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diff --git a/17917.txt b/17917.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d611cab --- /dev/null +++ b/17917.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9005 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Secret Band of Brothers, by Jonathan +Harrington Green + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Secret Band of Brothers + A Full and True Exposition of All the Various Crimes, Villanies, and Misdeeds of This Powerful Organization in the United States. + + +Author: Jonathan Harrington Green + + + +Release Date: March 4, 2006 [eBook #17917] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SECRET BAND OF BROTHERS*** + + +E-text prepared by Dave Maddock, Susan Skinner, and the Project Gutenberg +Online Distributed Proofreading Team (https://www.pgdp.net/) from page +images generously made available by the University of Michigan Digital +Library Production Service (http://www.hti.umich.edu/) + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 17917-h.htm or 17917-h.zip: + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/7/9/1/17917/17917-h/17917-h.htm) + or + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/7/9/1/17917/17917-h.zip) + + Images of the original pages are available through the Making of + America collection of the University of Michigan Digital Library + Production Service. See + http://www.hti.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=moa;idno=AHK6233.0001.001 + + + + + +SECRET BAND OF BROTHERS. + +A Full and True Exposition of All the Various Crimes, Villanies, +and Misdeeds of This Powerful Organization in the United States. + +By the "Reformed Gambler," + +JONATHAN H. GREEN. + +Author of "The Gambler's Life," "Gambling Exposed," "The Reformed +Gambler; Or, Autobiography of J. H. Green," Etc. + +With Illustrative Engravings. + + + * * * * * + + + "This is a most fearful and startling exposition of crime, and + gives the true and secret history of a daring and powerful secret + association, the members of which, residing in all parts of the + country, have for a long period of years been known to one another + by signs and tokens known only to their order. This association has + been guilty of an almost incredible amount of crime. Beautifully + embellished with Illustrative Engravings, from original designs by + Darley and Croome."--_Courier._ + + + * * * * * + + + +[Illustration] + + + + + +Philadelphia: +T. B. Peterson and Brothers, +306 Chestnut Street. +Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1858, +by T. B. PETERSON, +in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, in and +for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. + + + + + +PREFACE. + + +The vice of gambling is peculiarly destructive. It spares neither age +nor sex. It visits the domestic hearth with a pestilence more quiet and +stealthy, but not less deadly, than intemperance. It is at once the vice +of the gentleman, and the passion of the blackguard. With deep shame we +are forced to admit that the halls of legislation have not been free +from its influence, nor the judicial bench unstained by its pollution. + +It is against this vice, which is now spreading like a subtle poison +through all grades of society, that the present work is directed. The +author is not a mere theorist. He speaks from experience--dark and +bitter experience. The things he has seen he tells; the words he has +heard he speaks again. Some of these scenes curdle the blood in the +veins, even when remembered; some of these words, whenever whispered, +recall incidents of singular atrocity, and thrill the bosom with horror. + +The author professes to speak nothing but the plain truth. He does not +aspire to an elegant style of writing, adorned with the ornaments of the +orator and the scholar; but to one quality may lay claim, without being +thought a vain or immodest man. He speaks with an earnest sincerity. +Whatever he says comes from his heart, and is spoken with all the +sympathy of his soul. + +This work differs from all the previous works of the author. Indeed, it +is unlike any thing ever published in this country. It is not a mere +exposure of gambling, nor yet an attack on the character of particular +gamblers. It is a revelation of a wide-spread organization--pledged to +gambling, theft, and villany of all kinds. There are at the present time +existing, in our Union, certain organizations, pledged to the +performance of good works, which merit the hearty approbation of every +honest man. These are called secret societies, although their +proceedings, and the names of the officers, with minute particulars, are +published in a thousand shapes. Prominent among these beneficial orders +stand the Odd Fellows and the Sons of Temperance. But the order, whose +history is related in the following pages, differs from all these. Its +proceedings, the names of its members or its officers, and even its very +existence as a body, have hitherto been secret, and sealed from the +whole world. Besides, it is pledged to accomplish all kinds of robbery, +aye, and even worse deeds. It has, in more than one deplorable instance, +concealed its dark deeds with murder. + +This order is not confined in its operations to the dark places of life. +It numbers among its members the professional man, the "respectable +citizen," the prominent and wealthy of various towns throughout the +Union; nay, it has sometimes invaded the house of God, and secured the +services of those who are ostensibly his ministers. + +There is not a line of fiction in these pages. The solemn truth is told, +in all its strange and horrible interest. To the public, to the candid +of all classes, to the friends of reform, to the honest citizen, and to +the sincere Christian, the author makes his appeal. + +Let not his voice of warning be unheeded. Let all be up and doing, so +that the monster may be exterminated from the face of the earth, and the +youth of the present age be saved from destruction. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE SECRET BAND OF BROTHERS. + +Why this exposure is made at the present time--Who oppose reform--My +lectures--The New-Light minister--How some get rich--My opponents 9 + + +CHAPTER II. + +A DARK CONSPIRACY. + +Goodrich, the gambler--His malicious conduct--Cause of it--The +Browns--Their plan to escape punishment 16 + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE CONSPIRACY IN PROGRESS. + +The colonel takes medicine to bring on sickness--Ruse will not +take--Character of the administrators of justice in New Orleans--Colonel +Brown deserted by the Brotherhood--Dearborn county, Indiana, delegation + 22 + +CHAPTER IV. + +THE CONSPIRACY FURTHER DEVELOPED. + +The secret correspondence brought from Canada--The Brotherhood desert +Brown--How I obtained the secret writings--Not suspected--Mrs. Brown and +the landlady---Cunningham suspected of purloining them 27 + + +CHAPTER V. + +BRIBERY AND COUNTERFEIT MONEY. + +Brown's lawyer attempts to bribe me to testify falsely against +Taylor--Acquaint the deputy-marshal with the fact--Brown's ineffectual +attempts to find bail--Suspected of having removed the hid money--The +colonel's visitors 34 + + +CHAPTER VI. + +MYSTERIOUS DISCLOSURES. + +His Lawrenceburgh friends--A hypocritical lecture--Further +disclosures--A searching examination--First intimation of the existence +of The Secret Band of Brothers--Colonel Brown's narrative of the +conspiracy against Taylor 42 + + +CHAPTER VII. + +DISCLOSURES CONTINUED. + +The colonel resumes his narrative--The missing papers.--Fare advice 57 + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +DEATH OF COLONEL BROWN. + +Conspiracy against my life--Conversation with Cunningham regarding the +mysterious papers--Death of Colonel Brown 62 + + +CHAPTER IX. + +THE SECRET BAND OF BROTHERS. + +Explanatory remarks--The Grand Master of The Secret Band of +Brothers--Vice-grand Masters--Ordinary members--Objects of the +Order--Colonel Brown sacrificed lest he should betray them--Taylorites +and Brownites 66 + + +CHAPTER X. + +THE MYSTERIOUS BOX. + +Anxiety about the missing papers--Cause of the hostility of the Band to +me--The papers supposed to be deposited in the United States +Court--Clerk's office broken into, and the box containing Taylor's +indictment and the spurious money stolen--Suspected--Placed in prison +for safety--The robber discovered--My release--The mysterious box--The +stranger--Conversation with Wyatt--The box opened 75 + + +CHAPTER XI. + +THE PORK TRADE, OR DRIVING THE HOGS TO A WRONG MARKET. + +The trading operations of the Band--Lectures at Lawrenceburgh--The +Browns and the hog-drover 84 + + +CHAPTER XII. + +CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS OF THE SECRET BAND OF BROTHERS. + +Initiation--Penalties--The Grand Masters--The secret writing--The six +qualities, Huska, Caugh, Naugh, Maugh, Haugh, Gaugh--Vocabulary of flash +words--The post-routes.--The horse-trade explained--Allowances-- +Specimens of correspondence--The biter bit--A letter of introduction +with an important note--Subsequent inquiry into the case 90 + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +A CHAPTER OF AFFINITIES. + +Thieves and thief-catchers--A family of five--Penitence and +Penitentiaries--The chain-driver and his gang--Lawyers' fees and +Lawyers' privileges--Our representatives 139 + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +GAMBLING EXPEDITION IN THE CHOCTAW NATION. + +Character of the inhabitants on the Texas frontier in 1833--The murder +of Dr ----. Operations at Fort Towson--Edmonds and Scoggins--Robbery-- +Journey to Fort Smith--The dumb negro speaks--His character of Scoggins +and Edmonds 147 + + +CHAPTER XV. + +CORRESPONDENCE CONNECTED WITH MY VISIT TO THE AUBURN PRISON, AND +CONVERSATION WITH WYATT, THE MURDERER. + +1. Chaplain Morrill's letter commendatory of my visit--2. My own +account--3. My second visit--4. Mr. Gary's letter--5. Reply to the +accusations of Mr. Morrill--6. Mr. Merrill's charges--7. Vindication +from these charges--8. Further particulars relative to the life of Wyatt +_alias_ Newell _alias_ North, and a horrid murder committed near +Perrysburgh, Ohio-- + +Conclusion 184 + +Debate on Gambling 193 + + +LOTTERIES. + +Drawing of Lottery Tickets 267 + +Insuring Numbers, or Policy Dealing 288 + +Lottery Combinations, etc. 299 + + + + +THE + +SECRET BAND OF BROTHERS. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + +In perusing the following pages, the reader will learn the history of a +class of men, who, for talent, cannot be excelled. He may startle at the +horrid features which naked truth will depict--at deeds of darkness +which, though presented to an enlightened people, may require a stretch +of credulity to believe were ever perpetrated in the glorious nineteenth +century. + +It will, no doubt, elicit many a curious thought, especially with honest +men, and the "whys and wherefores" will pass from mouth to mouth in +every hamlet, village, and town, where the following recital may find a +reader or hearer. All will declare it mysterious. It is a mystery to +myself in some particulars, but in others it is not. It is strange, +passing strange, to think that such a black-hearted, treacherous band of +men, as I am about to describe, could have existed so long in a +civilized and Christian country. + +With a trembling hand do I attempt to bring to light their ruling +principles, to develop a system of organized and accomplished villany. +My reasons for assuming so daring a position may seem to require an +explanation. It may be asked why I did not make this revelation before, +as far as I had knowledge, or what is the occasion of the present +exposition? To the preceding queries I will briefly reply. + +First, There has been no period in my life, prior to 1846, when I could +dare to lay before the world what I contemplate doing at the present +time. It will be long remembered by many, that in August, 1842, I +renounced a profession, in which I had worse than squandered twelve +years, the sweet morning of my life. In doing so, I knew I must, of +necessity, experience deep mortification, in a personal exposure, which +would attend me through life. + +Gambling, with all its concomitants, had taken full possession of my +depraved nature. Thus it was that I, like all wicked men, refused to +"come to the light," and I feared to oppose a craft so numerous as the +one of which I was a professed member. Well did I know that I was +carrying out a wrong and wicked principle. Conviction produced +reflection. After a careful deliberation of the whole subject, I +declared with a solemn oath, that, by the assistance of Almighty God, I +would renounce for ever a profession so ruinous in its every feature. +Immediately I felt the band severed, and my misgivings were scattered to +the winds. My former companions laughed at me. They scouted the idea, +that one so base as I should ever think of reformation. It moved me not. +My credit, I found, failed, after it was known that I had quit gambling. +A thousand different conjectures attended so strange a proceeding on the +part of one in my circumstances. Why should I abandon card-playing, +destroy valuable card plates, and lose their still more profitable +proceeds, return moneyed obligations, which would have secured me an +independent fortune? These things were a matter of surprise with the +cool and deliberate patrons of vice, and especially with many, who, +though they were often covered with a garb of outward morality, were +full of rottenness within. Some, who pass for moral and religious +persons, have in this thing exhibited a moral obliquity that has often +astonished me. + +From a careful examination, I have learned the lamentable fact, that the +most prominent opposers of moral reforms are composed of two classes, +THE HARDENED SINNER, who makes money his god, and THE EXTREMELY +IGNORANT. Let not the reader understand, however, that I suppose there +are not ignorant rich men as well as poor--the latter have their share +of bad men, and so also have the former--but that vice and ignorance are +common to both. + +In the year 1843, I commenced lecturing against the fearful vice of +gambling, for no other reason than to stay the gambler in his ruinous +course, and save the youth of our land from his alluring wiles. For this +I received IN PUBLIC the "God speeds" of ALL classes, and the prayers of +all Christians in secret. I soon learned I had much with which to +contend--opposition from