Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-30
FIRST BLOW AT ADLAL.
An Affidavit as to bis Connection
With the Sons of Liberty.
LINCOLN'S DEATH A GOOD THING
Hss the View He Expressed When He Heard
of the Assassination.
STATEMENTS THAT ARE voUCHED FOR
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE pIsPArcHl

ESPECIAL rELEGRAM TO THE pIsPArcH1
BLOOMINGTON, ILL, June 29.-In 1874
Adlai E Stevenson, Democratic candidate
for Vice President, was candidate for Con-
gress upon the Democratic ticket, and at
that time the question was raised as to Mr..
Stevenson's attitude during the war. It
was charged that Mr.. Stevenson was MEM
Der of the Sons of Liberty, Copperhead
organization similar to the Knights of the
Golden Circle, and Mr. Stevenson, then as
now, denied that he was ever member of
that organization.
While the subject was being agitated
William B. Written came to the front, say
ing that he used to belong to the Sons of
Liberty; that he knew Mr.. Stevenson at
that time; that he saw Stevenson initiated
ganization at which Mr.. Stevenson was
present. Mr. Stevenson denied Mr.. Writ
fen's statements, and therenpon Mr.. Writ
oath to the following affidavit, but Mr..
Stevenson did not make denial under
oath:
Wriff~n's Statement Under Oath.
State of Illinois, Mclean county, william
said. on oath deposes and says that he was q
resident Of the county of Woodford, in the
State Of Illinois, from August in the year
1851 to February, 1856, and during that time
was editor and proprietor of the Woodford
Sentinel, a newspaper published at Meta
mora, in the State Of Illinois and county of
Woodford, and during all that time was per-
sonally acquainted and politically assocf-
ated with Adlat E. Stevenson; that affiant
was present at tho organization of
Ak MAJ Hfv,Al4 -
the order Of American Knights, or
Sons Of Liberty In the southeast lower room
of the Court House in Metamora, by W. G.
tion Of same; that Adlai e. Stevenson was
there present, and with others was duly in
itiated and took the required oath and re-
eeived the grips and passwords; tnat affiant
of the American Knights or Sons of Lib
erty. held In the court room of the Court
House. and that the said Adlai E. Steven
son was present and assisted in perfect.
ing the same; and further AYERS that
he was present at State Council of said
Knights of Sons of Liberty held in the city
of June, 1864, and that Adah E. Stevenson
was delegate to said State Council from
the lodge or order of the same from the
Stevenson vouched for af1ant, by which he
obtained admittance to said Council; that 1t
was in this Council that tho twenty-third
year yaA was az % adopted ~ and agreed % upon; NJ that that
affiant further AYERS that on receipt of the
news of
Tho Assassination OF Abraham lincoln,
the said Adau E. Stevenson stated in sub
stance, that 1t was good thing and ought
to have been done sooner,a and that said Adali |
e. Stevenson admitted to afflant in converse
tion with him on that subject that he had so |
stated in regard to the death of Lincoln: |
that af1iant further says at the said council |
g., ~vI Ia
June, 1864, there being present Generals |
James Singleton. johnson and Sheehan, |
of Lincoln, Ill; James s. Ewing, OF |
Bloomington, H., with a number of other
and circles from almost every court in the |
State; that af1lant AYERS that the order of |
American Knights or Sons of Liberty were
the order known as the Knights of the |
Golden Circle, and af6ant was informed by |
IN the Organizing agent W, G. Ewing. that
ssiation rsl Aa to the % North " that ims SI%e the
Knights OF the Golden Circle did did
to the South; that afiant was
lodges or circles in the county OF Woodford,
H.. when the same were organized by the
special agent, w. G.. Ewing. All said that
The meetings were held in secret with closed
1oors and darkened windows, and were
specially antagonfstic to the Union Leagues,
md were organized for the purpose of
'fTssssinSg the influence of shSs erEsnizsson
Subscribed and sworn to before me this
18th day of October A. D. 1874,
(Seal1 JAMES r. BROOKS,
Notary Public.
Citizens vouch tor wriffen's Character.
"The undersigned citizens OF Metamora,
Noodford county, have known VIM. B.
Written Intimately, during his business and
political career in this county, and can un-
lualifiedly say that he had very superior
ABILITIES for Information as to the move
nents and workings OF the different mem.
,ers of the Democratic party of this county
Turing the war, and that his reputation for
ruth and veracity in this county was, and is
uch as to lead us to rely implicitly in any
he should make regarding the
views or political reputation of any
member Of that party.
!. H. whitmire, Isaac wikof, ]. W. Ellis,
Elijah Pank 7. D. Walden, VIM. Mitchell,
F. F. Briggs, c. Niles.