The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-10-26
ROUND By BLOODY OATHs.
A Gang pgofYoungvilIaies Discovered NJ
Scattered by secret service Omeers.


Scattered by secret service Oncers.
BosroS, October 25.-The Journal hal
this special from Jamaica, Vermont: The
arreas and confession to-day Of two younl
men Tor counterfeiting has brought out q
most unique story Of organized crime. Act.
ing under information obtained from Mer.
ton 6. Clark, now in Jail, officers Of the
United States Secret Service and tho local
authorities made an important discovery
in wild and lonely gulch in the noun
tains a few miles from this village. They
found the headquarters Of criminal gang
which for some time has been coming spu.
rious dollars and committing depredations
on the surrounding country. Complete
counterfeitiIg outfits wereseiz ID, including
moulds, boxes, kettles, plaster.oi- Paris,
lead, etc. The most Interesting part Of the
story Is the history OF the gang, which had
begun such extensive operations. II is q
secret society Of the blood and thunder va.
riety, now numbering twenty-three mem.
bsrs., II was organized, according to Its re.
cords, June ~ OF the present year. It's
members are young men, Is to 81 years
old, living in South Londonderry, Jamaica,
West Townsend and Wardsboro, Vermont,
and Ashueiot and Winchester, New Hamp'
shire. The band was governed by a cap.
tain, first aud second officers, secretary,
judge Of firearms and board Of directors.
they styled themselves the United Birds
and Brothers. They had organized an ella.
borate system oil signals and secret alpha.
bets, to which the officers new have the
key. Their secret rec ,rds were kept by a
secret system, which is translated accord.
ing to the key by an arrangement oil fig.
ures, a being Represented by the figure !,
B {, etc, 10, K go, etc. The members
whD haye confessed tell bloodcurdinp
stories about ths process oi initiation.
Each applicant was required to take the
following unique oaths:
TIE uATHs OF THE BAND.
|4szFissr soArn-Do you solemnly swear,
upon your honor, by all that isgreat and
small, to forever keep secret what We are
about to tell you, under. the fear Of being
laid below The rays Of the SUD, moon and
stars by the United Band avengers, 80 help
you God?
SECOND ofrH-Do you solemly swear
upon your honor to never tell or cause to
be Known by any being excep. yourself
and your iniormsrs the secrets'w have
trusted to you under the fear d being
avenged by party Oh which you know
nothing Of at present, 80 help yoa Cody
THIRD oATii-Brother, knowing our
secret purposes, do you soiemnly swear,
upon your honor, by allthat is great and
small, by the devil and all impp, hell aud
all litsterrors, this world and all Its dangers,
the United Birds aud Brothers and all
their avengers, never TO betray or cause to
be betrayed any one oi our party, but to
always defend each and every Que Of us
through thick and thin to the last, upon
the fear Of being shot dead in your tracks
or stabbed through the heart with nine.
inch blade, sohelp you God?
When the last oath Is administered, sayt
young Clark, The applicant kneels and q
cooked revolver loaded with ball cartridges
is held at his head. On one occasion the
revolver wss placed at the candidate'f
head during the administration OF the frs;
oath. He got scared and started 10 rua,
but was brought back, and the ceremony
was completed with some notifications
Thus far the gang has coined considerable
money. Its Of ia!r Workmanship. The
gang has stolen horses once or twice, bu!
had not got qnite ready for the Wholesale
career Of crime that was contemplated
The leaders have fed and officers are 10
punuit. The two uader arrest are held in
5000 bonds each for the United States
grand jnry.