The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-03-06
L1EUTENANr-aENERAL HEFFREN.


sonal explanation" in the House of Repre-
sentatives yesterday, and delivered prepared
address so vile in matter and manner as to
be g disgrace to any other person than its
author and to any other place than the House
of Representatives of the State of Indiana.
The Journal certainly has no objection
to Mr.. Heffrens speech. If the Democ-
racy can stand the disgrace we can
neither enter objection nor handy epithets
with man who came out of one of his nu-
merous fits of delirium tremens to be elected
to the leadership of the Democratic party in
the lower house of Representatives, and who
is so lost to personal and political shame as
10 flaunt his traitorous and cowardly record
in the face of the people and compel his
party TO carry the load. The Journal has
not attacked Mr.. Heffren's private character,
nor alluded to any other record than public
one, which was perfectly fair-after his impu-
dent statement in the House of Repre-
sentatives at the beginning of the
session-to determine just how much of
a representative Democrat he was, and to see
how far his party would tacitly, if not actu-
ally, indorse him. Now as to the main facts,
and to meet the denials and evasions of his
latest speech;
l. He was a member of the Order of Amer
lean Knights. He was deputy grand COM
mander in that order. Ithad two branches
political and military. He belonged to the
latter as well as to the former and testified to
its object before the military commission
Its object was to unite this and other States
with the Southern Confederacy, if it could
not create Northwestern Confederacy
2. He swore there was detail of ten ap-
pointed to take care of Governor Morton.
The Journal never said he was member of
that detail, but that he knew of its appoint.
ment and was privy to its purpose.
3. There was a plot to take care" of the
Governor-to kill him if necessary-to in
stall DIR. Athon in his place, and to release the
rebel prisoners at Camp Morton, and at
Camp Douglas and at Camp Chase. These
prisoners were to be commanded by rebel Of
marching through Cumberland Gap. The
houses of members of the order were to be
marked with white flag when the rebel raid
should occur in the State OF Indiana,
the mark to be for the protection of
such property against the ravages of these
released rebel soldiers and their colleagues
who were to come from the South.
4. Rebel officers, regularly commissioned
were at the Bates House, comforting with
leading Democrats as to the carrying out of
the details of this plot.
5. Upon the authority, not of Mr.. Heffren's
testimony. but of gentleman closely iden-
titled with the defense in the civil suit for
damages against General Hovey brought by
the Indiana traitors, commissions were
brought from Richmond, Va, signed by
Jefferson Davis, making Harrison H. Dodd
a general. Horace Heffren lieutenant-gen-
eral and others maj or-generals in the Con-
federate States service. This gentleman
says he saw Heffren's commission, and there
was no doubt of Its genuineness. This story
was printed by Mr.. ]. H. Woodland, who
would not do Mr.. Heffren an injustice, and
it is from his letter that the Journal re
printed it.
6. Mr.. Heffren was arrested and arraigned,
with others, for treason against the United
States government and tried before mill
| tarv ooD, m; sciop cittin no in this city
7. Mr.. Heffren, voluntarily, after con-
versation with Governor Morton and General
Hovey took the stand and told all the facts
connected with the reasonable plot. He
swore to confidential talks had between the
traitors while in prison, although he at first
demurred to 'peachng' upon his Cocoon
spirators, 'sas man with little honor left"
He swore that he took the stand as witness
for the government because che wanted to
get out of bad scrape." His attorney
Col. Cyrus L. Durham, made written state
ment. incorporated into the record, that this
double perfidy of Mr. Heffren was entirely
unknown to him. and Mr. Heffren swore
that just before he took the stand he had
purposely mised his counsel as to his in
tentions by comforting with him about
what witnesses should be summoned for his
defense.
s. Horace Heffren entered the military
service of the United States, and was lieuten-
ant-colonel of the Fiftieth regiment.
g. As an officer in the United States SER
vice he was SO tyranncal, and there were such
suspicious entertained of him, that it was
an open secret that his life would be in danger
from his own men should there be an en-