directions I little anticipated. The gambler, +unfortunate man! he carried upon his countenance an expression of open +hate, indicating a deadly hostility to my reformatory movements. The +ignorant man, I found, was disposed to make his avarice the highway to +happiness. He was unwilling to favour any reform that would invade the +territory of his contracted selfishness. His reply, if he had any, would +be that stereotyped one, "such a course will have a tendency to make +more gamblers than it will cure." If his reasons were asked for such a +statement, you could get no satisfactory answer. Perhaps he would say, +"I am satisfied of the fact from my own disposition." He might as well +give a child's reason at once, and say, "CAUSE!" Such persons have +seldom heard a lecture, or read a syllable, and yet are always prating +with a great show of wisdom, but rather, in fact, of blind conceit. +Their silence would be of far more service to the cause of virtue than +their opinions. In many cases, it will be found that such persons are +not only ignorant, but dishonest. + +Again, there is the rich, moral, or religious man, who takes another +position. He opposes with the declaration "his sons will not gamble: +they have such good and moral examples," &c. This is sometimes a want of +consideration, that prompts them thus to speak; with others, a secret +villany, driving them to such ultra positions, a mere tattered garment +to cover their own moral deformity. They must oppose the reformation, or +be held up to public disgrace. In nine cases out of ten, the opposer of +this class, is, or has been, a participant in the works of darkness +whose exposition he so much dreads. + +Finding many disposed to act thus, and to teach their children to +imitate their own pernicious examples, I have made it a study to +demolish, if possible, the foundation of their positions. The success +attending my efforts to trace them out, assures me, that I am correct +when I affirm that two-thirds of all opposers are influenced in their +conduct by the basest of principles; one-sixth act through ignorance, +united with vice, and one-sixth are wholly ignorant and cannot be +morally accountable, if their want of information is in any way +excusable. But what may be still more startling, about one-fourth of +the whole are members of the various churches, yea, even men of this +class are found in sacerdotal robes. This fact came within my knowledge +long since. I felt it my duty to publish the same, but delayed, till I +should gain experience in defending my position. I was satisfied, +however, that the efforts of a certain New Light minister to traduce my +character and hinder my influence, must have been prompted from some of +the foregoing considerations. Would the world know who this man is? It +will be necessary to go to the very town where he lives to secure the +information. I doubt whether his name would ever have appeared in print, +but for his newspaper controversy, or in case of his death. His +unwarrantable attack put me on my guard, and caused me to search out the +ground of his base and unchristian treatment. One thing is very certain, +he is no gambler. It may not be a want of disposition, but rather a +sufficient amount of sense, to make him a proficient in the business. He +may be an ignorant dupe--a mere tool of the designing, the "cats paw" of +some respectable blackleg, who thinks to cover his own crimes, by +exciting public opinion against me, through an apparently respectable +instrumentality. But I did not wish to bandy words with him, being +impressed with the propriety of a resolution I made while a gambler, +that it is only throwing away time to attempt to account for the +different actions and opinions of weak and prejudiced minds; and +therefore I dropped the whole affair. I would have remained silent, but +for the position taken by other divines from his false and garbled +statements. Many have condemned me unheard, listening willingly to my +accusers, without hearing a word in my own defence. Not satisfied with +such an expression of their EXCESSIVE CHRISTIAN CHARITY, they have even +thrust at me through the public prints, for which, no doubt, they will +have the hearty amens of all gamblers, and it may be several dollars in +their pockets. Certain editors have joined in the same "hue and cry" +with their worthy compeers. The reasons were evident in their case. They +knew I was invading their dearest worldly interests. There were others +who only knew me from hearsay. Why should they become my enemies? It was +because I held in my possession secrets, whose exposition would make +many of them tremble. It would be to them like the interpreted +handwriting upon the wall. Hence they were ready to contribute their +talents and wealth, to sustain certain individuals as honourable men. I +could not have deemed it proper to expose "THE SECRET BAND OF BROTHERS," +had not duty, and my obligations to society, urged me forward. The +allegiance I owe to God is paramount to all other. The result is yet to +be experienced, by the better part of the community. Heavily was the +oppressive hand of this notable brotherhood laid upon me. My soul was +sorely vexed by their daring villany. + +In the county where I was bred, I have numbered, in one day, thirteen +who sustained honourable places in society, nine of whom were rich, +strangely rich in view of their facilities for acquiring wealth in a +newly settled country. Not one is a professional man. Few bear the +callous badge of industry and physical exertion upon their hands. +Several are, by an outward profession, Christians,--but invariably +opposed to all the benevolent institutions of the day and works of +reform, unless their views of what is the right course are fully met, +which are generally so extravagant as to preclude all hope of +co-operation. With these I had a severe contest. Well did they know, +there was something behind the screen which, brought to light, would +expose their villanous transactions, open the eyes of honest men, and +greatly endanger, if not destroy, their craft. That I had letters, +written by themselves, they knew--nor dare they deny it--letters which +might lead to a conviction of crime, that would raise them to a position +somewhere between heaven and earth. They may rest assured that I have +documents that place more than one thousand of them in a relative +position to law and society. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + +In a previous work of mine, called "GAMBLING UNMASKED," an allusion is +made to an evident conspiracy against my life, sometime before I became +a confirmed gambler. Goodrich was the name which I gave, as the chief +actor. This same doubly refined villain, it will be remembered, by all +who have read the above work, was foremost to aid in my arrest when I +made good my escape to the Pine woods, lying back of New Orleans. The +reader will likewise recollect, that I could not, at that time, account +for such manifestations of unprecedented malignity, on the part of one +from whom I might rather expect protection than persecution. But the +secret is out, and I now have the power to give clear and truthful +explanations. + +This Goodrich, who resides at the present time in or near New Orleans, +and who holds the rank of gambler-general in that city of Sodom, was an +old and advanced member of the "Secret Band of Brothers." Knowing, as he +did, that I was engaged in assisting the honest part of the community to +convict two brothers who were plotting my downfall, as a sworn member of +the above fraternity, he was solemnly bound to do all in his power to +aid in the consummation of my personal ruin. That the world might know +something of this Goodrich, (though the half cannot be told,) I gave, in +my autobiography, several incidents, in which he acted a prominent part. +What I then said will answer for an introduction. + +That he was connected with an organized association of gentlemen +blacklegs will not be denied. The proof is abundant. Nor was he an +apprentice, a mere novitiate; but long schooled in vice and ripening +year by year, he swelled quite beyond the bounds of ordinary meanness, +till he became a full-grown monster of his kind. Not content to gather +riches by common roguery, he sought out the basest instrumentalities as +more congenial to his real disposition. His chief riches were obtained +by dark and murderous transactions; and had he a score of necks, with +hempen necklaces well adjusted, I doubt whether he could pay the full +forfeiture to the law. + +From my first acquaintance with him at Louisville, with blood-thirsty +vigilance he sought my destruction. Here began the risings of his +malice, and this was the cause. In the year 1830, I gave information to +the city police in relation to Hyman, who, at that time, was the keeper +of a hotel. It was while at this house, that Goodrich became my +determined and implacable foe. I had been duped by two brothers, Daniel +and James Brown, who were then confined in the calaboose for passing +counterfeit money. Large quantities were also found in their possession. +I was their confidant, so far as prudence would allow them to make any +revelations. That they were guilty of the crime with which they had been +charged, no honest man could doubt, after being made acquainted with the +circumstances. Yet they would swear most stoutly, even in my presence, +that they were innocent, and that they had been deceived. I could not +but believe they were guilty, after having witnessed so many of their +iniquitous actions. Often have I been told by the wife of one of them, +that they could call to their assistance, if necessary, a thousand men. +Who they were and where they were, so ready to uphold these abandoned +men, I had, at that time, no knowledge. + +At length their situation became desperate. Already had they passed one +year within the walls of a gloomy prison, without the privilege of a +trial. They were required to give bail in the sum of twenty thousand +dollars each. No satisfactory bonds could be procured. The whole +community were incensed against them. They had for a long time trampled +upon private rights and warred against the best interests of the people. +They had set at defiance all laws instituted for purposes of justice and +protection, and they could not but expect a stern rebuke from all the +friends of morality and good order. The only prospect before them, upon +a fair trial, was a sentence of twenty years to the penitentiary. This +was by no means cheering, especially to those who had lived in ease and +affluence, whose bodies were enervated by voluptuousness and hands made +tender by years of idle pleasures. Crowds were gathering to witness +their trial, and waiting in anxious suspense the issue. Disgrace, public +disgrace and lasting infamy stared them in the face. They were put upon +their last resources, and necessity became the mother of invention. They +fixed upon the following plan to extricate themselves. + +Public opinion must be propitiated. An interest in their behalf must be +awakened by some manifestation that would touch the chord of sympathy. A +double part must be played. They would affect to change their +sentiments. In this they acted according to the laws of the secret +brotherhood. With them, any thing was honesty that would effect their +purposes. But to consummate their design, another object must be +secured--some innocent person must be implicated and made a scape-goat +for, at least, a part of their crimes. This game they understood well, +for they had been furnished with abundant means and instructions. It +required also deep-seated iniquity of heart, and in this there was no +lack, for they were the sublimation of depravity. They must also have +time and capital. These were easily provided, as will be seen in the +sequel. There was an individual with whom they had become acquainted in +Cleaveland, and upon whom suspicion had rested for some time. He was the +man fixed upon as their victim. Of course he was not a member of their +organized band. "Honour among thieves" forbids the selection of such a +one. It was necessary, however, that he should be somewhat of a villain. +Here also they exhibited much sagacity in the selection. It now only +remained to slip his neck into the noose that was in preparation for +themselves. All the instrumentalities being prepared to their liking, +they immediately set the infernal machinery in active operation. + +The first thing to be done was to change the direction of public opinion +as to the real perpetrator. It must be called off from the persons who +were now so hotly pursued, and put upon a different scent. The agents +were at hand--The Secret Band of Brothers. These "dogs of war" were let +loose, and simultaneously the whole pack set up their hideous yell after +the poor fellow previously mentioned. Many of them being merchants and +holding a respectable relation to society, and most of them being +connected with the different honourable professions, their fell purpose +was the more easily accomplished. A continual excitement was thus kept +up, by breathing forth calumny and denunciation against one who, +however guilty of other things, was innocent of the thing laid to his +charge. At the same time, the ears of the principal bank-officers were +filled with words of extenuation and sympathy toward the two brothers. +Their former high respectability was adduced. That they were guilty was +not denied, but they had been misled and seduced. Intimations were given +that the name of the real villain who had caused their ruin would be +given, provided they would ease off in their prosecution already in +progress. And then it would be such a glorious thing to secure the +prime-mover. + +By these fair and seemingly sincere pretensions, they soon kindled +relentings in the hearts of the prosecutors. How could it be otherwise? +for "they were all honourable men." Several of the individuals who +assisted in maturing the plan were men of commanding influence, in the +very town where I was bred. I had abundant opportunities to know them. A +proposition was finally made through them by the instructions of the +officers, that, as the brothers knew their guilt was fully established, +it would have a tendency to mitigate their sentence, if they would +expose the head man, by whose knavery many extensive property-holders +were threatened with total bankruptcy. This was the precise position at +which the secret band of brothers had been aiming. The next step was to +secure, if possible, the younger brother as "state's evidence" against +the appointed victim of Cleaveland notoriety, whom, for the sake of +convenience, I will designate by his name, Taylor. + +He was a man of extraordinary abilities and gentlemanly deportment. He +and the two brothers were mutual acquaintances. They had been +accomplices, no doubt, in many a deed of darkness. But as "the devil +should have his due," I am bound to exculpate him from any participation +in the alleged crime. That he was innocent in this affair I have the +fullest evidence. I was solicited by the pettifogger, (I will not say +lawyer,) for the brothers, to take a bribe for perjury, and swear poor +Taylor guilty of giving me five hundred dollars of counterfeit money, +which money he would place in my hands. Of this fellow, I will speak in +another chapter. The younger brother was now to declare himself and +brother as having been seduced by Taylor. It was to be done without the +apparent knowledge of the elder brother, whom we will hereafter call +Colonel Brown. It was to be communicated to one of the officers, with a +solicitation to keep it a secret from the colonel. He also had an +appointed part to play. The character he was to sustain in this drama of +well-concocted treachery, I will next present. