The Globe-republican., 1892-09-23
4 SOLDIERS VIEW.
TO BE TknEN OVER THE GRAVES
or GETTYSBURG.

: TO BE TE.-EN OVER Ihe 0hAVES
or GETTYSBURG.
Was Adlai Stevenson . Member OF r.
Order os Secret Traitors:-Iid He Re-
joice Over the Death of Lincolnc-Cnu
He Disprove This Affidavit?
Especial Correspondence
GETTYSBURG, Sept. 5.-Information
has been received here that the Union
Veterans league is to hold a mass
meeting here shortly to discuss the war
record of Adlai Stevenson, the vice
presidential candidate, who is charged
with membership in certain disloyal
orders during the war, also with selling
revolvers with which to resist the draft
and intimidate Union men, and with
publicly rejoicing over the assassination
of Lincoln.
The league, it is learned, has some
very damaging proof of the charges
which have been so freely made, and
old soldiers make no hesitation in saying
that unless he can impeach the accuracy
of afidavits already made he will not
get vote from the Union veterans of
the late war.
It is remarked as especially curious,
not to say unfortunate, for the Demo
cratic party that both their candidates
on the ticket served by substitute in the
war. And it may be added that it does
not please the old soldiers who visit this
sacred spot and whose opinions are thus
readily learned.
CONVINCING PROOF OF THE ACCURACY
OF THE CHARGES.
Among the affidavits which are to bs
produced here are the following, soma
of which have been already published,
but not disproved:
State of Illinois. Mclean county, S.;
William B. Whiffen. of the county and st:fc
aforesaid, on oath, deposes and says that he
was resident of the county of Woodford, IN
the state of Illinois, from August, 1851, to Feb
ruary, 1866, and during that time was editor
and proprietor of the Woodford Sentinel, a pa
per published at Metamora. in the state of Hi
nois and county of Woodford, and during all
that time was personally acquainted and pc
itically associated with Adlai Z. Stevenson;
that affiant was present at the organization Of
the Metamora lodge or circle Of the Order of
American Knights or Sons of Liberty, in the
southeast lower room of the court house in
Metamora, by W. G. Ewing, special agent Of
the state organization of the same; that
Adlai E. Stevenson was there present,
and with Others was duly initiated and
took the required oaths and received
the grips and passwords; that afiiant was also
present at the county organization of the
American Knights or Sons of Liberty held in
ri 81
said Adlai f. Stevenson was present and as,
sisted in perfecting the same, and further
AYERS that he was present at state council CT
the said Knights or Sons of Liberty, held in
the city of Springfield, Ills, on the 10Th and
18th days OF June. 1864, and that Adlai E. Ste
venson was q delegate to said state council
from the lodge or order of the same from the
county of Woodford; that the said Adlai E.
Stevenson vouched for affiant, by which he
obtained admission to said council: that
it was in this council that the twenty third
plank Of the Democratic platform of that
year was adopted and agreed upon; that
affiant further AYERS that on receipt Of the
news of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln
the said Adlal +. Stevenson stated in substance
that it was good thing and ought to have
been done sooner, and that said Adlai E.
Stevenson admitted to affiant, in conversation
with him on the subject, that he had so stated
in regard to the death of Lincoln; that affiant
further says that at the said council at Spring.
field, Ills, on June l6 and II, 1864, there were
present General James Singleton, johnson and
Sheehan, of Lincoln, Ills; James S. Ewing, Of
His, with a number of other !
Democratic politicians besides delegates from
lodges and circles from almost every county in !
the state: that affiant AYERS that the order Of /
American Knights or Sons of Liberty were !
similar in their character to the !
order known as the Knights of the Golden Cir |
Gle. and affant was informed by the organic
Ing agent, w. G. Ewing, that said organization |
stood in the same relation to the north that the
Knights of the Golden Circle did to the south; |
that aftant was present at the organization Of .
three or four lodges or circles in the county Of
Woodford, Ills, when the same were organized .
BY the special agent, w. G. Ewing. All said
meetings were held in secret, with closed doors
and darkened windows, and were especially
to the Union leagues, and were
for the purpose Of offsetting the in
auence of that organization.
WILLIAM B. WH1FFEN
Several prominent citizens of Meta
mora-Z. II. Whitmire, Isaac Wickoff,
J. w. Ellis, Elijah Plank, T. D. Wal
len, William Mitchell, F. F. Briggs and
:. Niles by name-certify to the good
standing and reliability of Mr.. Whiffen.
We reproduce the following letter
rom the Tifin CO., Tribune:
The affidavit of Parker Gardner, Of Wabash,
nd. in reference to Adlai E. Stevenson, Demo-
ratio candidate for vice president, is true to
he letter. l was resident Of Wilson town.
hip, De Witt county, Ills. in 1862, and was
veil acquainted with Mr.. Gardner, also with
ellsworth and Spratt. Mr.. Gardeners state
nent can be backed up by such men as DR.. T.
". Davis, j. h. Davis, o. I. Gear and many
'thers Of Wapella, Ills. 1t is a fact that this
nan Stevenson did travel through De Witt
ounty in the year above mentioned selling
evolvers to lis copperhead friends to be used
o intimidate Union men and to resist the
raft. l am willing to make this statement.
nder oath at any time if necessary.
S. H. TAYLOR,
ate First Sergeant, Company l, One Hun
dred and Fifty-fourth Illinois vi.
Mr.. Stevenson's defense of his war
ecord and denial of the accusations
'rought against him under oath have
'een merely verbal and informal. 1t is
ime he were coming to the front with
n affidavit if he can afford it.