The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-09-25
knights of tho Golden Circle in Trouble.


Circle made an effort to organize societies
in every southern state. The outbreak of
hostilities, however, gave the people of
this region so much to do at the front that
they had no time or inclination to bother
with the circle.
But in Indiana and Illinois the knights
kept up their organization, and during the
war they did everything in their power to
aid the confederacy and injure the union
cause. A murder trial just terminated at
Shoals, Indiana, again brings the circle
prominently to the front, and a brief his
tory Of the case will perhaps be of interest
to the general public.
In 1864 Jack Ballard, federal soldier,
was sent to arrest deserter. His mission
was suspected by the knights, and when
Ballard was shot and killed by party in
ambush suspicion naturally attached to this
secret society. AT that time there were q
great many knights in that part of Indiana,
and they were so influential that the law
was powerless.
After the lapse of twenty-four years somo
of the people living near the scene of the
Ballard murder became involved in quar-
rel One of them, Albert Quackenbush,
went before a magistrate and confessed that
he was one of the murderers of Ballard, and
that his fellow criminals were the Rev.
John Stone and three other men, all Knights
of the Golden Circle. He seemed to be
overcome by remorse, but told straight
story, and said that he had been led to turn
states evidence by the fear that some of the
others would disclose his share in the muir
der.
The accused men all stood high In the
community, and Quackenbush's charge ere
ated great excitement. The trial lasted
several days. Quackenbush was the chief
witness for the prosecution, and his testi-
mony was of the most positive character.
When the witnesses for the defense were
called one man testified that he slept with
Stone on the night of the murder, and he
was certain that the defendant did not leave
the house during the night. Another de-
PENDANT was in the house, and the witness
breakfasted with him, and was satisfied that
he had remained in doors all night. Ar
equally strong alibi was proved for each Of
the other defendants, and when the case
WAS given w Ille Jun y q fCAulCH Va AAOt
| guilty. was returned.
The affair is the talk of the day in Indi.
ana and Illinois, where the knights Were
| ormerly very strong. One theory is that
| Quackenbush conspired with several per
sons to ruin the defendants, and that the
confession and the charge of murder were
| absolutely false. Still, there is doubt. Some
| claim that the influence of the old secret
| order of the Golden Circle caused unscru
pulous men to come to the relief of the de-
PENDANTS and swear falsely in order to secure
| their acquittal.
So the verdict of the jury settles nothing
/ beyond releasing the prisoners from the ter
rors of the law. 1t unsettles public opin
ion, reviyes the old feuds and bitterness O
war times, and scares lonely countrymen a
night with visions of the mysterious oath
bound knights who were as much dreaded
in the border states across the Ohio as th'
kuklux once were in South Carolina.
1t is an ugly mess as 1t stands, and Their
is no way of getting rid of IL except by get
ting rid of Qusckenbush. If Qusckenbusl
is permitted to live it will go far TOWARD
establishing the fact that his neighbors ar,
LOYAL peacestlc and law-abidng, and In
capable of such crime as he las charge,
! upon them.