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + +The colonel's physician advised him to take medicine, to reduce his +system, and give him the appearance of one rapidly sinking under a +pulmonary affection. He consented, as such a plan was considered the +most likely to succeed. It will be readily seen, that the design was to +work upon the sympathies of the officers, and thus procure his +enlargement. Nor were they disappointed. The colonel's health began to +fail. The drugs acted their appropriate part. Some of his friends made +vigorous exertions to have him removed to the hospital, declaring it +necessary for the continuation of life. Others were actively engaged in +giving forth intimations, and expressing their fears that he would die +before his trial came on, always taking care to assert their confidence +of his innocence. This was a mere ruse, to trick the officers into a +consent for his removal. But they had mistaken the character of the men +with whom they were dealing. They were not to be moved by exhibitions of +suffering humanity. Their hearts had become insensible to human misery +and they resisted all appeals to sympathy. + +There was now but one alternative for the friends of the prisoner. They +must apply the drugs more assiduously, till they made a mere skeleton of +their subject; and then try the virtue of the "almighty dollar." This +now seemed to be the only thing that would move the hearts of +seven-eighths of the police judges, marshals, wardens, and prosecutors. +Such were the administrators of public justice, at that time, in New +Orleans. The greater part were men, who, at some period of their lives, +had been steeped chin-deep in infamy. Some were men of wealth and +liberally educated. They were men who would shrink from giving an +account of their early years. Several were verging upon three score +years and ten. All the wealth they possessed had been plundered from +another set of villains, whose misfortune was, a want of sagacity in +escaping the rapacity of their more accomplished compeers. That there +were a few honourable exceptions must be admitted, but I could not with +a good conscience assert, that one-eighth of the police was as honest as +is generally the case with those city officers, for I have facts to the +contrary. + +The whole of that Southern Sodom at an early date had been inundated +with this "secret band of brothers," or this fraternal band of land +pirates. As they became wealthy they ceased their usual occupation, and +began to speculate in a different way. Having it in their power, they +would rob even their nearest friends, thus overleaping that common law +of "honour among thieves." They would do this with the utmost impunity, +whenever they saw proper. There was no redress. The very officers were, +many of them, under fictitious names and would assume deceptive titles, +for the more successful perpetration of their villany. + +The unfortunate prisoner discovered, when it was too late, that his +supposed HONEST BROTHERHOOD were not what their profession had led him +to believe. Poor fellow! he had not taken enough degrees to learn the +full "mystery of iniquity." Every effort was made to procure a light +bail, but it could not be effected. At last an arrangement was made, and +for a stipulated sum he was placed in charge of a committee, who had him +removed to the hospital. The colonel, by this time, was, to appearance, +very dangerously ill. He was removed to his new quarters, but not +permitted to regain his health, lest the spell of their deceit should be +broken. His visitors were numerous. To his face, they appeared his most +sincere friends. They seemed deeply interested in his welfare, and made +bountiful proffers of sympathy and assistance. His true friends, who +were capable of rendering him succour, were very few. He had many of the +lower class of the brotherhood, the novitiates, who were ready to act +energetically and in good faith. But the head men--the very individuals +who had reaped the spoils of his doings--were his worst enemies. They +had received the lion's share, without leaving the poor jackall even the +scraps, but turned him over, unaided, to the tender mercies of a felon's +fate. They had filled their pockets with the richest of the spoils, and +would not now contribute a penny to reward their benefactor. + +At this time, there were one hundred of the brotherhood in the city, who +might have procured bail; but gratitude found no place in their hearts. +They had also violated their oaths. Day after day would parties of his +old friends and neighbours visit him, both in the prison and hospital. +They would tell him that arrangements were in progress to effect his +escape. The whole, however, was false, as no action had been taken. The +prisoner depended much upon a delegation from Dearborn county, Indiana, +of whom he had a right to claim assistance; but they, like the rest, +proved traitors. I have counted thirty different men from that county, +who visited him from time to time. These, at home, were men of good +standing, equally respected with other citizens. Several were leading +men in all the moral and religious enterprises of the day, and generally +individuals of wealth. Two of them, I knew, made great professions of +religious enjoyment and zeal. One was a very strict church-going man, +but with the heart of a Judas. His hypocrisy was of such a deep and +damning character, I can hardly forbear giving his name. Duty might +demand his exposure, but for the injury that would be inflicted upon an +innocent family. These men may reform. I am delaying exposure. I hope +ere long to have an evidence of their sincere repentance, but fear they +are too far gone, too much in love with the wages of iniquity. They have +too long turned a deaf ear to the pitiful cries of the widow and orphan +whose ruin they have effected, whose natural protector they may have +robbed, leaving his injured family in penury and want. Some of these, +who were comparatively poor at the time of the colonel's downfall, in +1832, have since become rich. There is reason to fear that such sudden +wealth, obtained without any visible means, was not very honourably +acquired. It is seldom that honest industry will thus accumulate. The +letters I shall publish will be accompanied with explanatory notes. The +persons concerned will recognise their own productions, and I hope to +see such a change in their future life as shall deserve a charitable +silence. But I return from my digression. + +The sworn friends of the prisoner had forsaken him in the hour of need, +and left him single-handed and alone to meet the stern rigours of the +law. There was no remedy unless in his own stratagem, which was now +being matured. It was as follows. His brother was to remain in prison as +an evidence against Taylor, mentioned in the previous chapter, while he +was to assume all the responsibility of the counterfeit money, plates, +&c., as well as all the other villanies which had been charged upon them +conjointly. + +The colonel was very sick from the action of the medicines. He supposed +every effort had been made to bail him, but was greatly deceived. His +fate was sealed. A conspiracy was formed against him. He suspected foul +play, because his former associates did not come forward and bail him. +His removal to the hospital was only a pretence set up by them, that +might give more time to carry out their treacherous designs. He was a +prisoner, and they were determined to make him such the remainder of his +life. He had his friends, however, warmhearted, and true. He was almost +worshipped by the poorer members of the brotherhood. The richer part +envied him for his superior skill in his profession and general +popularity, and feared the consequences. In this he differed widely from +his brother, who was neither loved nor feared, and was only respected +from his relationship. When the plan was devised for the younger brother +to swear the counterfeit money and plates upon Taylor, it was intended +by these professed friends, that he should be caught in his own net, and +be thus prevented from rendering the colonel any assistance. The +consummation of this plan, I will next detail. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + +The younger brother was to produce various letters which had been +written to him from different parts of the Union, by different +individuals. That this could be done will be seen by what follows. The +colonel had been an extensive speculator in merchandise of almost every +kind. He was extensively known. His correspondence was wide-spread. In +his villanous communications, however, letters were never addressed to +him in his proper name, unless some one should labour under the +impression that he was an honest man. He used two fictitious names; the +one was George Sanford, and the other that of his brother. These letters +were placed in the hands of that brother for safe keeping. Thus the +colonel, to all appearance, only maintained an honourable and necessary +business correspondence. He consented that his brother should use these +letters if they could be made useful in helping him out of difficulty. +He was willing the letters should be produced and read, as the younger +brother had promised to bring forth the plates. In the mean time there +was an understanding between them, that no intimations should be given +as to the "secret band of brothers;" not a syllable was to be lisped +that would lead to exposure. + +To obtain the desired end, and give greater security, instructions were +given to the wife of one of the brothers to examine carefully all the +letters, and select out from them those of a specific character, and to +keep them sacred, subject to the order of the colonel. These letters had +been conveyed in a chest from Canada, where they had been preserved with +great secrecy. This chest was sent for in February, 1832, and arrived +the next April. Some three days after the reception of the trunk +containing these papers, information was given that the removed letters +had come, and were ready for the examination of those who were acting as +prosecutors of Taylor. By this time, public opinion had become so much +changed toward both of the prisoners, that a very little effort would +have secured their acquittal. They had acted with great skill and +prudence, and were in a fair way to succeed. This was perceived by the +leaders of the fraternity. They were unwilling such a man as the colonel +should escape. A deep plot was consequently laid and rigorously carried +out to thwart him in his efforts to escape the penalty of the law. His +trial was put off and the inducement held out that bail should be +obtained. All this was done to keep up appearances. His enemies dared +not openly provoke him. They dared not come out and proclaim their +hostility, for they well knew he had the means to expose them. To seek +his ruin by an open show of opposition would be to touch fire to the +train, that, in the explosion, would involve them all in a common ruin. +They must approach him, Joab like, and drive the dagger to his heart +while saluting him with professions of friendship. But his patience had +become wearied by a protracted sickness and continued disappointment. + +The letters above referred to were done up in packages of three hundred +each. I was present when the trunk was opened, and witnessed the +selection of many of the letters. The lady who assorted them threw +about one out of every thirty in a separate pile. I made no inquiry +respecting them, but my curiosity, as you may well imagine, was not a +little excited, especially as I observed several familiar names. The +lady finally unrolled six pieces of parchment, which were blank in +appearance. She folded them up in a square form of about six inches. She +then folded up some three hundred and seventy letters, and placed them +upon the parchment. Upon these she placed a written parchment containing +the copies of about six hundred letters, and having carefully enclosed +the whole in a sealed envelope, she placed them between two beds upon +which she usually slept. The remainder she packed up and sent to her +husband's attorney. Immediately she left the room to visit her husband +in prison. + +Scarcely had she retired, before my curiosity was intensely excited to +learn the contents of the concealed package. I ventured into the room +with the intention of satisfying myself. I no sooner placed my hand upon +the package, than I felt the blood seemingly curdling in my veins. The +thought that I was about to act the part of a dishonest man impressed me +deeply. I reflected a moment, and then dropped the package, and hastened +to leave the room. As I turned from the bedside, my desire to know the +contents of the package came upon me with a redoubled force. The passion +was too violent for resistance, for I was confident some of these +letters were written by men I had known from my infancy. Whether I acted +properly or improperly, an impartial public must determine; but after +thinking upon the subject a moment, I turned, grasped the package, and +bore it off under the keenest sensations of alarm and fear of detection. +I