Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1892-06-09
GIDEON'S BAND.
A SECRET BODYNTHE AL
LANCE ORGANIZE
To Control It-Limited to Thirty
in Each County Whose Duty
it is to Manipulate the
Politics of the County.

II u
LAvoN1A, Ga, May 25.-A speec
delivered here by Rev. J. T. v
Vernon, president of the Hal
County Alliance, has created a SCI
sation.
1t exposed secret politics
agency in the Farmers Alliance
1t was at a joint debate betwee
Democrats and Third party pee
pie.
Mr.. Vernon is a prominent Bap
tist minister of Hart county
There is no man more UNIVERSAL,
respected and beloved. AS presi
dent of Hart County Alliance h,
was a delegate to the State con
vention of the Alliance which me
in Atlanta last August.
Mr.. Vernon opened his speech
as follows:
Democrats and Fellow Citizens
II come tonight to tell you of the
goose that laid the egg that matched
the Third party. Most eggs are
Matched in about four weeks, but
it required six months to hatch
the Third party egg."
Just here there was great rest.
lessness. This anxiety was happily
relieved by the sequel to Mr.. Yer
mons speech.
Mr.. Vernon proceeded substan-
TALLY, as follows: II was a dele
gate to the State convention of the
Alliance which met in Atlanta last
August. At that meeting a secret
body, within the Alliance, itself a
secret body, was organized under
the name of 'Gideon's Band Only
thirty members are allowed in this
from each county in the State.
The initiation fee is So. / hesi-
tated about joining the band, not
knowing it's purposes. But the
leadArs---.5.si':5;, 'ti:,i fsi3ss,iA pro
posed rs was minister of the
gospel 70 initiate me free. ] IN
anired if i would interfere with
s. ! iitics 'es@as 55ssh5 arr s7s- TsS-
answered in TIE negative Here
the speaker paused nlonel.;- and
= n. ...4-:s s.c-::ss sd; at +. A. McFar-
[and, of this county, said: ''You
and I went in together, didn't we,
Brother McFarland?" Brother
Mcfarland didn't reply, but hung
his head in shame. "And," con-
tinued the speaker, "what did we
find we find when we were sworn
into 'Gideon's Band?' That we
we're to bring into the band thirty
men from our respective counties,
who were to manipulate the politics
Of the Alliance. These thirty
men were to control the Office,
force the members of the Alliance
70 vote for the men named by
hem. Isn't this true, Brother
Mcfarland, and didn't you, when
you visited my county last fall,
inquire of me how / was getting
along with the work of organizing
Gideon's Band and didn't I tell
you that I could have nothing to
10 with 1t, as it was inconsistent
with the original principles of the
which promised equal
Justice to all and special favors
% none?' Be fair, now, Brother
Mcfarland, and tell me if this is
1ot true?" But brother McFar-
and was dumb. The speaker con-
''You remember the sign of
brotherhood, Brother Mcfarland.
f a member of 'Gideon's Band
desired to make himself known,
le lolled his tongue, and if his
brother happened to be one of the
'lect, he recognized the sign and
oiled his tongue also. Isn't this
rue, Brother McFarland?" For a
;hird time that evening Brother
Mcfarland was dumb.
Mr.. Vernon stated further that
IN Alliance leader from Atlanta
vas sent to his house last fall to
observe the progress he was max
ng with 'Gideon's Band Mr..
Vernon informed him that he
could have nothing to do with
'uch dirty work and washed his
lands of the whole business. The
Allianceman from Atlanta secured
Iround in Hart county and found
mother man whom he initiated
nto the band, but he happened to
,e a man of no influence in Hart
ounty, and as consequence the
third party has no strength in