The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1892-06-09
s.GIDEON's BAND"
Rev. ]. r. w. Vernon Tells what He
Knows About she Order.

Rev. j. T. w. Vernon Tells What He
Knows Aboat the Order.
From the Atlanta constitutional
HARTwELL, Ga, May 31.-Rev. J.
T. w. Vernon today furnished The
Constitution correspondent with the
following letter:
Editor Constitution: Please give me
space in your valuable paper for this
explanation so that I may set myself
right before the people in regard to
"Gideon's Band" and also answer the
article of the 26th and 28th instants
in your paper.
At Lavonia, Ga, ON the night of
May 14th I was introduced by DIR.
Bonner as an Alliance Democrat of
Hart county, not as the president of
Hart County Alliance, as 1 do not
hold that Office at this time. ] was
their first president and served them
as such for two years, and for that
reason, suppose, the correspondent
still though t / was president. have
held the Office of county lecturer for
the last two years and am still in that
Office. I did not say that the State
Alliance had anything to do with the
"Gideon's Band" Butt do say that |
was a delegate from Hart county to
the State Alliance and during that
meeting Mr.. DeJarnett, of Green
county, was the man that told me all
I know about "Gideon's Band" and
he said he was authorized to get up
such band in each county in the
eighth congressional district and there
was one appointed in each congress
sional district in the state. And that
it was like "Freemascnry," one degree
higher than the regular Alliance and
would not conflict with my political
and religious views. / being Mason
knew if it was like Masonry it was
good thing. Two dollars was the in
itiation fee, With this assurance from
DeJarnett, Brother Mcfarland and
myself were initiated into one of the
most corrupt machines of political cor
ruption that was ever concocted on
American soil. And as it seems to be
something new under the sun l would
like to know who published all of De-
Jsrnett's blanks that he had with him,
for he had quite a number of them.
/ was to pay him when l got the band
made up and / will do it, when make
it up. l consider such an organiza-
ton clear case of conspiracy against
the principles of the Alliance and as
such would have nothing to do with
it. Last fall when DIR. Robbins was
going around lecturing the county
Alliance in this 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
ganize. / told him that [ had done
nothing. at once saw that he was
crest-fallen for he had lost his fleece.
Brother McFarlan is as heightened a
gentleman as there is in Franklin
county and / knew he was truthful
man and 1 could appeal to him while
/ was exposing "Gideon's Band" that
if I maGe any false statement for him
to correct me, right then and there.
McFarlan did not say word
in answer to my statement, as every
one present that night we'll knows.
am sorry that Brother McFarlan or
any other good man would suffer
to be shorn of their grown
locks by Delilah and fall into the
hands of the Philistines. There are
none 80 blind as those that won't see
and none SO deaf as those that won't
hear. There are some that do see but
deny they see. There are some that
hear but say I never heard it. This
is all know personally about "Gide>
on's Band" I 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 endeavor
ed to answer your questions as asked
in the Constitution SO far as my per-
senal knowledge goes. 1 request all
Democratic papers in Georgia to copy
the above in justice to myself and to
good government and To the welfare
of this 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 supremacy.
Hoping and praying that the last
mark or resemblance of the third par
y may be wiped out at this falls cleo
ion never to be ressurrected for the
Iake of ed and office.
j. T. w. VERNON.