this order, as far as
YOU understood, was the protection of the
Democratic party, and to act as an offset to
the LOYAL Lcaguers, and to protect them
selves from mob violence, and to be ready
in case their rights were taken from them at
the polls? .,.,.,..c,;..
of the organization. | never knew of any
other intentions or purposes of the order.
.. You say, do you, that you have heard
of members having other objects
\. ] have seen in these Developments
that there were men connected with the or
der who proposed things that were totally
false to the objects and intentions Of the or
der Some Of them were evidently detec
tives in the service Of the Government, and
some werc prolessodly members Of the or
der.
0. Did you assent to, and endorse tn,
principles cnunciatcd i'll this work
A. ! would not have expressed them II
the language they have there, but they are
the doctrines hold now and have helC
ever since | studied politics at all.
o. Were the members to act Ill conccr
in this self protection ?
A. That would depend upon the cxigen
cy of the occasion and the mob
Q. Was there any arrangement or or
ganization in the order by which they wer
toprotect each other ?
y. That do not know anything about
il was left to the subordinate lodges an
Al. 40
/ know nothing to the contrary, nor do
know of the fact Each State and eac
council managed its own business; ther
never was any such resolution issued by my
self a. Supreme Commander or by an
Supreme Council afterward, and these wcr
always subject to the approval of the hlghe
authorize, but when acting in accordanc
with the authority Of the ritual, they wer
to carry il out in their own way; they wer
to determine when the eXigcncy arose, an
when the time came.
q. Then the manner by which the
were to resist aggression or mob violence
they were not to carry that into eXecutio
until they had your approval
A. 1t was not necessary to have It, bu
there never was meeting at which any
thing Of the kind was introduced or discuss
ed. The principles of the organization an
the purposes regard as very different, bu
the political principles that it held to ar
laid down in the ritual, and in what | my
self introduced from the Kentucky am
Virginia Resolutions
o. Then the carrying Of these principle
were not necessary to be submitted to 20
for approval, was it2
A. 1t was not necessary, but II 1t can
to the knowledge Of tho authorities the
had a right to interfere.
o. Do YOU know of any military organ
zat,on which existed in the State of Il
diana ?
a. understand thero was n military o
gani2ltion from II number OF gcntlem1
from that State who were members
G. Was any report made to you abo'
the strength from the Grand Command
Of the State
A. No sir There were no arms in I
diana that | know Of When had II
conversation with Mr.. Dodd, |, howevc
understood that they were makind millt
ry organization.
O. Did you officially disapprove of tn
act of the order?
A No. sir; because it was expressly sa
il was for protection against armed 10y
Union Leagues. ! never approved or di
approved of the military organization.
O. Then You simply did not coincide
the opinion NTH regard to procuring arm
A. disscntcd from that distinctly, b
nothing further than in the meeting reic
red to, for | never supposed there W
any necessity for it; and | believe no arm
were found in Indiana except those th
were seized at Indianapolis
Q. Then the manner in which they We
to protect themselves against mobs, aud
protect themselves as citizens, was not pr
icribal by any rule from the Supreme Coz
manler
4. No. sir, there were no rulos on tn
subject that was left to the general a
rangemcut of each particular body, | su
pose aud in reference to the maintenan
of their rights that was to be determine
if the emergency arose, as matter
course hy the highest authorities
@ When was it understood that Il
contingency was 70 happen, aud the force
arms rcsorted to2
-. a. When It was manifest that the pr
pose was TO suppress the holding Of t
election supposed that every Democri
whether a member of the order or NJ
would have acted upon the vast mass
the people more than upon any secret
ganization.
Q. When was the contingency to hG