Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-01-24
ALLEGED ASsASSINS.
Horrible stories or Murder society said 20
Exist In fievida.

ExIst -
A Braidentown Fla.) telegram says /:
The discovery Of the existence at Sara
Sofa. in this State, of an organized assas-
sin society was followed at the ex-
animation to-day by sensational deyel-
opments. The discovery Of the Society
was incident to the murder Of c. T..
Able. postmaster and United States
land-commissione at Sara Sofa, n
few DAYS ago. As he was pass
ing A. G.. Bidwell's store IN COM
pany with friend named Moore
house two men stepped from behind
the building, one Of whom shot Abbe
dead without warning and ordered
Moorehouse TO walk on or share sim
par fate. Moorehouse saw the corpse
dragged across the beach, placed in 8
boat. and carried down the bay. Since
that time it has not been seen. Moore
house is said to have recognized the
man who fred the shot as Charles VIII
lard. Subsequent discoveries led TO
the arrest of eight men, several Of whom
are said to have confessed to their con-
nection with the assassination society
and described its workings.
S. S. V. c.
The organization was called the ). ,.
V. c., the cabalistic letters standing for
Sara Sofa Vigilance Committee. Its
object was the removal by death OF all
persons Objectionable to its members.
Meetings were held, but no successive
two sessions at the same place. Its OF
fcers consisted of two judges and a
captain-the former pronouncing SEN
tence. and the latter attending to the
details of it's execution. A physician
is said to have founded the organization.
After becoming acquainted in the town
after his arrival, three or four years ago,
he is said to have first taken Bidwell
into his confidence, telling him that he
had belonged to a similar organization
in the West, where mercy was shown
to none, even women and children hay-
ing been sacrificed when husbands and
fathers could be reached in no other
way. Bidwell is said to have eventual
ly acquiesced in the doctors PROPOSE
ton, and the membership of the organ
ization at Sara Sofa is said to have
grown to eighteen or twenty. 1t is also
alleged that chapters of it exist IN other
places, but none Of the prisoners
have as yet confessed where. 1t
has been asserted, however, that a
branch exists at Tampa, and that a ply
sician is one Of its officers. Persons
considered above suspicion are said to
have been found to belong to the gang.
When mans membership was desired
he was led to believe that the organiza-
ton was similar in character to Masonic
societies. Once in, betrayal or with
drawal is said to have meant death.
How many have fallen victims to the
organization vengeance is unknown.
ANOTHER ALLEGED VICTIM.
1t is said TO have been confessed,
however, that in addition to Able re-
spectacle citizen Of Beeridge, named
Riley, was one Of the victims. At a
meeting he was pronounced worthy of
punishment. Sentence of death was
pronounced upon him, and four men
were appointed to kill him. This oc-
CURED six months ago, and others are
said to have shared a similar fate.
Riley was shot while riding along the
road, dragged from his horse, and his
throat cut. Beyond the fact that two
men were implicated in the crime the
authorities could learn nothing concern
ing it. Two roads led from the post
office to Riley's house. Louis Cato and
Thomas Dryman were said to have been
concealed on one of them and Joseph
Anderson and DR.. Hunter on the other.
Riley, as the yarn goes, took the Cato
Dryman road and perished as already
mentioned.
ALLEGED CONSTITUTIONAL PROVE
SIONs.
1t is now supposed that Abbe's throat
was cut after he was shot, as one of the
prisoners is said to have confessed that
the mode of death prescribed by the So
ciety's constitution called for three
charges Of buckshot and the cutting of
the victims throat to make death be-
yond doubt. The eight men said to be
under arrest are DR.. Hunter, Mr.. Bar
tholomew, John and James Fletcher,
Thomas Dryman, Louis Cato, John
Tippit, and DR.. Andrew. Rev. Mr..
Lowe, it is rumored, was sentenced to
be whipped on account of a misunder-
standing between him and his step-son,
but the sentence was eventually recon-
The alleged high standing of
the Society's members makes the dis
closures all the more astounding.