The forum. [volume] (Springfield, Ill.) 1904-192?, 1908-10-10
CURIOSITY OF GIRL
What She Discovered About Stew
enson and Knights of the
Golden Circle.
AFFIDAVIT OF MRS. STARKEY
Democratic Candidate for Governor
Placed in Bad Light
Woman Tells How, When a Girl, She
Discovered That Stevenson Yves
Invited to Speak at Meet
ing of Secret Order.


for the unearthing of what is consid-
cred proof of Adlai e. Stevenson 8
connection with the knights of the
Golden Circle, that much-despised Sc
cret order that harassed tie families
of Union soldiers in tie north in the
closing years of the civil war when the
veterans fought real rebels in the
south, leaving their homes unprotected
from the nightly depredations Of the
members of the secret clan.
Further proof that Stevenson was af-
filiated with and was considered by
his wartime friends and neighbors as
a member of the knights of tie Gold
en- Circle, Is furnished by Mrs. Jennie
Starkey, of Waynesville, Ill. Mrs.
Starkey makes affidavit that she was
acquainted with the secrets of the ia
nous "copperhead" organization and
that she has personal knowledge that
Mr.. Stevenson was at one time invited
to deliver an address before a branch
of the order of which her uncle, An
drew Hedrick, was secretary.
Learned Clans Secrets.
In her affidavit, which was made
Sept. "a, Mrs. Starkey states that she
has been a resident of Waynesville
since 1872 and that when a girl Of
eighteen years she learned through ex-
ercise Of womanly curiosity secrets of
the Knights of the Golden Circle. At
that time Mrs. Starkey's uncle, An
od nh ~. !, inn
lived at her fathers home near Downs,
ILL.,, and was secretary of the local or
ganization. A visit one day to her
uncle's room led to a discovery that
notices were in course Of preparation
for meeting of the Knights of the
Golden Circle and that these notices
contained the information that the
speakers were to be Adlai e. Steven
son and DR.. Worrell, both of Blooming
ton.
This society was generally known in
the vicinity of Downs as the knights
of the Golden Circle and Mrs. Starkey
states that there is no question what
ever about Stevenson's connection with
it. Her affidavit in full is as follows:
estate of Illinois, Dewitt County,
IS:
"Mrs. Jennie Starkey of the town of
Waynesville, county and state afore-
said, on oath deposes and says that
she has been a resident of Waynes-
vile since 1872, and that she has per-
sonal positive knowledge that Adlai e.
Stevenson, of Bloomington, Demo-
cratic candidate for governor of the
state of Illinois, was a member of the
knights of the Golden Circle as the
secret order was commonly known
throughout this community during the
closing years of the civil w~r, 1863 and
1864.
''That atlantis knowledge of Adlai
e. Stevenson's connection with the Sc
cret order came to her when girl
about sixteen years of age, residing
at the home of her father, u. S. Wash
burn, ON farm five miles south of
Downs, In Mclean county.
THAT when a girl affiant knew her
uncle, Andrew Hedriek, who made his
home at her fathers house, to be a
southern sympathizer and that out of
curiosity occasioned by his move
ments she became possessed of the
positive knowledge of Adlai E. Steven
sons connection with the Knights of
the Golden Circle.
Saw Notices of Meeting.
THAT affiant further knew her uncle,
Andrew Hedrick, to be the secretary
of the secret order which was organ
ized in the vicinity of her home and
that on one occasion when her uncle
was suddenly called from his room in
an upstairs portion of her fathers
house she went in there and discovered
notices that were being prepared by
her uncle. giving the time and place
of the next meeting of the circle, to
be bold mn schoolhouse