The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1872-11-01
History of the Philosophers "Har.
m0nlal" Free Love Association
in Indiana.
He Establishes and Enginecrs n
House of Harlotry in War
rem County.
The Place Cleaned Out by Successive
Grand Juries-A suit Now i'm Pro-
gress Against Horace Greeley
for the Recovery oil the
Property.
Williamson Hnd.l Cor. Missouri Democrat.

Williamsport Gnd.) Cor Missouri Democrat.
This quiet, finished little town is the
county seat of Warren county, one of the
richest lin proportion to its area counties in
indiana, and one which did not owe a dol
lar during the war. In this county there
were, in days gone by, great many read
ers of the New York Weekly Tribune.
Among these was simple old farmer
named John O. Wattles, who owned quite a
large tract flaud situeted in Pine township,
few miles west of Walnut Grove, in the
most beautiful and fertile region in the
county. Wattles was
READER or THE NEW YORK TRIBUNE,
and when the editor of that paper announced
his belief in the doctrine of communism and
spiritualism, Wattles was carried away with
the doctrine. Wattles had been regarded by
his neighbors as 2 harmless lunatic and
therefore but little surprise was occasoned
when he announced his belief that the con-
stitution of God and mankind made every
thing in the universe 20 be used in common,
not excluding wives and hus bands. Some
little stir followed his assertion that he hed
as much claim upon the wife of las neigh
DO. as lie had upon his own, but as he was
thought to be harmless, and was really so,
they allowed him to talk, as he made no
converts.
After time In e old man felt that ne had
investigated the subject fully, and wrote TO
Horace Greeley, the editor of the Tribune,
asking him il the theory could not DO put in
practice, and stating that he was ready to
put his property into the common fund.
About this time he became so obnoxious to
the community that ne thought it best to
remove to Lafayette, Tippecanoe county.
After the exchange Of several letters with
Mr.. Greeley, that philosophical gentleman
dispatched one Tomas Truesdell to Irdi.
ana 10
WORK p THE OLD MAN,
and If possible &c; the property trans ferred
to him. When Truesdell appeared in Indi
ana, he found that Wattles had been advis-
ing with his attorney, Col. James Il. NJ.
Bryan, who had tried TO convince him of
his folly. Finding that nothing could part
the old man from his theory, he asked to be
made one Of the trustees to whom the property
should De conveyed. To this W2ttles CON
sented and added the names oil Edgar Ryan
and Charles High. Mr.. High was a we'll
known citizen OF large wealth and but littlee
educat on, but ready believer in "isms"
OF all kinds, being then an active spiritual
ist.
Mr. Greeley gave many direct assurances
to Wattles that # he would start the ball
rolling, by giving his property to the good
work, the society would be literally endowed
by parties in the East, and that through the
influence of his paper, lie could induce hun
dreds Of people 4 the East TO "g go West"
and 10 ate with them and that especially
would the surplus OF HOmen in the New
England States be glad of such an oppor-
tunity to find home.
Relying upon these representations from
so high a source, Wattles consented to sign
the following deed, which embodies the con-
stitution ofthe frs. iree-love society planted
in the United States.
HARMOYIAL AssoCIATIoN-(PARENT DIVISION
Because the Government of God is eter
nal, unchanging 2, ard universal, and because
the constitution Of man was designed to
harmonic with the Government Of God, or
laws of nature. And because, as the phys
Illogical evils, which mankind suffer, are
the consequences of the violation of physical
laws and the mental evil consequent upon
the violation of the mental laws, 50 the
socs! evils which have filled the earth with
misery, degradation and crime are the re-
suits of the violation OF social laws. And
because those evils can never de removed
but by obedience 10 those laws, the violation
OF which has caused them. And because the
laws of nature are divided into two classes,
physical and mental, and the nature of man
was designed 10 correspond thereto. And
because the laws OF our being are comprised
in the two classes physical and mental, cor
responding with the two grand departments
OF nature. And because these principle
enter as constituents into the nature of all
human beings, thus laying the foundation
for the unity Of the race in the elements of
their constitution. and because in the con-
stitution ofDeity these first principles are all
involved, showing that man was made to be
IN harmony wita Him. And because all the
principles in nature are embodied in the
constitutions o. man and of God, all beings
intermediate must necessarily possess the
same; therefore, man was made TO be in
harmony with the whole universe of mind.
And because the constitution of God,
the constitution Of nature, and consti-
tuition of man are designed to be in
harmonious level. Because this unity and
harmony can only be enjoyed by unity
and harmony CT interests, and whore love
and friendship are the only bonds that bind
IN golden chains the willing spirits of social
life. Therefore, "a consideration of these
tects, and to afford an opportunity to those
who are desrous o! living harmonious life
and will establish & school wherein shall be
studied the nature Of man, with a view 10
harmonic man with man, and with nature
and with God, and who will admit the follow
ing sentiments, with appended constitution
and bylaws for Their rules and regulations
will give, grant, and convey the hereafter.
described property enlisted in the cause o
God and humanity, we voluntarily unite
our Interests, ali that we possess, both pecu
IAis SiNeiAyJ lhbciiSNbhdily
spiritually, one indissoluble bond of unity
and adopt for our mutual understanding o
good order the subjoinec rules and regula
tons as form of constitution
Know all men by these presents that we
John 0. Wattles, and Ester Wattles, his wife
of Tippecanoe county, State of Indiana, il
consideration Of the promises, and one dol
lar to us in hand paid, the receipt whe-eo
is hereby acknowledged, do hereby give
grant, convey, bargain, and sell to Horac
Greeley, of New York city Thomas Trues
dell, Of Brooklyn, New York; Edgar Ryan
Charles High, and +. N. Bryant, OF Ware
county, Indiana, trutees, and to their heir
and assigns, the following real estat,
namely:
The northeast quarter Of section fv,
township twenty-three north, Of range min
west, containing one hundred asd sixty
nine acres, more or less.
"Aso, the northwest quarter Of ia
southeast quarter of same section, coz
tanning forty acres.
Also, the east three quarters Of soutl