hastened down stairs and made my way to the house of a man by the +name of Watkins. He was a good man, and a sincere friend to me. His wife +was a kind-hearted and benevolent woman. I met her at the door, and told +her a friend of mine had given me this package to take care of, and I +would let her see the contents at another time. She took it and laid it +away; I then hastened to the prison to meet Mrs. B----, who I knew +expected me to accompany her, or to be present with her that day. Could +I get to the prison as soon, or sooner than she, suspicion of my having +taken the package would be lessened. I soon found myself at the prison +gate. The lady had not yet arrived. The prisoners were standing around +the door on the inside. I waited some ten minutes, when I heard B. say +he did not see what could detain his wife so long. I stepped to the door +and remarked that I had been waiting some time, and was expecting her +every minute. Immediately she made her appearance and remarked, + +"You have got here before me. I looked for you before I left." + +I had observed her looking into the room I occupied, when she was about +leaving the house; I, however, was in an opposite one, occupied by +another boarder. After conversing a short time with her husband, she +remarked, that she must return to the house, as she had left the package +where it might be found. She called upon me to accompany her. I did so, +and we soon arrived at the house. I remained below while she hastened up +stairs to her room. + +In a few minutes she came running to the head of the stairs and called +me; I immediately answered her. + +"Green," said she, "some person has been robbing my room." + +I felt as though I was suspected, for "a guilty conscience needs no +accusing." + +"What have you had taken?" asked I. + +"Oh! I have"----then she paused, as if studying what to say. In the mean +time, the landlady had heard her say she had been robbed, and hastened +to the place where we were standing, but being unobserved from the +excitement, was occupying a position at Mrs. B.'s back. + +"Oh! I have lost a package of letters, of no value to any person but +myself. They are family relics, but I will have them at the peril of my +life. I will swear that I have lost other things besides the papers, and +will get them back, or make this house pay well for harbouring thieves. +Mind, Green, what I have said. Keep mum, and I will have them back at +the risk of----" + +She was interrupted by the landlady, who very kindly assisted her in +finishing her sentence by adding--"at the risk of perjuring yourself!" + +Mrs. B. being startled, exclaimed, "Oh! no, madam, don't mistake me. I +only meant I would make a great stir about them--that I would offer a +reward to the servants, and at the same time let on as if something very +valuable was missing." + +"Of course I would not intimate, and do not, I pray you, understand me +as thinking that any person has taken them with the design of retaining +them. I have no idea that the individual having them, whoever he may be, +will be base enough to keep them from me. Some of them are very ancient, +and among the number are several sheets of blank parchment, which +belonged to my grandfather. I have preserved them as a memento. Their +loss would be a source of great grief." + +The landlady turned away, apparently satisfied with her statement and +forced apology. She then turned to me and said, + +"I will have those papers at the price of my life. If they are +lost"--here she made a stop and added, "I shall dislike it." + +I discovered an extreme anxiety depicted in her features--her breast was +actually heaving with emotion. + +"Green," said she, "has old Cunningham been about here to-day?" + +"I believe not," was my reply. "I have not seen him." + +"Well," she continued, "I hope he may never enter this house again, +though he appears to be the best friend that my husband and the colonel +possess. He pays strict attention to his business, at the same time, +which does not seem consistent." + +This Cunningham, so abruptly introduced, was a man quite advanced in +years, a member of the fraternity, and, considering his age, was a very +active and efficient agent. At this juncture, the old servant, who +attended to the room, entered. She (Mrs. B.) inquired "if any person had +been in her room during her absence to the prison." The servant tried to +recollect. While he delayed, my heart palpitated violently from fear, +lest he might say he had seen me enter her room. I was on the point of +confessing the whole matter. I felt that I was suspected. At this +critical moment he broke the silence--a silence burdened with anxiety to +the lady as well as myself, by remarking that he had seen the old +gentleman (meaning Cunningham) "go up stairs, and he thought enter her +room." + +"I have it!" exclaimed she. "He has got them." I need not tell the +reader I felt greatly relieved, that there was at least the shadow of +evidence, which would serve to clear me and implicate Cunningham. The +lady appeared to be intensely excited. I was in doubt what course it +would be prudent for me to pursue. Finally, I went to the house of +Watkins, and told him that the package I had given him was of no value +to any person but myself; that it was made up of various articles of +writing, containing hundreds of names, many of which were familiar to +me. He looked them over in a cursory manner, and remarked, + +"I think there must be witchcraft in these. The letters, though very +simple, bear upon their face a suspicious appearance." He, however, +agreed to preserve them with care. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + +After my interview with Watkins, I felt greatly relieved. I hastened to +the hospital to see the colonel, as was my custom, often several times a +day. I found him surrounded with visitors, all of whom appeared to be +affected while in his presence. He needed sympathy. His mind was +tortured. His whole life seemed made up of successive throes of +excitement and desperation. His heart was torn by conflicting passions. +His confidence and affection for former friends were evidently waning. +If any remained, it hung like the tremulous tones of music uncertain and +discordant upon its shivered strings. After the principal visitors had +retired, the following individuals, three from Lawrenceburgh, two from +Cincinnati, one from Madison, and one from Frankfort, made their +appearance, accompanied by one of the colonel's legal advisers. They +counseled with him for some time. The legal gentleman remarked, at the +close of the mutual conversation: + +"It will do. I have conversed with your friends," calling his two +principal attorneys by name. "They say something of that kind must be +done. It will have a powerful effect. T. cannot ward off such licks as +we will give him." + +The meaning of this fellow was, that bribery could be effectually used. +This man, who thus offered to subvert, by the basest of means, the +claims of public and private justice, was so lost to shame and +self-respect, that he verily thought it an honourable and creditable +act, if he could render himself notorious for clearing the most +abandoned scoundrels. It argued the most deep-seated depravity, to +commit unblushing crime and then glory in his infamy. He heeded not the +means, so he accomplished his end. He would not hesitate to implicate +himself, for it was but a few days after this, when he offered me a +bribe, as before stated, and likewise the counterfeit money. (I here +have reference to the five hundred dollars, to which I referred in my +work called "Gambling Unmasked.") + +After the party had retired, the colonel said in a few days he would be +able to secure bail--that they were waiting for an intimate friend,--a +wholesale merchant from Philadelphia. He then conversed with me more +freely, and told me much about his enemies in Dearborn Co., Ind., and +also his intimate friends. Said he: + +"You may live to hear of my success in making some of those Dearborn +county fellows glad to leave their nests, which they have feathered at +my expense." + +It was the next day after this, that I made known to Mr. Munger the +fact, that a bribe had been proffered me to swear against T., in favour +of the brothers. Some two days after, I received the note containing the +information respecting the hidden treasure. See the work above +mentioned. + +These circumstances, with the excitement occasioned by the loss of the +package, created a great sensation, especially with the friends of the +colonel and his brother. Fear and jealousy were at work with the whole +banditti of public swindlers. They knew not on whom to fix the +imputation of purloining their valuable papers. Cunningham was +suspected, and likewise Spurlock, another old confederate, who had +frequently visited the room of the unfortunate lady. Sturtivant, one of +their principal engravers, was thought to be implicated, and even one of +their pettifoggers was on the list of the proscribed. They did not fix +upon me till several days after. The circumstances of this suspicion I +will now detail. + +The Lawrenceburgh members had not complied with their promises. One was +waiting to turn his produce into cash, and when he was ready to fulfil +his engagement, no action could be taken, because his fellow townsmen +had their excuses for delay and non-concurrence. The Philadelphia +merchant had arrived, but suddenly left, as the report says, "between +two days." Two others of the intended bail were among the missing. I +carried a letter to another, who owned a flat-boat. I went on board and +found his son, but learned that the father had gone up the coast on +business, to be absent several days. The son took the letter, broke it +open, and read it. He told me to say to the colonel that his father was +absent and had written to him that he intended starting home in a few +days, probably by the next boat. I went back and bore the message. The +lawyer who had given me the letter cursed me for permitting the son to +open it. The colonel turning over on his bed, and fastening his eyes +upon the enraged attorney, with a mingled expression of anger and +despair, said, + +"I am gone, there is no hope for me. I see, I see, they have robbed me +of my property, my papers, poisoned, and then forsaken me. I have not +much more confidence in you than in the rest." + +"My dear colonel," said the implicated sycophant, "do you think I would +ever treat so basely a client so liberal and worthy as yourself," at the +same time wiping his cheek as if a tear had been started by such an +unkind imputation. + +He then requested me to go for Mrs. B., and tell her, he requested her +presence at the hospital. I went in search of the wife, but did not meet +with her. I found some ten or fifteen of the band awaiting her return. +Night came on, and she had not yet made her appearance. I perceived they +were in great perturbation. + +This same day my room had been changed to a small apartment in close +proximity with the one occupied by Mrs. B., separated only by a thin +board partition. About two o'clock at night she came home, accompanied +by two females. One left in a few minutes, as she had company waiting +for her at the door. The other remained and entered into conversation +with Mrs. B. I laid my ear to the partition and could distinctly hear +every word which was spoken. I heard Mrs. B. say, "I have searched in a +satisfactory manner, and am convinced that some one has removed the +earth. I did not expect to find it, after my husband told me some one +had answered him in my name and taken the note." + +I was now satisfied that she had been in search of the money I had found +at the root of the tree, on the corner of Canal and Old Levee streets. I +could not hear the opinion they entertained, but the strange female +remarked, that + +"Colonel Goodrich suspects him, and will certainly catch him, provided +he has got it." + +"I do not think he can have it," said Mrs. B.; "I have never seen the +least evidence of guilt; besides, the colonel," meaning her +brother-in-law, "says he is perfectly harmless." + +I was then convinced that it was myself they were talking about. My +fears were awakened, so much so that I passed a very restless night. + +Early the next morning I hurried away to Mr. Munger's room and laid open +my fears. It may be proper to state in this connection, that this Mr. +Munger, whom I made my confidant, was the United States deputy-marshal. + +The search above referred to was for money which had been hid by +Sandford, and he, at his death, had informed Mr. B. where he had +deposited it. The particulars, together with the manner by which I came +in possession of it, are detailed in "GAMBLING UNMASKED." + +I found Mr. Munger in his room, and related the incidents of the past +night. He said he could not understand their meaning. I could, but I did +not tell him that the letters had been taken. For the want of this +information, things looked mysterious. He told me not to fear, but to +flatter those who had requested me to perjure myself, with a prospect of +compliance with their wishes. I went from his room to my boarding-house, +and from thence to the hospital. Here I found the colonel surrounded +with some twenty citizens, who resided in and about Wheeling and +Pittsburgh, all members of the fraternity. Some were men of great +respectability in the community where they lived, and doubtless remain +so to the present day. They held out flattering hopes that bail would +yet be secured, but all left the city in a few days, without rendering +any assistance whatever. + +The preliminaries for the trial were arranged. Taylor was indicted. The +younger brother being state's evidence, had an encouraging prospect of +acquittal. Unfortunately, the colonel had taken a wrong position at the +start. He had been betrayed by those of the brotherhood who had the +influence requisite for assistance. The cheat had been carried so far by +fair and continued promises, it was now too late to retrieve himself. I +felt deeply interested for him. He was a noble specimen of mankind. He +possessed abilities worthy of a more honourable application. He bore all +his misfortunes with unexampled fortitude. The night after his Wheeling +and Pittsburgh associates had betrayed his confidence, he conversed with +me for some time. The main topic of his conversation was about certain +men who resided in Lawrenceburgh and its vicinity. He gave recitals of +things which had been done by men