The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1892-06-02
GIDEON's BAND.
A secret Body Within the Farmers's
Alliance.
From the Atlanta Constitution

Alliance.
From the Atlanta Constitution
LAvoNIA, Ga, May 25.-A speech
delivered here by Rev. j. w. Vernon,
President of the Hart County Alliance
has created sensation
1t expo sed secret political agency
in the Farmers Alliance.
1t was at joint debate between
Democrats and Third party people.
Mr. Vernon is prominent Baptist
minister Of Hart county. There is no
man more universally respected and
beloved. AS president of the Hart
County Alliance he was a delegate to
the State Convention of the Alliance,
which met in Atlanta last August.
Mr.. Vernon opened his speech as
follows:
Democrats and Fellow Citizens:
| 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 restless
ness This anxiety was happily re-
lieved by the sequel to Mr.. Vern III 5
speech.
Mr.. Vernon proceeded substantially
as follows: 81 was a delegate to the
State convention which met in Altar
ia last August At that meeting a
secret body, within the Alliance, itself
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 fec is So | hfsitated about
joining the band, not knowing its pur-
poses. But tue Leaders insisted AID
finally proposed as was minister of
the gospel TO initiate me free | in
quired if it would interfere with my
politics or religion, and was ans yered
in the negative" Here the speaker
paused a moment and looking straigI t
at I. A. Mcfarland, of this county,
said: "Ycu and | went in tose her,
didn't we, Brother McFarland?''
Brother Mcfarland didn't reply, but
hung his head in sham. "And,"
continued the speaker, "what did we
find when we were sworn into Glide II s
BaEd?' That we were t. bring into
the band thirty men from our respec-
tive counties who we're to manipulate
the politics of the Alliance. These
thirty men were to contro! tie offices,
force the members of the Al iance to
vote for the men named by them
Isn't this true, Brother Mcfarland,
and didn't you when you visited my
country last fall, inquire of me low [
was getting along with the work of
organizing 'Gideon's Band and didn't
l tell you that ! could have nothing
to do with it, as it vas Inconsistent
with the original principles of the Al
lance, which promised equal justice to
all and special favo,s to none? Be
fair, now, Brother Mcfarland, ard
tell me if this is not true?' But Bro
Their Mcfarland was dumb. The
81 eaker continues: You remember
the sign of the brotherhood, Bro. Nc
Farland. If a member of Gideon s
Band desired to make himself known,
he lolled his tongue. and if his broth
er happened to be one of the elect. he
recognized the sign and lolled his
tongue also. Isn't this true Brother
Mcfarland" For third time that
evening Brother Mcfarland was
dumb.
Mr.. Mcfarland may cry "false-
hood, to the story ,f "Gideon's
Band, but he did not dare to do it
at Lavonia. He spoke after Mr..
Vernon, but "Gideon's Band'' was
not mentioned If Mr.. Vernon's ac-
/ count of "Gideon's Band" was
true, why did Mr.. Mcfarland not
rise up then and there and denounce
it? 1t was true, and Mr. Mcfarland
did not dare to rise up in the presence
of an honest man and deny it.
Mr. Vernon stated further that an
Alliance leader from Atlanta was
sent to his house last fall to observe
the progress he was making with
"Gideon's Band" Nh. Vernon in
formed him that he could have moth
ing to do with such dirty work and
| washed his hands of the whole bust.
ness. The Allianceman from Atlanta
secured arouHd in Hart county and
found another man whom he initiated
| into the band, but he happened to be
a man of no influence in Hart county
and as consequence the Third Party
has no strength in that county. Mr.
Vernon said, "Gideon's Band is the
goose that laid the egg that hatched
the Third Party.
Ne.rly two hundred of the best
men in Franklin county heard Mr.
| Vernon's speech and are ready to
give affidavits to the truthfulness oil
tn s report. The Gideon;tes may cry
campaign story" but fairminded
men will not heed them. They may
Say that Mr.. Vernon has misrepre
scented them, but they will not dare
to say it anywhere on the soil of Hart
county. Mr.. Vernon is a man whose
hone ty is unquestioned and whose
| l;fo hos haan biapnoloSS