The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-01-15
Secret Societies at the SOuth-RepOrt OF
the Chief of the United States Detective

Secret Societies at the SOuth-RepOrt OF
the Chief of the United States Detective
Police.
The following is the report on the subject of
secret Rebel associations, made to Congress by
the Chief of the United States Detective force;--
To the Honorable the Senators and Members Of the
House at Representatives.
Gentlemen:-On On the 1st of September last, my
attention having been directed by the South
ern correspondence OF the Tribune, and numerous
other Northern journals, to the alleged exist
enCe of secret societies in the lately rebellious
States, for the purpose of evading the laws
OF the Government of the United States,
and keeping up a disciplined organization
to be used as a nucleus in a renewed at
tempt to overthrow the Government, as soon
as the said States have sufficiently recovered
their material strength, communicated TO his
ExcellenCy the President my impression that
there must be some foundation for rumors so
generally asserted and believed, and was IN
structed by MIN to institute minute Investiga
ton into the matter throughout the whole Of
the Southern country. ...
I prepared careful instructions accordingly
for my agents in Virginia, North Carolina
South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama,
Msslssppl, Louisiana, Texas, and Arkansas,
and charged the sub-agents in the cities OF
Charleston, Savannah, Mobile, New Orleans,
and Galveston to be particularly vigilant in car
rying out their orders, as it was supposed that
the said secret societies, If such existed, would
have their headquarters IN one or more OF said
cation with foreign powers, and for escape IN
case of discovery.
Regular communication was kept up both by
telegraph and mail with all the stations in the
States above named, but nothing ranspired
until about the LIST of December, when reports
were simultaneously received from Charleston
and New Orleans, stating that, alter constant
watch sustained with the most unceasing Vig-
lance for period of two months, the agents
believed they were at last on the right trail.
Naturally II was supposed that the meetings
of these secret societies would be held at the
dead of night and in the most out-of.the-way
places, and the chief efforts of my agents were
In accordance with this idea; but, as will be
seen further on, this opinion proved entirely
incorrect, and much valuable time and strenu-
ous exertlon were thus wasted.
By strange coincidence, on the first day of
December some members OF the day watch,
both in Charleston and New Orleans, mentioned
To the agents at those places that they mad
regularly noticed, from p. M. 20 A p. M. every
day, q greater cOmmotiOn among the popula-
ton than at any other time The agents Verl-
fed this fact by personal observation the next
day, and Immediately telegraphed nae as above
stated then notified agents III other places
of this discovery, and directed their attention
to an observance OF any similar phenomenon IN
In less than a week became satisfied, from
reports received from my agents IN all the lately
rebelliOus States, that the ranitcations of the
kssociation, whatever 1t might be, TO which
was attributed this afternoon commotion, were
very extensive. On December 70, had re
ceived reports from Charleston, mobile, ana New
that a sreat number of the inhabitants of thos
cities assembled between the hours above name,
at private houses and at hotels in cliques number
ing usually Ave to dozen ndrsd. I1SCns an
that al all these gatherings, among the man
subjects discussed, there was one Wnicn w. W
common to all the meetings but tnSt W wa don, a
possible to discover this by listening oi' aS uooi
and windows. and il would be necessary,
order TO obtain fun information, to violate I'd
privacy of families. -,
Immediately telegraphed them TO eh9eaV'
to introduce spies into the houses on Cnrlstlh'
Day, as, that beng day of general festlVity,
could be done with less liability to susplClo
Owing, however, to the difficulty OF securl
the services Of suitable persons, this Operatl'
was postponed until New Years Day.
The storm which has since prevailed has
terfered with the working of the malls and te