The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1891-1893, 1892-06-03
"GIDEON,S BAND.o
Rev. j. II. w. Vernon Tells What He
Knows About the Order.

Rev. J. +. w. vernon Tells What He
Knows About the Order.
HARrwELL, Ca, May 31.-Kev. ].
T. w. Vernon to-day furnished the
Constitution with the following:
"Please give me space in your paper
for this explanation so that l may set
myself right before the people in re-
gard to "Gideon's Band" and also
answer the article of the 26th and 28th |
instant in your paper. At Lavoma,
Ca, on the night of May IA l was
introduced by DR.. Bonner as an al
lance democrat of Hart county, not
as the president of Hart county al
lance, as / 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 cor
respondent still thought was presid-
ent. l have held the Office of county
lecturer for the last two years and am
still in that Office. l did not say that
the State Alliance had anything to do
with the "Gideon Band" But l do
say that was delegate from Hart
county to the State Allince and during
that meeting Mr.. DeJarnett, of Greene
county, was the man that told me all 1
know about "Gideon's Band,' and he
said be was authorized to get up such
band in each county in the eighth
congressional district and there was
one appointed in each congressional
district in the State. And that it was
like "Freemasonry," one degree higher
then the regular alliance and would
not conflict with my political and
religious views. l being Mason
knew if it was like Masonry it was a
good thing. Two dollars was the in
itiation fee. With this assurance from
DeJarnett, Brother McFarian 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 snn l would
like to know who published all Of De-
Jarnett's blanks that he had with him,
for he had quite number of them. I
was to pay him when got the band
made up and will do it, when make
it up. consider such an organization
clear case of conspiracy againit the
principles of the alliance and as such
l would have nothing to do with it.
Last fall when DR.. Robbins was going
around lecturing the county alliance
in this district, DeJarnett was with
him and they came to my house anc
DeJarnett wanted to know if 1 hao
, the band ready for him to organize
l told him that l had done nothing
: l at once saw that he was crest-faller
for he had lost his fleece. Brother
McFarian is as hightoned a gentleman
I as there is in Franklin county and
knew he was a truthful man and
could appeal to him while l was ex
posing "Gideon's Band" that if
made any false statement for him t.
e correct me, right then and there
= Brother McFarlan did not say a wor'
j. in answer to my statement, as ever,
S one present that MI ght we'll knows.
S am sorry that Brother McFarlan o
: any good man would suffer themselve
}, to be shorn of their grown locks b
}. Delilah and fall into the hands Q
n the Philistines. There are none s.
IS blind as those that won't see and nom
|. so deaf as those that won't hear
j. There are some that do see but den
:. they see. There are those that hea
d but say never heard it. This is al
If / know personally about "Gideon
IS Band" l have heard some things ths
e gave rise to "Gideon's Band" at Ocal.
: Fla, which if so would be worse tha
IS dynamite in the third party camp.
}. have endeavored to answer you
D, questions as asked in the Constitute
q. so far as my personal knowledge goe
3. l request all democratic papers i
rs Georgia to copy the above in justi<
\. to myself and to good government ar
st to the welfare of this glorious o
d. commonwealth. l cannot be hea1
u much longer as l am in my seventie
be year, but l sill love my God, n
or country, my wife and children al
il white supremacy. Hoping and pra
IA ing that the last mark or resemblan
of the third party may be wiped o
at this falls election never to be rest
rected for the sake of greed and offit
j. T. w. VERNON.