living in and near that place, which +cannot be contemplated without a feeling of horror. I was actually +shocked and chilled, especially as I knew the actors. The whole seemed +to me like some dreadful vision of the night, and I could hardly believe +the evidence of my senses in favor of actual perpetration. The colonel +continued: + +"They fear me; they are seeking to crush me while professing the +greatest friendship." He paused after adding, "to-morrow I will give you +some advice which will be of everlasting benefit. Be careful that you do +not mention it." + +Having returned to my boarding-house, I was very closely interrogated by +Mrs. B. and the aforesaid pettifogger, in reference to my absence. + +"Where had I been all night, and what had detained me from my meals the +day before?" + +I told them, at which they eyed one another closely. Mrs. B. observed-- + +"I think the colonel must be hard run for assistance, to keep two or +three constantly waiting on him." + +To this I made no reply, but ate my breakfast fast, and returned to the +hospital. I found Colonel Brown very restless. During the day several +men, from different cities and towns at a distance, called. Three +remained about two hours with him. They were from Charleston, on the +Kanawha river, Va. After they retired, he lay in a doze for about an +hour, when he was awakened by the arrival of four visitors, accompanied +by his physician. One made a stand at the door of the colonel, three +came in, while the doctor, with the fourth, passed along the gallery, to +see some other of the inmates. I soon, learned that two of the three +present were from Nashville, Tenn.; one a merchant, the other a negro +trader. When they began conversation, I stepped to the door. They talked +very rapidly. One said his friend from Paris, Tenn., would be down in a +few days with several others, from Clarksville. The colonel listened to +them with patience, and replied: + +"They had better come, and not disappoint me." + +These three left. In a few minutes the physician, in company with the +fourth, came to the door. The doctor made a short stay, leaving the +other man in the room with the colonel. + +It was a matter of surprise to witness the liberty that was extended to +visitors, as well as the prisoner. He had a guard, it is true, but the +steward of the sick rooms had been ordered not to permit any one to +enter the apartment without a pass, signed by the Board of Trustees; yet +all who wished to visit were allowed a free ingress, and no questions +were asked. I had been taken there at first by Mrs. B., after which I +had free access. But to return. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + +The man left there by the doctor, I knew. After viewing him closely, +consider my surprise, when I recognised a person I had known from my +first remembrance. It was the man who was said by his son to have gone +up the river, and, as I supposed, had returned home. It was the usual +custom of this man, not to go with his flat boats, but being ladened and +committed to skilful pilots, he took passage upon a steamboat and waited +their arrival at the place of destination. He seemed very much +disconcerted in my presence, but I said nothing to strengthen his +suspicions that I knew him. He cast several glances at me, at every +convenient opportunity. When he left, it was near night. I was requested +by the colonel to go to my supper and then return. I went away, and +being weary I laid down upon my bed, from which I did not awake till +daylight. On examining my clothes, I found some person had rifled my +pockets. My wallet was robbed of one paper, which contained a list of +names, but nothing else. Fortunately, however, I had written the same on +my hat lining. I expected to have heard something concerning the +affair--especially the record of names, but in this I was happily +disappointed. + +Having eaten my breakfast, I went to the Custom house. The United States +court was then in session. Hundreds of the colonel's acquaintances were +there every day. They were frequently giving their opinions as to the +issue of the trial. Some entertained one opinion and some +another,--their chief conversation was in reference to the two brothers, +and their connection with Taylor. One of the group I discovered was from +Lawrenceburgh, Indiana. I knew them all, and with the exception of this +one, they extended to me the hand of friendship. They seemed glad to see +me, and were in fact honest men. He, however, did not seem friendly, +though he did speak, but at the same time gave me a look of +disapprobation, as much as to say, you have no right to be in company +with such honest men. I paid no attention to his looks, as I knew him +better than any man in the crowd. He knew he had laid himself liable to +detection, and hence did not wish me to be in communication with his old +friends, lest I might become an informant. He rather desired to have +them discard me, but as they were upright, unsuspecting men, they did +not give heed to his conduct. They conversed freely, and tried in every +way to amuse me. At length he discovered there was a growing sympathy in +my favour, and assumed another attitude to secure my departure. He began +to talk somewhat in the following strain. + +"I know Green is a smart boy, but they say the Browns have him here to +run on errands, and he is strongly suspected of not being what he should +be, in regard to honesty." + +One or two of the honest countrymen spoke in my behalf, and the whole +was turned off in a jovial way, not wishing, as I suppose, to injure my +feelings; at which he, with a sigh that bespoke the consummate +hypocrite, added: + +"Well, Green, God bless you. You had a sainted mother, and I always +respected your old father, but you boys, I fear, are all in the downward +road to ruin. You had better return home and be a good boy. Beware of +the company of the Browns, as you know they are bad characters, and that +I, and many others, held them at a distance, when they were in +Lawrenceburgh." + +The rest of the company retired while he was thus lecturing me so +sanctimoniously. + +No one can imagine the feelings I then had. I was at first confounded, +then enraged, to witness the conduct of that black-hearted villain, he +little suspecting that I knew him to be the very man that was in the +room the day before, dressed in disguise. How could I feel otherwise. +There he was lecturing me about duty, as if he had been a saint. It is +true, he sustained that character at home. I had known him for many +years as a leading man in the very respectable church to which he there +belonged. Had I not been satisfied of the base part he was acting, when +I met him the day before in disguise--his hypocritical lecture might +have been beneficial. But I discovered he was an arrant knave--a real +whitewashed devil, and I could with difficulty refrain from telling him +my thoughts. I left, wondering how such a Judas could go so long +"unwhipt of justice"--how he could avoid exposure. Probably it was by a +change of dress. + +It was now time I had visited the hospital, to show reason why I had not +fulfilled my engagement on the previous evening. The colonel received me +with a welcome countenance, and remarked, he "was glad I had returned, +for," said he, "I feared you had gone away." + +I told him I was weary when I went home; that after supper I had laid +down to rest a few minutes, and slept longer than I intended, and that +was the reason I had not returned. He was satisfied with my excuse, and +introduced another subject. He inquired if I had heard any news, or seen +any of the Lawrenceburgh citizens; and if so, had his name been +mentioned? I replied, that it had been the principal topic of +conversation, some speaking well of him, and others illy. He then wished +to know, who had spoken evil of him? I told him the man's name. + +"And he talked about me, did he?" inquired the colonel. + +I replied, "He has spoken very hard things against you, alleging that he +never associated or had any dealings with you." + +"He told you, he never had any dealings with me? What did you think of +that?" + +I answered, "When you resided in Lawrenceburgh, I was too small to +notice such things." + +I answered thus designedly, for I had seen him walking arm and arm with +the colonel, time and again, but I was afraid to let the colonel know +that I had even a moderate share of sagacity. + +"Green, how often have you seen him," continued the colonel, "and where, +since you have been in the city? You know his son said, he had returned +home, a few days since, when you carried him the letter." + +I told him I had not seen him before, since I came to the city. + +"Are you certain of that?" + +"I am confident I have not seen him." + +"You are mistaken," said he, "you met him yesterday." + +I knew what he meant, but dared not let him know that I had recognised +him. Again he interrogated me: + +"Do you not recollect him?" at the same time eyeing me with an intensity +of expression. I replied that I was certain I had not seen him. + +"You are mistaken," said the colonel. "You met him here yesterday. He +was the man that remained after the doctor had left." + +"It cannot be," I rejoined. "You must be mistaken, as I was certain that +man had light hair, nearly red." + +"It was him, Green," said he. "He had a wig on, but for your life +mention not a syllable of this to your best friend. He is a villain of +the deepest dye, and I know him to be such." + +I, of course, agreed that I might have been mistaken. + +"He knew you," continued the colonel, "and was the worst frightened man +I ever saw, for fear you would recognise him. I am glad you did not, for +it might have cost you your life." + +"I suppose, then, colonel," said I, "he intends furnishing you with +bail, does he not?" + +"He did not manifest such a determination, did he, when you met him?" + +I replied: "He might have had his reasons for acting as he did; it may +be, it was to find out whether I knew him as the person I met here +yesterday. You say, colonel, then, I actually met him yesterday?" + +"Yes, he is the very villain. I know enough about him to make him +stretch hemp, if he had his dues." + +I told him he was esteemed by many, where he lived, to be a very good +man. + +"Yes, they respect him for his riches," said the colonel; "but they +would not respect either him, or many of his neighbours, if all knew +them as well as I do." + +After this, he proceeded to give me the promised advice, and addressed +me thus: + +"Green, I believe you are a good boy, but have been imposed on by the +world. I am about to give you some advice. I feel it right I should do +so. I am in bad health, and can never recover, and my only object in +procuring bail was to secure a decent burial, but I have no hope. Green, +I tell you this, that you may know the condition in which you are +placed. You are surrounded by a set of devils incarnate, and you know +them not. You are just entering upon a life of misery and crime. You can +now see, to a limited extent, what has caused me to lead a wretched and +abandoned life. As soon as you can, leave this place. You know not your +danger. You have about you some desperate enemies. I have told the most +inveterate of them, that they were mistaken as to your character." + +I here inquired what they accused me of. + +He continued, "Of being treacherous to one of the brotherhood, of which +my brother is a member." + +"I never knew before that such a society existed," said I. + +"They accuse you of three different crimes. You know whether there is +any foundation for the charges. First, that you agreed to swear against +Taylor; then, after the spurious money was placed in your hands, you +gave the facts to Taylor's lawyer, and that your evidence will now be +used in his favour. If such is the case, I advise you to abandon such a +purpose, for you will certainly lose your life if you persist in this +thing." + +I denied to him any such intention. + +"Well," said he, "what have you done then with those five +one-hundred-dollar notes given you by one of the assistant attorneys of +my brother?" + +I replied, "They are in my chest." + +"If such is the case, it will make every thing satisfactory in that +matter." + +I now left, and went to Mr. Munger, and related the substance of my late +interview. He handed me the notes that I might make good my declaration. +I took them immediately to the hospital. When I entered I found two +merchants, who resided at Memphis, in close conversation with the +colonel. He told me to call again at two o'clock. About that time, I +returned. The visitors were gone, but the colonel appeared much +distressed. Some new event must have added to his former anxiety. + +"I wish you," said he, "to bring those notes and let me see them." + +Having them in my pocket, I presented them to him. + +"I am glad you have them. You have been strongly suspected of foul +play--of giving them into the hands of the defendant." + +I was well convinced from this, that it was one of the clan who had +rummaged my trunk and pockets a few days previous. I then asked him, +what else they had laid to my charge? + +He replied: "A man by the name of Sandford gave information to my +brother, that a certain amount of money had been hidden by him. Sandford +died, and gave the money to my brother, and gave directions where he +could find it. My brother prepared a note for his wife, and told her +where she could find the money, and my brother reached the note to the +wrong person." [See GAMBLING UNMASKED.] "Some person told him you were +the receiver; that they had seen you take the note." + +I knew, however, that no one had seen me take it, that the whole was a +mere conjecture--a plan to worm a confession out of me. Hence I denied +it stoutly. + +"I do not believe it myself," affirmed the colonel, "but the whole clan, +remember, dislike you; among others, a negro trader, by the name of +Goodrich. He has marked you out as a transgressor, and is determined to +put you out of the way." I have mentioned this same Goodrich, once +before. He is well known as one accustomed to sell runaway negroes, as a +kidnapper, who lives with a wench, and has several mulatto children, and +probably does a profitable business in selling his own offspring. + +I replied, "I do not know Goodrich, and know as little about Sandford's +money." + +"Well, Green, I believe you are innocent of the two first accusations, +and hope you may be of the third." + +But now came the "tug