Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-01-30
An AssaAsInatIOn society Unearihsd In
Florida.

The recent astonishing reports Of the dis
covsTy OF secret assassination society ut
Sarasota, Fla. seem to be confirmed by addi-
tional confessions Of its members The re-
cent murder of @. E Abbe, the postmaster at
Sarasota. has BE- en- followed by the arrest OF
Charles Willard member of an iuflut tntial
family, who surrendered, beirg driven in
from the swamps by hunger and lack Of cloth
ing, after long and hot chase by the cit lens.
Bidwell, the store-keeper implicated, has tried
to kill himself by taking morphine in all.
e ght members OF the society, which was
known as the IS. S. V. O." are now lying in
Manatee jail DIR. Hunter, Mr.. Bartholomew,
John Flet, her, James Fletcher, Thomas Dry
mon, Louis Cato, John Tippit and DR.. An
drews. Four members have confessed.
DIR. Andrews is shown to have been the
ring leader. He claimed to his ssociates
that he had belonged to similar society in
the West. He approached Mr.. Bidwell, aud,
the latter approving, they formed the nucleus
Of what seems to be powerful organization,
spreading to many parts OF the state. An
drews aud Bidwell we're appointed judges, aud
one Afford of Sarasota, captain. The manner
in hich they approached all the members is
not known, but the stories of DR., Hunter and
George Tyler agree. George Tyler, little
more than boy, told bis father the whole
story. He said that he was approached by
Afford last summer and asked 10 join a Sc
cret society whose object was mutual protec-
ton. He was told that many rich aud infu
ential men belonged to it aud il cost nothing;
that there was nothing wrong in it. In fact,
it was represented as an association resemb-
ling the Masons in many particulars. He at
tendtd d one Of their meetings. was initiated
and was no longer free. Hunters story Of
the inducements held out to him fully corro.
borates this. 1t is intimated that the order
has chapters in other places in the state, and
that its members are men of good standing.
The murder Of Riley, a respectable citizen
OF Bee Ridge, six months ago, is now laid TO
the society. Riley was condemned. and four
men we're appointed TO kill him. Riley was
shot while riding along the road, aud was
then dragged from his horse and his throat
cut. Nothing could be found TO indicate who
did the murder, except that there were two
assassins. There were two roads leading
from the post-office to Riley's house, on one
of which was stationed Tom Drymon and
Louis Cato, and on the other DR.. Hunter and
Joe Anderson. Riley took the road on which
Drymon and Cato we're stationed, and when
their victim approached they did their work
thoroughly, Drymon shooting him and Cato
cutting his throat. So did Willard aud bis
confederate watch for Mr.. Abbe, and it is
supposed tnAt MS tnToht was ALSO cut hIter ne
was shot, as great clots of blood we're found
where he fell. The society's prescribed man
ner of death was three loads OF buckshot fred
into the victims, and, to make assurance
doubly sure, their throRts we're to be cut
Persons never suspected have been found to
belong to the gang. Old men with gray
boards, men in their prime, and beaTdless
boys, have been banded together in this fear
full organization.
Sarasota is near Tampa on the west coast
of the state. Postmaster Able was shot from
behind in broad day ylight. There seems to be
no political motive behind the affair, aud its
whole character has evidently not yet been
brought out