The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-22
PLOT TO KIDNAP GRANT
HE CAME NEAR BEING CAPTURED BY
GOLDEN CIRCLE KNIGHTS.
Visited Cairo without Bodyguard,
and MissOurians Planned to Strike
Blow for the south.
Memphis Commercial Appeal.

Memphis Commercial Appeal.
One winter evening of 1872 a man on
mule drew rein in a Missouri lane within
speaking distance of couple of young men
husking corn in company with several adult
negroes. 1t was about o'clock of cold
gray day.
II hate to see men work so hard" the
rider called with intent to be sarcastic
Hello, jeff the young fellows called as
they rose from the piles of stalks before
which they sat and sauntered toward the
fence.
You're likely chap to talk about work,
ridin' around the country on newell, like
they weren't no work to do
The rider grinned. IT'S too late to husk
corn anyhow. You South Carolinians are
always about two months late" Suddenly
his voice changed to tone of joyous ex-
element, and he bent over the ponmel of
his saddle.
Say, the knights meet tonight"
"Shut up, you fool" said one of the
huskers. Don't you see the niggers listen
ing. What's going on?"
The riders voice sank to q humble. 81
don't know. Jim met me and told me the
Dutch pedder had brought some news and
said he wanted all the knights to be on
hand"
'Whero do we meet?"
Jim Lyons barn"
'Well, I'll tell you this-we've got to have
a lot O. pickets out, for the niggers are ex-
cited. They have an idea something is go
ing on that would interest them"
"Jimll watch out fer that. Well-so long.
Be on hand"
"We'n be there"
ri. "a
cornshocks the negroes fell to work with
sudden attack. 1t was evident they had
been listening. The country about st. Louis
was at that time more secession than
Union in feeling, and though the farmers
of the creek were pursuing their ways
quietly, they were ready at any moment
for an enterprise in aid of the South BY
a swift and decided stroke of military fore
sight, Frank p Blair had captured Camp
jackson and its arsenal in May thus saw
ing the city and its munitions to the Union,
but there had sprung up all over the coun-
try secret SOcities in sympathy with the
South. These socities were branches of the
famous knights of the Golden Circle"
and it was their hope that at some time
they might be able to do some decisive
work in aid of secession.
THE TIME FOR ACTION.
There was a lodge or circle in Gravois
into which all the Confederate sympa-
thizers were gathered, but thus far the
was something in the sudden call for a
meeting this November day, however,
which convinced every eager knight that
the time for action had at last come.
Some deed was to be done-what it was, no
one could tell save the peddler but as the
night grew thick, from every direction, on
foot and on horseback, the men began to
silently move through the cold, bleak air
toward the rendezvous. The two young
men of the cornshocks were brothers, Alb
ner and Limri Taylor. They were both
stalwart. bearded and very quiet in man
ner. AT supper they uttered no word of the
news brought to them, for black ears keen
as hares, were open to hear the lowest
word. The blacks were already tremulOus
with excitement over the news of battles
in the South which some of them cOmpre-
hended to mean that certain white men
were fighting for them Others merely felt
sympathetically the tense anxiety OF the
time, which portended tragic deeds There
was restraint in the silence which Abb
table that night he said to his wife: '--' '''0
m going down to the postottice to hear
the news"
The young wife seized the moment to
20; Abner, hope it isn't any project OF
BE Quiet" he said sharply. "You
needen't worry if it is. I promised you |
wouldn't go. into the service, and 1 won't
w.
Promise me not to do anything rash,
Abner."
He smiled little. IT don't have that
reputation among the circle" he said
The younger brother grew impatient 90
come along, Abner; we'll be late"
The young wife looked as if she were not
so sure OF Abners caution, and she went
about her work with a strong feeling that
some great calamity was impending Alb
ner had already been under arrest for a
rebellious act while on a visit to st. Louis
ana she was easily alarmed now. She
looked at the children with a glance which
showed q sleepless fear for them as well a &
for her husband. What would they do with
out his big arm to protect them? BY 1880
the barn held score of men of all ages
and sizes, and outside a circle Of pickets
kept watch that no prying negro came
within hearing distance of the loft in which
the meeting was held. In the center of the
group ana dong most of the talking was
& big, black-whiskered man of alert and
vigorous manner The members were
hunched or sprawling on the hay about
listening in sinister silence. At last the
chairman raped for order and said in a
low voice, which gradually grew intense
THE HAYMOW ORATORS.
brothers of the Circle-You are called
together tonight because there is work TO
be done. You've all been just achin' to do
something for the cause, and now's yo'
chance. We've had to keep our mouths
shet We have had to submit to these
Yankee scrubs who hold our fo't Fo't
Jackson should never have been surren-
dered. We have been helpless under the heel
of these Northern vandals ever since. Now
we have a chance to make them nav
Brother Nose Banner has a word to saw"
He took his seat thereupon amid a nro-
found silence.
Banner was peddler who carried drugs
from st. Louis to the Confederate armies
in the southern part of the State He car
ried also whatever news of military move
ments he could secure. He now stepned
out into the floor. the excitement of a bic
project in his broad visage. He plunged
into the plan at once
Brothers we have a chance to rob the
Northern armies of a hrgadier general
Gen. Y. ). Grant of Cairo is home on
leaVe or ABSENCE He drove out to-day with
out guard: Nobody with him. He's at
old man Dents, which is not more than two
miles from here. You all know the place
He will be there all night. My plan is To
surround the house and seize him while he
Is asleep. The Union cause will have one
brigadier general less"
Two or three of the younger hot heads
leaped up, white with excitement:
Good! That's the plan! Well make him
pay for Belmont"
The boldness of the scheme took the
cooler men at disadvantage. Before they
could gather their limbs under them an
other belligerent was in the middle of the
volley: 1T is a glorious opportunity to
serve the cause of the South We have
been organized for just such work as this
Now is our chance. 1 will be one to do this
work tonight"
so will l." said one at his side
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