of war." These others were only a preparatory step +for a fearful inquisition. I knew what was coming, and mustered all my +fortitude to meet the exigency. If ever there was a time when I was +called upon to summon my collected energies, to express calmness and +betoken innocence, it was on this occasion. The colonel, fixing his +eagle-eye upon me with severest scrutiny, proceeded: + +"A certain package of papers has been taken, which has produced a great +excitement, and has caused me serious injury." When he mentioned PAPERS, +there was a sensible pause, and a piercing look which exhibited a +determination to detect the slightest expression of guilt. I was enabled +to command myself, however, in such a way, that I think I satisfied him +I was not guilty. + +In reply, I asked the colonel "Why they should accuse me of acting so +base a part?" + +"Unfortunately for you," said the colonel, "you have been seen talking +with the friends of Taylor." + +I replied, "Perhaps I have, for I cannot tell who are his friends, or +who his enemies." I likewise asked him if he thought it possible I could +or would do any thing to injure him. + +"I think not," said he, "yet mankind are so base and deceitful, I have +but little confidence in any one. I will now show you how dreadful must +be my position in regard to the package, and then you can understand why +its loss will go so hard with me." + +I listened with the utmost attention, and he entered upon this part of +the subject as follows: + +"I am a member of a society called 'THE SECRET BAND OF BROTHERS.' It is +an ancient order, of a religious (?) character. The leading members +carry on an extensive correspondence with one another. All letters of +business are subject to the order of the one who indites them, allowing +the holder the privilege of retaining a copy. I had many letters written +by leading men in my possession; besides a large package of copies. +These with the original letters have been taken. Now, Green, you promise +secrecy, and I will give you the whole plan, so far as in my power, and +you can then judge how seriously I shall be affected if those papers are +not recovered. + +"At the time of my arrest, on the charges for which I am to be tried, +my friends were numerous and wealthy, and I had the utmost confidence in +all their promises. The excitement was intense, and I did not deem it +proper to call upon them until it should subside. After waiting a +suitable length of time, I wrote to many of my acquaintances, and, among +others, to several whose names are familiar to you. They were under +personal obligations to me, aside from the common claims of friendship. +They had made their thousands by plans of my own invention, and much of +the very wealth which had given them distinction and influence was the +fruit of my ingenuity. To my letters they made ready and satisfactory +replies. They made the largest promises to give me any requisite +assistance, when called upon, yet as often left me in suspense, or to +reap the bitter fruit of disappointment. This was the reason why my +trial was put off during several sessions of the court. My brother +having been indicted with me, made the prospect of both more dubious. I +had property, but not at my disposal. My wife betrayed my confidence, +for having it in her power to send me pecuniary aid, she neglected to do +it; indeed, all her conduct had a tendency to involve me in the net that +was spread for my feet. Through her, information was given that I had +friends who would assist me, which served as an excuse for her +dereliction. This awakened the suspicions of community. There was an +anxiety to know who would step forward to my rescue. Hence those from +whom I expected aid became alarmed, lest their characters, which had +hitherto been unblemished, should come into disrepute. Two of them are +merchants in Dearborn county, Indiana. Some five of the most wealthy men +of that county were driven almost to desperation when they learned that +my wife had it in her power to use their names in connection with deeply +dishonourable acts. I, however, satisfied them that she would not expose +them, and they in turn promised to assist me, writing several letters of +commendation in my behalf, giving me an untarnished character as a +merchant of high respectability in Lawrenceburgh. From time to time they +promised to secure me bail, and yet they as often failed to make good +their word. In this they violated the most solemn obligations. We were +pledged to sustain each other to the last farthing, in case either +became involved in difficulty. That pledge I had never broken, and I +looked for the same fidelity on the part of my associates. I never +before had occasion to test their sincerity, but found all their solemn +promises a mere 'rope of sand.' I found I was gone, as far as they were +concerned, and turned my efforts in another direction." + +"I now had recourse to my friends in Chillicothe, Cleaveland, Buffalo, +Detroit, Zanesville, Beaver, Lexington, Nashville, Philadelphia, New +York city, Boston, and Cincinnati. As usual, they gave me the most +liberal promises, but in no case fulfilled their engagements. I was now +driven to new measures. I found those in whom I reposed the utmost +confidence hollow-hearted and treacherous. I next entered upon the plan +of making a certain villain share in my wretchedness and disgrace. In +this I was joined by my brother, who, in perfecting the scheme, acted +somewhat imprudently. I advised him to take a different course, but he +listened to others who professed to befriends to us, and were, indeed, +members of the same fraternity,[1] but turned out the worst kind of +enemies, especially those who were wealthy. The poorer members were true +to a man, and I am confident will remain so; and if I am spared, I will +make the wealth of the others dance for their vile treatment. I have a +thousand men who but wait my call. When I say the word, though they are +of the same brotherhood, yet having also experienced the treachery and +oppression of the higher class in common with myself, they will make war +upon them whenever the signal is given." + +Here he stopped for a few minutes, and then began to state the little +trouble it would have given his friends to have aided him if they had +felt disposed. + +"But I am an invalid, and God knows I do not deserve such treatment." +(The reader may think it strange that such a man should call upon his +Maker, especially when he reads the constitution of the secret conclave, +of which he was a member. The phrase "God knows," was used often in his +private conversation.) "These persons I have always considered my +friends, and have never given them occasion to be any thing else. +Finding, however, that I had no hope from them, and that I must stand my +trial, I was willing to make use of other means. I therefore agreed to +proposals made by the most wealthy of my friends, and yielded to their +arrangements, in order, if possible, to escape punishment. There was a +man by the name of Taylor, the same whose trial is now pending, whom +they feared, and who was known to community as an accomplished villain. +He was the person selected upon whom it was designed to heap the burden +of the guilt. By that means, the attention of our prosecutors would be +diverted. The plan was set in operation, and soon the infamy of Taylor +was sounded from Maine to the confines of Texas. They had their agents +in almost every city to help on the work. From the first, I had but +little hope of success in this manoeuvre, but consented reluctantly to +the trial. I was confident he had many enemies, and not without cause. +Having been foiled in all my former plans, I now experienced the deepest +anxiety. I was especially solicitous that as long a time should elapse +as possible before he was arrested. Some time after the report of his +guilt he was arrested, and my brother promised to secure evidence to +prove him guilty, and likewise to establish my innocence. It was also +agreed by the committee of arrangements at that time, that I should take +medicine upon a feigned sickness, in order to secure a change in my +situation. In this way I could be removed to the Marine Hospital, when +reported by the committee of health as being in danger. I was to appear +ignorant of my brother's design, of which in truth I was. I took +medicine, which had the desired effect. It made me desperately sick, +producing excessive prostration. Application was made for my removal to +the place where you now see me. Being conveyed hither, arrangements were +made for my bail by my supposed friends. I was persuaded that I should +continue in this state of unnatural disease from that time till the +present. My brother carried on his treacherous part, and it required no +little effort to convince the community that Taylor was really guilty +of what was charged upon himself. Although he was known to be a +desperate man, yet the charges were of such a nature, it was most +difficult to sustain them. My brother's main dependence was in the +fraternity. He founded his hope of success upon a concert of action +among so many, apparently reputable witnesses. Some of them would be +used in behalf of the state, and consequently receive regular pay for +time and services, and at the same time could employ a false testimony +against Taylor. Two objects could be thus secured; first, they would be +detained as witnesses and used as necessity required; and, secondly, be +ready to make up my bail. My brother further gave community to +understand, that he would be able, by the production of certain papers, +to convince them of all that had been rumored against Taylor. For this +end, a quantity of papers were forwarded to this city, among which were +some bearing my name, that were mere business letters. The ordering +these letters was not approved by me. It was a plan of my brother. When +it was discovered by several of my most intimate friends, they became +alarmed, thinking I was concerned in the affair. As the fraternity +required, by their constitution, that all letters should be returned at +the request of the author, permitting the holder to take a copy, it +became my duty to comply with this requisition whenever made. There was +a great alarm. Many visited the city with whom I had held +correspondence, whose letters had never been returned. They learned as +to the disposition that was to be made of the papers, and report said we +were about to give each individual's name concerned, as we were +intending to turn state's evidence. This accounts for the many +different visiters you have seen. You also saw several from +Lawrenceburgh, and the very man you said spoke so disrespectfully of me, +and gave you the long moral lecture, is here on the same purpose--the +same individual you met two days since, whom you designated as having +light hair." + +I here found his strength would not permit him to pursue the narrative +further, and upon his promising to resume and finish the subject the +next day, I left the hospital. + + +[1] When he spoke of this fraternity, I then supposed he referred to +some of the benevolent societies of the day. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + +In returning to my boarding-house I was met by the blackleg pettifogger, +who treated me with great coldness. I met him again the next morning at +the prison, and he treated me in like manner. But I was especially +anxious to hear what more the colonel had to say, and hastened to his +room. He began his account where he had left off. + +"This man, who was dressed in disguise, was greatly alarmed, lest +certain of his letters in the package should come to light, which had +not been retained. He started for home, as stated by his son, but +returned to secure his letters. You have witnessed the tremendous +excitement which exists, the running to and fro, and the many strange +visitors that frequent my room. There is a cause for all this which I +will now relate. + +"My brother sent for those papers, which, upon arrival, were submitted +to his wife that she might select the most important to be produced as +testimony in court against Taylor. In accordance with directions, she +examined them all and laid aside all the business letters, (meaning the +package lost,) which in some way have been mislaid or stolen. These, you +are accused of having taken, and also of having taken a note that was +reached through the grate by my brother, as he supposed to his wife, but +it proved to be some other person, and they suspected you as that one. +They also charge you with giving information as to the man who gave you +five hundred dollars, and also that he used my name, saying at the same +time, 'If you will swear that money on Taylor I will make you a rich +man,' and that you concerted in this thing to act a deceitful part." + +I replied: "I promised to take the money and swear according to +directions, but it was not for any respect I had for the man who offered +me a bribe, or the pecuniary compensation, but for you and your +brother." + +"Green," said he, "have no respect for my brother. He has not an honest +heart. He would betray his own father, and be sure that you refuse to do +what the pettifogger has advised." (See a full account in Gambling +Unmasked.) "Green, take care, or you will lose your life. You have +enemies that watch you closely. They also watch me, but I cannot help +myself. I wish you well and believe you innocent." + +This last was uttered in a suppressed and pathetic tone, and I perceived +his eye was intently fixed upon mine as if he would read in its +expression the secret workings of my heart. I was determined he should +not effect his purpose, and managed to evade his glances. + +"I am aware of their foul intentions," continued he, "but know not how +to evade it. Green, I have all confidence in you as an honest boy, and +do not think you would do any thing to injure me, but have thought you +might have had a curiosity to know the contents of some of those +letters, and have mislaid them with the intention of giving them back +when you had read them." + +I again protested my innocence, and solemnly declared I had no knowledge +of the package. + +"Then," exclaimed he, "I am a doomed man. There is no hope, and I will +tell you the reason why. + +"You know I have had many friends calling upon me, day by day, from all +parts of the country. You have seen among them some of the most wealthy +in the town of Lawrenceburgh. They are my sworn friends and all