Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-04-04

TUESDAY MORNING. APRIL 4.
Ths Txial Of the Alleged chieazo
Ceuspirntors - Testimny OF Hon
Jas. A. VIC uasfers. Of new York.

tense. in the trial Of the alleged Chicago couspi
ruors before the military commission 10 ciuoin
cinnati We copy the testimony OF Mr Nc
Masters. as reported for the Cincinnati papers:
lam editor and proprietor OF The New York
Preeman's Journal. was a member OF Al asso
citation. or rather al attempt ~ an association
Of the Sons Of Liberty
Question.-Stste what you know OF the &c
sien And lat1Te Of tbat association q
Ansxcs-It originated in he Dontl OF FEB
ruuy. 90 the anniversary OF Washington
birthday and the days Immediately succeeding.
10 the deliberations Of number Of gentlemen.
Who sought 10 merge into this association snoth
er known as the Order Of American Knights and
also. If possible. several other secret societies
existing locally through different northern sta,cs
This object arose in the minds Of some OF us
from asceTtaining that there were such societies
- that we're at once Illegal and immoral. that pro
posed such things az assassination and resistance
10 the legally constituted authorities Of the
country. and the idea and project, as formally
proposed by those who. had prepared that meet
lug, was 20 engage number OF the leading de
moerats in several Of the states 10 meet together
and organize a kind Of central managing com
mittec. that would put forth sound, substantial
old fashioned states right democratic notions
80 and thus 90 supply 20 honest Young men and
men in humble life throughout the country, op
portunity TO hear their political sentiments e1
pressed and find others agreeing with them, and
that would, AZ tho same time, take away the dan
ger of their getting into societies that would lead
them into mischief. riot and bloodshec. That vas
The intent of the association
q. Were you a member Of the association Of
American Knights1
g. ] went through ell re degaees. and was re
cognized az a member and IS the highest officer
in the state Of New York, being permitted. by a
mere privilege extended to everybody that want
ed it, to dispense with the taking Of any obliga
ton that did not like: aud TO take what liked
and LEI the rest &c
O. State the nature, origin and objects Of hat
association. st
4 | can give tie origin a. stated to me BY
Mr.. r. c. Wright. l had heard. through the
summer OF 1868, from several gentlemen, friends
Of mine from the west-th0ugh believe most
of them avowed they were not members them
selVes-lhst there was 4 very powerful assoeia
ton. numbering 10000 or $4,000 men. in the
OF Illinois. and veTv large numbers ia adjon
Ing states Mr Wright requested gentleman
from St Louie. who not member OF the
order, but personal friend Of nine, 10 give him
personal introduction TO me- The gentleman.
before doing so. TO sec ne. and told me
that Mr.. Wright was received among some Of the
best people 10 ST Louis, ami was looked upon as
worthy and honest gentleman; bat ne told me
that he the most impruient snd visionary
man that he knew Mr. Wright having request
ed this interview, told me that be hu nble
missionary or envoy from the association in the
northwest, delegated and sent TO New York to
ascertain whether there IL the city anu
state Of New York some true men OF the old de-
r1ocratic stamp. who we're ready to engage in a
united Effort 70 restore the Institutions 0f the
corntry
With very little preamble. he pulled vol
luminous papers | believe ali in manuscript,
though some few may have been printed in a
very rough form, not corrected. and be proceeded
IN ~. md az nlafu he AZ ia
went through the whole OF the degrees of the
order with him: he said il not necessary To
read the lessons. or pledges; that they we're IN
derstood; the long pieces Of defamation he
pnssed over for breyitys sake, but he instructed
me through all the degrees and questions srisiu z
in regard 10 the operations of this order
stated nv objections: in the first place that the
oaths that required exceedingly rssh
they covered whole pages OF writing-and that
man was required to swear 10 perhaps fifteen,
twenty or thirty different separate propositions;
il was rash and ought not 10 be done He
said il should be changed objected to the oath
afterward altogether, and he sad that should be
changed: that the supreme council about
meeting In Chicago. and asked il | would not
20 and represent myself the objections that ope-
rated upon my MUD, and which were also found
TO operate upon the minds of very large class
of the community who entertsined the same
views that did
There were certain propositions IN regard TO
the penalty of revealing the secrets of the order.
TO which l objected, implying that the person
TO be asssssinated but be said no, that was
merely for effect. insisted that it should be
struck out aud il was then and there struck out.
Mr.. Wright never revealed himself being
the supreme commander OF the order until | or
rived in Chicago, when, instead of being a strsn
ger, a missionary of well known politicians 10
the west. found him taking the chair, and pre-
aiding as the head Of the whole concern.
a. -
had known by reputation, and others 20 whom
| was introduced, that seemed 20 be very worthy
gentleman, but none OF prominence IN political
life in Illinois, Indiana or Missouri; and ! found
| believe, no other state represented. / lost
very little time In expressing my views 20 the
called supreme council. that II humbug
assured that IL was not, ana requested 10 go
and see for myself Ny time did not admit of
my going very far. bu. went into several coun-
ties in Illinois. where this order very po-
tent that they could take the whole government
into their own hands, and | found the order a
q myth found that respectable gentlemen had
run into Il, and out again immediately
Some Others who rad uos taken the trouble 10
90 out said that Il a game of some Young
lawyers who had not much money in their peck
cts, to supply themselves With little: and
some gentlemen, who said they would paw any
thing 10 get up the old democratic party, bad
joined. and paid their fees, and never attendei
again.
In the meantime the meeting adjourned, hav-
ing done Eothing bu, make speeches: adjourned
TO meet in New York on Washington birthday
The gentleman begged and impored Of me not
TO give the thing the good by. but 10 try and
make an association Of the members he had hith-
erto tried TO get together. wen home and
entered into correspondence. especially in Penn
sylvania TWAS 20 ny knowledge that the most
dangerous secret societies were existing among
the miners in Pennsylvania. | wrote 90 BigeloT
and others OF the same stamp. 20 come 70 New
York and see if something could not be done 10
throw a moral influence or restrsint upon these
men who were shooting provost marshals. and
not only resisting the draft, but resisting civil
processes MANY OF them answered me, some Of
them came TO New York. bet the association
that proposed should be private. that IL should
no, be secret, bar private; that We would put e.
We had righ: to- door keeper out. ard say
that il private meeting OF gentlemen en-
gagged in political operations, not choosing that
our movements and plans should be reported IN
the papers; but these gentlemen refused 20 enter
into anything that cad even q shadow OF secret
society about II Others objected to the osibs,
signs and passwords, and wished it TO DC like