The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-06-15
GIDEoN's' BAND.
Some More Light on Great POlif-
icaI Organization.

|
We published last week an exposure or tn
new secret polilical society, "(iidcon's Band,
wEich has been organized in Georgia ana oth
| er Southern StaieS. The publication of tn
exposure mrt the eye Of Mr.. w. Is. Galthcr. O
| Newton, and he wrote TO Inc CHAIRMAN oi wv
Democratic executive committee OF !lar
| county ia. regarding the matter. Ihe iol
lowing is the reply which he recelVcd |" III
letter: ~ ,o,
-, r. HAmTwELh' GA;; NsM,Gn May ~; 'S;G'
DEAR STR:-Your favor to hand. Regarding
the article in the Constitution TO which Sol
refer. will say It was pnblisheI IN the connii
n,nars before it was published in the ConSti
iution, and has never been questioned ina
ha We heard of. 7 know Rev. Vernon nnr
what he says can be relied on. He is Is an eN
president Of the county Alliance and stand:
we'll In the order
The reason he exposed 1.-THE told me tha
he was told before taking the obligation thai
there was nothing in 1t that would conf1icl
with his religious or civil interests, Dut afIei
receiving the obligation he found he had heen
deceived and for that reason did not con slider
that he was bound by H., and not only that
but that he felt it his duty to eNpose anSthine
calculated to do so much mischief When he
delivered his speech the president OF the
Franklin county Alliance was present and
asked to deny 1t if not true, which ne dld not
do, though he was :. Third party man.
Truly Eb@ y"uTgT Far, Co., e. Ga, e. bam Snnocoi comi.
AS further bearing upon the matter In qnes-
tion the following letter from Mr.. vernon
himself, appearing in the Atlanta Constitu-
tuition of June lst, is of interest:
At Lavonla, Ca, on the night OF May l4,h
7 was introduced by DR.. Bonner as an Al
lianc Democrat Of Hart county, not as the
president of Hart county Alliance. as | 40
not hold that office at this time. was their
first president anu served them as Sucn lot
two years and for that reason, 7 suppose, the
correspondent still thought was president
I have held the Office Of county lecturer for
The last two years and am still In that ONCE.
did not say that the state Alliance nan any
thing to do with the "Gideon Band" But
do say that was a delegate from Hart coun-
ty to the State Alliance and during that meet
ing Mr.. DeJarnett of Greene county. was tne
man that told me all know about "Sloeon
Band" and he said he was authorized 10 get
up such band in each county In The eighth
congressional district and there was one ap-
pointed In each congressional diStrlct IN the
State. And that 1t was like Free masonry,
one degree higher than the regular All lance
and would not conflict with my political and
religious views. / being Mason knew u IL
was like Masonry II wasn good thihg. Two
dollars was the initiation fee. WITH ms as,
surance from DeJarnet,. Brother McFarland
and myself were initiated Into one OF the
most corrupt machines OF political corruption
that was ever concocted on American SOIL. j
was to pay him when got the band mace up
and will do 1t when make 1t up. consid'
er snch an organization clear case OF con-
Spirncy against the principles OF the Alliance
and as surh would have nothing to do with
1t. Last fall when DR.. Robbins was going
around lecLnring the county Alliance 10 ms
district DeJarnett was with him and they
came to my house and DeJarnett wanted to
know If had the band ready for him to or
caniZe told him that had done nothing.
[ Mt once saw that he was crestfalen for he
had lost his fleece. Brother Mcfarland Is as
hightoned gentleman as there Is in FRANK
lin county and knew he was truthful man
and could appeal to him while was expos
ing "Gideon'S Band" that II made any false
tatement for him 10 correct me, right then
and there. Brother Mcfarland did not say
4 word in answer 10 my statement, rs every
one present that night well knows. am sor-
ry that Brother Mcfarland or any good man
would suffer themselves TO be shorn OF their
grown locks by Delah and fall Into the
hands of the PhiliStines.
This Is all 1 know personally about Gld-
cons Band" have heard some things that
gave rise TO "Gideon's Band" at Ocala, Fla,
which if SO would be worse than dynamite
in the Third party camp. have endeavored
to answer your questions as asked In the Con-
stitutinn so far as my personel knowlede
goes. l request all Democratic papers IN
Georgia to copy the above in Justice TO my-
self and TO good government and 10 the vel
fare of the glorious old Commonwealth.
cannot be heard much longer as am in my
SEVENTEEN year, but still love my God, my
country, my wife and children and white su-
premacy. Hoping and praying that the last
mark or resem blance of the Third party may
be wiped out at this falls election never to be
resurrected for the sake OF greed aud Office.
]. T. w. Vernon.