members +of a Secret Society, which obligates each one, under a most solemn oath, +to assist a brother member out of any difficulty, provided he has not +violated his obligations. Now my brother has acted most imprudently in +pledging himself to produce certain papers, and to bring other witnesses +besides himself against Taylor. These men were apprehensive that we had +mutually laid a trap to expose the whole band. This has involved me in +the most unjust crimination. I am subjected to the charge of conspiracy, +and hence you see how difficult it is to procure bail. It is true I have +had promises from all parts of the Union, but my brother concerted, +without reflecting upon the consequences of his conduct, to bring one +thousand men, if necessary, to this city, who would be ready to do any +thing he might direct. These men were brethren of the same band, but of +a lower order, none of whom were possessed of wealth or extended +influence. The others, who possessed both, were kept in silence, for +fear of being betrayed or proving false to the fraternity of which they +were members. That we are circumstanced as you see us at present, is not +for the want of friends. They are abundant and powerful; we have them on +sea and on land, and they are ready to assist us out of any difficulty, +and would do it in a moment if assured that all was right on our part. +You see the city is full of them--many have come to secure their +letters, which they knew were in my possession, and if exposed, would +bring upon them certain ruin,--but alas! they have come too late. You +will notice I have had no visitors while I have been giving you this +history. I told the steward to admit none but yourself. Be assured, +Green, I have many friends, but they dare not act--they dare not help me +and they dare not convict me. You may live to know the truth of what I +am stating." + +I inferred, from the last remark, that he had reference to the +judiciary. I had noticed that during his two days' conversation, no +person had visited the room but the physician and a certain judge who +lived near Florence, Alabama, and the latter remained only a few +minutes. I found out his name by seeing it written upon his hat lining, +which had been placed upon the window opening on the piazza. After the +judge had retired, the colonel resumed the conversation. + +"I am accused by my friends with treachery to the brotherhood. They +think that I, in concert with my brother, have laid a plan to clear +ourselves by their downfall. When the news was out that the papers were +lost, I saw the most marked indications of hostility. They came forward +and pledged to bail me in any amount, provided I would return their +letters, but swore that I should never go from this room alive, if I did +not produce them. I am certain to suffer death. My sentence is fixed, +and I have no hope. My brother and his advisers have ruined me. They +have had me borne hither that I might not understand their plans. I am +satisfied the papers are in the hands of the intimate friends of my +brother and those who had manifested such an interest in my removal to +this place. I have been reduced by medicine, and my inability to +exercise--so contrary to my general habits--has seated a fatal disease +upon my lungs." + +His disease had been occasioned by the constant use of medicine, which +exposed his system to cold, and this, by constant repetition, had +entirely destroyed his constitution. I have no doubt that a slow poison +was mingled in his medicine. When he had finished this tale of sorrow, +he gave me some affectionate advice in something like the following +words: + +"Green, I advise you to leave the city as soon as possible. There are +two parties of the 'secret band' that seek your life; those who are so +much enraged at the loss of the papers, because their reputation, +fortunes, and lives, are thereby in jeopardy, and those who are the +personal friends of my brother, and who support him, do or say what he +may. They take his word with the infallibility of law and gospel, and +are by profession great friends of mine, as well as of the other party, +who swear they will have those papers at all hazards, right or wrong; +meaning if you have them, they will obtain them in some way; that if I +have them they shall be returned. I therefore advise you to leave the +city immediately." + +I told him I had no funds. + +"I have not one dollar," said he, "to help you off, or I would give it +to you." + +I told him I was under great obligations for his kindness. He further +remarked: + +"Now pledge me secrecy to what I have related, for it can have no effect +in assisting you, and will ruin me." + +I did so, and bade him farewell. I hastened to see Mr. Munger, and told +him what the colonel had said about the counterfeit money and the money +I had found by Sandford's note, but not a word as to the mysterious +package. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + +Shortly after the events detailed in the foregoing chapter, I had a +conversation with Mr. Munger, who told me, he was satisfied that my life +was in danger, and advised me to leave the city for a few weeks, or, at +least, to change my boarding-place, and keep myself in seclusion. +Accordingly, I changed my quarters as soon as possible. I could not well +leave the city, as Mr. Munger informed me I must be present to appear in +court when Taylor was tried, in case the younger brother acted the part +he had promised; and if not, it would be equally important for me to be +on hand, as they intended to indict him and his pettifogger, for their +wicked designs upon the man they were endeavouring to ruin. As I could +not go far out of the city, under these circumstances, I considered it +more safe to remain concealed: I waited, therefore, several days, until +the colonel's death, which occurred not long after I bade him farewell. + +I had met Cunningham--the old man at first charged with having the +package by Mrs. Brown--several times after the colonel had advised me to +leave the city, and in our last interview, he gave me to understand that +the colonel would never get out of his bed alive, or leave the hospital, +except when carried to his burial. I asked him, why. + +"There are many reasons. His health will never be any better; he cannot +recover from his present illness. I know it is hard, but there are many +who think it is preferable that one should suffer than thousands, who +consider themselves better men. He has brought this trouble upon +himself, by not living up to his oath. He and his brother are both +traitors, and have placed the fraternity, of which they are members, +entirely in the power of their enemies, but it will all come out right; +there is no mistake. You heard that Madam Brown had lost a certain +package of papers, letters, or the like, did you not?" + +I replied in the affirmative. + +"Well, they believed for a time that I had them, or would have made +others think so; but that kind of accusation would not take with men who +knew me. They next laid the charge against you: I have satisfied the +interested party, that they are not in the possession of either of us, +but that the colonel and his brother have them, and intend thereby to +slip more necks into the halter than poor Taylor's. I am of the opinion, +their own necks will pay the price of their treachery." + +I then replied, that I knew Mrs. Brown had said she had lost a package +of papers, but what they contained, I knew not. + +"Nor ever will know," said he. + +"I have no curiosity about the matter," I replied. + +"And you might as well NEVER have, for curious people will pay dearly +for reading them, especially if they undertake it in court, as evidence +against the brotherhood." + +The reader can hardly imagine the intense desire that was created, by +this time, in my heart, to learn all about this "brotherhood," and +"fraternity," so often introduced, and yet so obscurely as to give me +no certain information. + +I took this opportunity to ask Cunningham, what title this society had +assumed; whether they were Masons or Odd Fellows? He laughed, and said: + +"I thought I had explained some of the particulars to you." He then +stopped, as if to consider, when he continued: "Certainly, Masons and +Odd Fellows both, and all other good institutions--but, I can tell you, +Green, the brother who has turned state's evidence swears terrible +vengeance against you. Do you be careful. He has many who are watching +you. I belong to the party opposed to him and the colonel, and they +throw all the blame upon you. You are the victim of their suspicions and +hate, and you will do well to leave this place without delay; but tell +no one, by any means, that I have given you this information." + +I bade him good day, and we separated. + +I now thought I would call once more, and see the colonel. I hastened to +the hospital, but as I drew near, I discovered two men riot far from the +steps, and the third coming down. I walked by them, without being +recognised, and as I passed, the third man had entered into conversation +with the other two. + +He was asked, "Is it a fact, that he is dead?" + +"Yes, certainly. He has been dead about three hours." + +"I knew," said one, "that he could not stand it long." + +Two of the men, I perceived, were from Lawrenceburgh, the two who stood +remotely, one of whom was the identical person who wore the wig, and +gave me such good fatherly instruction. I passed to the room, where I +found the steward, with three assistants, laying out the corpse. + +"We do not wish any more assistance at present," said the old French +steward. I understood his meaning, and left immediately. + +The news of the colonel's death soon spread through the city, and many +gathered to witness the burial, but owing to the inclemency of the +weather, few followed to the grave. When the hearse bore the body away, +it rained very hard. I did not make my appearance on the occasion, for I +well knew that many would be present to relieve their anxious minds--to +rejoice rather than mourn over the dead, and who would sooner see my +dead body deposited by that of the colonel's, than any other on earth. I +was determined not to be mourned for in that way, by the desperate +villains. I therefore kept aloof from their society. + +Several days elapsed, during which time I remained in concealment from +all the clan, but Cunningham, who expressed a concern for my welfare. I +also had frequent conferences with my friend, the deputy-marshal. Three +days after the colonel's death, Cunningham informed me, that he was +convinced that both of the Browns deserved death. + +"But I dare not tell you why," said he, "and if I should, you would not +be able to comprehend my reasons. Be assured, if they are guilty, the +other brother will never come from that prison alive. He will find out, +that the brotherhood are wide awake." + +All his insinuations were perfect Greek to me, for some weeks after; but +when Taylor had his trial, the whole matter was explained. Their import +I will now unfold. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + +From the time the plan was concocted, for making Taylor suffer the +penalty of another's crime, the utmost promptitude was required for its +execution--the machinery must be actively employed by the friends of the +colonel, and his brother. First, the colonel must be made sick, and a +sympathy thereby awakened, and hence the plea for his removal would be +the more plausible. His enlargement was important. He was a principal +man, with whom it would be necessary to have much consultation--an +intercourse more vital to the cause of his pretended than his real +friends. Besides, there were many who really desired his escape, but +being among the first class of society, as to wealth, respectability, +and influence, they were unwilling to frequent the prison to visit the +unfortunate colonel. Though interested deeply in his release, they were +not willing the public should understand that they were sworn friends. +The part the younger brother was to sustain, has already been detailed +in a former chapter. The medicine was administered with the desired +effect, and the colonel was removed to the hospital. He was now in a +situation to be consulted. Many would now visit him, who never would +have gone to the prison. If a reason was required for their familiarity +with so base a man, it could be found in the dictates of kindness, +called forth by suffering humanity. After his removal, his brother was +under obligation to do as he had promised, to produce the spurious +plates, the counterfeit money, and the correspondence, and swear them +upon Taylor, as the real agent and proprietor. As the signatures of the +letters were anonymous, other testimony was required to establish the +real author. + +It will be remembered that the plates and letters were in Canada for +safe keeping, and must be sent for, and conveyed to the city before the +trial of Taylor could proceed. In the mean time, jealousy and consequent +dread on the part of the colonel's confederates were daily receiving new +strength. Conscious were they of having acted a most dishonorable and +deceitful part with one of whom, under ordinary circumstances, they were +accustomed to stand in awe; but now they were more especially +apprehensive of danger, because there was a provocation for seeking +vengeance. They knew he had every means to involve them in a more signal +overthrow than that which awaited himself. The only alternatives were, +either to wrest the weapons of destruction from his hands, or render the +possessor incapable of wielding them. They were driven almost to +desperation, when they reflected on their deeds of wickedness reaching +through many years, the record of which was in the hands of a powerful +and justly provoked enemy, who in a day might spread out for the gaze of +the world the portraiture of their former characters, in which were +mingled the features of darkest villany and the more glaring expressions +of open violence and crime. Goaded on by an awful apprehension, they +were prepared for any thing that might save themselves and families from +exposure and disgrace. + +Colonel Brown was a Grand Master of the band of Secret Brothers. The +members of the fraternity who sought his ruin were of the same degree, +together with those holding the relation of Vice-grand Master. He had +nothing to fear from the common brotherhood, who were kept in perfect +ignorance of the transactions of those more