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A Soldier's View

A Soldier's View image
Parent Issue
Day
14
Month
September
Year
1892
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Was Aillai Steveuson a Meuiber of tin Order of Secret Traitors?- Did He Re joice Over the Death of Lincoln? - Can He Disprove This Affldavlt? [Special Correspondence.] Gettysburg, Sept. 5. - Information has been received liere 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 rnembership in certain dislojral orders during the war, also wiih selling revolvers with which to resist the draft iiid intimídate Union men, and with publicly rejoicing over the assassination of Lincoln. The league, it is learned, has some very damaging proof of the charges whicb have been so freely made, and old soldiers make no hesitation in saying that unless he can inipeach the accuracy of affidavits already made he will not get a vote from the Union veterans of the late war. It is remarked as especially curious, not to say uufortunate, for the Democratie party that both their candidates on the ticket served by substitute in the war. And it inay be added that it does not please the old soldiers who visit this Bacred spot and whose opinions are thus readily learned. CONVINCINQ PROOF OP THE ACCURACY OF THE CHARGES. Aniong the affidavits whioh are to be produced here are the following, some of which have been already published, but not disproved: State of Illinois, McLean county, ss.: Williarn B. Whiflen, of the couuty and state aforesaid, on oath, deposes and says that he was a resident of the county of Woodford, in the state of Illinois, from August, 1851, to Febraary, 1866, and during that time was editoi and proprietor of the Woodford Sentinel, a paper published at Metaniora, in the state of Illinois and county of Woodford, and during al] that time was personally acquainted and politically associated with Adlai E. 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. Ewitig, special agent of the state orgauization of the same; that Adlai E. Stevenson was there present. and with others was duly initlated and took the required oaths and received the grips and passwords; that afnant was aso present at the county organlzation of the American Knishts or Sons of Liberty held in the courtroom of the court house, and that the Baid Adlai E. Stevenson was present and assisted in perfectiug the same, and further avers that he was present at a state conncil of the said Kniguts or Sons of Liberty, held in the city of Spriogfleld, Hls., on the 16th and lTth days of June, 1664, and that Adlai E. Stevenson was a delégate 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 obtalned admission to said council; that t was In this council that the twenty-third plank of the Democratie platform of that ■ear was adopled and agreed upon; that affiant further avers that on receipt of the uews of the assassinatiou of Abraham Lincoln the said Adlai E. St evenson stated in substance hat it was a Kuod thinK and outrht to have reen dono sooner, and that eaid Adlai E. Stevenson admitted to afflant, in conversation with hiin on the subject, that he liad so stated n regard to tbe death of Lincoln; that affiant urther says thut at the said oouucil at Springaeld. Hls., on June 16 and 17, 1884, there were iresent General James Singleton, Johnson and sheehan, of Lincoln, Hls.; James S. Ewing, of ïloomington, Hls., with a uumber of other )emocratic politiciana, besides delegates from odges and circles from almost every oounty in he state; that afflaiit avers that the order of American Knights or Sous of Liberty were organizations similar in their character to the order kuown as the Kuights of the Golden Cirle, and amaut was informed by the organizng agent, W. G. Ewing, that eaid organization tood in the same relation to the north that the inights of the Golden Circle did to the south; hat afflant was present at the organization of hree or four lodges or circles in the county of Voodford, Hls., when the same were organized by the special agent, W. G. Ewing. All said meetings were held in secret, with closed doors and darkeued windows, and were especially autagonistic to the Union leagues, and were rganized for the purpose of offsetting the influenee of that organization. WlLLIAM B. WHIFFEN. Severa! prominent citizens of Meta mora - Z. H. Whitniire, Isaac Wickofí, J. W. Ellis, Elijah Plank, T. D. Walden, Williain Mitchell, F. F. Briggs and C. Niles by name - certify to the good standing and reliability of Mr. WhifEen. We reproduce the following letter from the Tiffin (O.) Tribune: The affldavit of Parker Gardner, of Wabash, nd., in refereuce to Adlai E. Steveuson, Deaioratic candidate for vico president, ia true to he letter. I was a resident of Wilson townhip. De Witt couuty, Ills., in 1862, and was well acquainted with Mr. Gardner, aleo with Sllsworth and Spratt. Mr. Garduer's statenent can be backed up by such men as Dr. T. W. Davis, J. K. Davis, O. T. Gsar and many thers of Wapella, Ills. It is a fact that this man Stevenson did travel througU De Witt ounty In the year above meutioned selling evolver U his eopperhead friends to be used o intimídate Union men and to resist the raft. I am willing to make this statement nder oath at any time if necessarv. jate First Sergeant, Company I, One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Illinois V. 1. Mr. StevenBon's defense of his war ecord and denial of the accusations )rought against hirn under oath have )een merely verbal and informal. It is ime he were coming to the front with n affidavit if he can afford it.

Article

Subjects
Old News
Ann Arbor Courier