Connecticut western news., 1885-01-28
ALLEGED ASsAssINs.
Horrible Stories of n Murder SecIeGy
 Said to Exist in Florida.

N a
 Said to Exist in Florida.
 The discovery of the existence at Sarasota, Fla, of an organized assassination society was fol lowed at the examination by sensational deYel opments. The discovery of the society was in. cident to the murder of c. E. Abbe, Post master and United States Land Commissioner, As he was passing A. c, Bidwells store in company 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 8 similar fate. Moorehouse saw the corpse dragged across the beach, placed in boat and carried down the bay. Since that time it has not been seen. Moorehouse is said to have recognized the man who fired the shot as Charles Willard. Subsequent discoveries led to the arrest of eight men, several of whom are said to have confessed to their connection with the assassination society, and described it's workings.
 The organization was called the s. S. v. C., the cabalistic letters standing for Sara Sota Vigilance Committee. Its object was the re- moyal by death of all persons objectionable to its members. Meetings were held, but no suc- cessive two sessions at the same place. Its officers consisted of two judges and cap- tain, the former pronouncing sentence and the latter attending to the details of it's execution. A physician is said to have found- ed the organization. After becoming &C., Auululcu III iuo tOMu d1ttI HIS hTIlfdls IuT6E or four years ago, he is said to have first taken Bidwell into his confidence, telling him that be had belonged to similar organization in the West where mercy was shown to none, even women and children having been sacrificed when husbands and fathers could be reached in no other way. Bidwell is said to have eventually Rcquiesced ill the doctors proposition, and the membership of the or ganzation at Sara Sota is said to have grown to IS or 20. It is also alleged hatchapters of it exist in other places, but none of the prisoners have as yet confessed where. It has been as- serted, however, that branch exists at Tampa, and that & physician is one of its off, cers. 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 organization was simi- lar in character to Masonic societies. Once in, betrayal or withdrawal is said to have meant death. How many have fallen victims to the organizations vengeance is unknown.
 It Is said to have been confessed however that in addition to Abbe respectable citizen of Beeridge, named Riley, was one of the Yic- tims At meeting he was pronounced was pronounced upon him and four men were appointed to kill him. This occurred six months 70, 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 tho fact that two men were implicated in the crime tue authoriti 8 could learn nothing concerning 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.
 It 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 society's constitution
  cutting of the victims throat to make death beyond doubt The eight men said to be under arrest are Dr. Hunter, Mir. Bartholomew, John and James Fletcher, Thomas Dryman, Louis Cato, John Tippit and Dr. Andrew. Rev. Mir. Lowe, it is rumored, was sentenced | to be whipped on account of 8 misunderstood l ing between him and his step-son, but the sen l tence was eventually reconsidered. The al- legged high standing of the societys members makes the disclosures all the more astounding.