advanced. Indeed, they were +his warmest friends, and regarded him with especial reverence, because +he commended himself to their confidence and esteem by his naturally +good disposition, and, most of all, by his relation of Grand Master, +which is always accompanied either with dread or marked respect. The +inferior order was very numerous, but seldom wealthy, generally of a +suspicious character, who had no fixed residence, but wandered from +place to place, preying upon the community in the character of +bar-keepers, pickpockets, thieves, gamblers, horse-racers, and sometimes +murderers. They may be found in all parts of the United States and +Canada. These were controlled by some two hundred Grand Masters, +conveniently located, who were generally men of wealth and +respectability, and often connected with some learned profession, yet +but seldom applying themselves to their profession sufficient to gain a +livelihood. These men, of both orders, would often confer together, +especially when one had been detected in any crime--or some dirty job +was to be done, which was likely to bring into the hands of the superior +order any considerable wealth. In fact, these so-called respectable men +would lay plans which they dared not execute for fear of detection, but +having any number of agents in readiness among the common brotherhood +who had nothing to lose in point of character, they would employ them, +and if successful, be sure to pocket all the spoils--except enough to +satisfy the immediate wants of their jackals. If they were not +successful, but detected in their villany, these unfortunate agents +could lay claim to their aid, and were permitted to make drafts of money +to procure bail in case of indictment or to defray the expenses of a +trial. We have sometimes wondered that certain felons should get clear, +when their guilt has been established beyond a doubt. We will not wonder +when we learn that there are men of wealth and influence in almost every +town, who are sworn to aid and befriend these villains. They are +sometimes lawyers, and jurors, and even judges. But their conduct and +relations will be more clearly seen, when I publish their letters and +constitution. It is only necessary to remark in this connection, that +the only persons really benefited in this organized system of land +piracy, are their Grand Masters. They lay most of the plans, and receive +and control the money,--confer among themselves, but never with a common +brother, only using him as a tool for the accomplishment of some foul +purpose. Here is policy. It would not be safe to commit their secrets to +the many hundreds under them, but only to such as are judged suitable +after years of trial, and those beneath are often looking forward for +promotion, which is a pledge of their fidelity. The reader will perceive +that if this higher order was ever to be fully exposed, it must be by +some one of their own number, for one of an inferior degree knows no +more of their proceedings than the uninitiated. + +The danger of a full exposure now threatened them in connection with +Colonel Brown; at least they apprehended it. They knew they deserved it, +and the circumstances of their accomplice pointed in that direction. He +had the means--their own letters, and a knowledge of their deeds. It +was only necessary to give information to a third person, and the work +would be done. Besides, he was a man of extensive acquaintance and +influence--a ruling spirit among his fellows. A revelation from him +would have been direful in the extreme, as, in addition, he had in his +possession the constitution and by-laws of the fraternity, which were +always lodged with the ruling Grand Master. Under these circumstances we +need not wonder that there was excitement, that every expedient was +employed to rescue the documents or make away with their possessor. He +was now in confinement. It was vital to their designs to keep him there +till they could secure the letters and constitution above referred to, +or, in case of failure, make his life pay the forfeit. They cared but +little for his brother, as he was of an inferior grade. The Grand +Masters, then in office, had but one object in view, and that they were +intent upon accomplishing. The acquittal or conviction of the two +brothers was a matter of no consequence compared with their own personal +safety. To secure this they would not scruple even to commit murder. +That this is the case, will be seen by an article in their constitution. +I may further remark in this connection, that their laws required, that +the Grand Master shall be assisted by six Vice-grand Masters, but these +latter cannot be admitted into the secrets of the former till they are +promoted, although they are obligated to do his bidding. The members who +had been advanced to the highest degree, and hold the principal secrets +of the order in connection with the colonel their leader, were about two +hundred. These were the individuals conspiring against his life, in case +they could not procure their letters and other documents. Their main +and first object was, therefore, to bring those papers to the city. + +The papers were sent for, as before stated, and all their designs, of a +public and private nature, set in active operation. Of this the colonel +had no knowledge at the time. Mrs. B. was to give them up to the +committee appointed for the purpose of inspecting them. All that would +have any tendency to injure or expose the fraternity, if brought to +light, were to be selected, and the rest brought forward for the purpose +of convicting Taylor. The intention of bringing these papers to the city +being, in the mean time, made known to the colonel, he gave directions +to his sister-in-law to reserve such papers as he specified, and hand +the balance over to the committee. The trunk in which they were +deposited having arrived, Mrs. B. acted according to directions, +reserving the notable package which she concealed between her beds, +while she conveyed the residue to the prison office for legal +purposes--to be used by the committee, who met there by consent of one +of the prison keepers--he being a Grand Master of the secret band and +one of the principal policemen. After delivering up the papers, she +returned and found her valuable deposit had been removed as previously +stated. + +The fact of their removal being made known to the brotherhood, they +thought some base person had robbed the lady of her important charge. +This opinion prevailed with the fraternity generally. Not so with the +two hundred grandees. Their opinion assumed the character of their +former suspicions, while their suspicions were converted into fact. They +were now fully convinced that the colonel contemplated the destruction +of their order, and was intent upon keeping the papers in his own +power: that he had even entered upon the act of defeating the very +purpose they had in view, in bringing those papers to the city. At this +time the city was crowded with the members of this secret society, and +private rewards were offered by the two hundred or that portion of this +band then in the city, for the recovery of the papers. These rewards +made a great stir, especially with the officers of all parties, both +those for and against the colonel. Taylor was a mark to be shot at by +about seven-eighths of the band, and the remaining one-eighth was ready +to go to the highest bidder, to do service for him who would give the +highest wages. He found means to secure the friendship of the latter, +many of whom were considered quite respectable men, and were never +suspected by the brotherhood of any thing dishonourable. The head men +constituted still another party. Thus these villains were divided into +three factions. These were the friends of Taylor, known as Taylorites, +and the supporters of Brown, called Brownites. These only were publicly +known; while the third party, embracing the royal grandees, were +actively engaged in disengaging themselves from the coils which they +supposed had been deliberately laid for their destruction. They showed, +by their efforts, they had more at stake than all the rest. Though their +movements were not publicly recognised, yet they had every influence +that would favour their cause in operation, to consummate their hellish +purposes. + +The constitution, by-laws, and about one thousand and three hundred +letters, including copies and original, were missing; and the destiny of +the whole band of Grand Masters depended upon their recovery, before +ever they fell into the hands of one who could explain them to the +brotherhood; and still more calamitous would be the condition of the +entire fraternity, if they were ever revealed to the public. Those more +immediately concerned were confirmed in the opinion that the colonel had +secreted them for future use. Finding they had not accomplished what +they intended, in bringing the papers to the city, they had recourse to +a certain clause in the constitution, to compel the colonel to produce +some of them, if in his possession. That clause required the holder of +an original letter to return the same, when requested by the writer, +after copying, if desirable. This law applied, however, only to letters +having the secret "qualities," or, in other words, the private +description of the bearer in full, which was written in acid, and could +be read only after subjection to chemical action. Three hundred and +seventy-nine of the letters in the package were of this kind; one +thousand were copies, whose original had been returned. The former had +been written to the colonel, and one bore date as far back as July 9th, +1819; the latter had been addressed to various individuals, and some +bore date as far back as 1798. + +To secure these letters was a work of great delicacy. Though the +constitution granted the right of asking the unreturned letters, yet the +writers feared to make the requisition of the colonel, lest he might +suspect them of a conspiracy, and being thus exasperated, let loose his +engines of destruction. They finally fixed upon the following plan. They +were to hold out the idea that they were ready to bail him, provided he +would leave the country. In case he consented, they were to request the +retention of the letters, feeling confident he had not destroyed them. +The plan was laid open to the colonel by the man from Dearborn county, +Indiana, the same who was dressed in disguise. He was told by the +colonel that the papers (meaning the package) had been taken, and he +could not furnish them, as he had no possible knowledge who had done the +deed. This reply, to the council of Grand Masters, was like "a clap of +thunder in a cloudless sky," so confident were they that he had them and +would produce them when thus requested. There was now only one +alternative, the life of the colonel must be taken, which they could and +did accomplish, as the sequel will show. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + +From the time of the visit by the Dearborn county man till the death of +Colonel Brown, embracing about six weeks, there were constant and fierce +wranglings among the fraternity. A considerable change had been made in +the feelings of some of the colonel's former sworn friends, which of +course made those who knew him innocent more bitter against any one they +might suspect guilty of bringing such a calamity upon him. His friends +and foes were equally interested in finding the retainer of the lost +package, but all to no purpose. There was, however, but one sentiment in +the Grand Council; they still believed that the colonel had them, and +designed, as soon as he was liberated, to make a general exposure of the +whole organization to the world. But their own consciousness of personal +injury--of having acted a treacherous part against this man--was, in +reality, the ground of their conviction as to his guilt; for it was not +in the nature of the man to be false to his pledged honour. It only +remained that they should prevent his liberation; and the most effectual +way was to act in accordance with the assassin's maxim, "Dead men tell +no tales." Their hatred rose to such a pitch that they began to exhibit +their enmity toward any one that either sympathized, befriended, or was +even familiar with the colonel. Here was the ground of their deadly +animosity toward me. They supposed I was his confidant, and might be an +agent for the execution of his designs. + +These murderers,--(I ask no pardon for so harsh an epithet, for they +were such in thought and deed,)--these Grand Masters, who visited the +colonel while I waited upon him, and thus became personally known, have, +ever since that event, assumed a hostile attitude toward me. It is true +they have never attacked me publicly, yet I am confident they have hired +others to do it. From the time I drew the money put in deposit by +Sandford, and bore off that object of curiosity, so carefully concealed +in the bed, until the day I was chased as a mad dog by an infuriated mob +through the streets of New Orleans, and finally made good my escape +through a troop of less hostile cotton snakes, as recorded in my +Gambling Unmasked, I was singled out as an object of open and private +hate by the whole tribe of organized desperadoes. To recover those +papers, no steps were too desperate for the Grand Masters--they having +any amount of money to accomplish their object; and I am now about to +present the reader with another exhibition of their daring and +indefatigable perseverance. + +They now came to the conclusion that those papers had been given to the +officers of the bank, and were deposited in the clerk's office of the +United States court, to be used against them at some future day. They +offered rewards to several of the inferior grade, for the purpose of +getting possession of the box containing the plates, counterfeit money, +and, as they supposed, the lost package. Their only hope now lay in +getting that box. The time of Taylor's trial had been fixed. Mr. Munger +informed me I could leave the city for a few days, and he would let me +know when my services were wanted. I went to Bayou Sara, one hundred and +fifty miles above New Orleans. A few days after my arrival, Mr. Munger +came after me in great haste, bringing the information that a great and +daring burglary had been committed the same night I left the city. The +clerk's office had been entered, and the box, containing Taylor's +indictments, plates, and spurious money, had been taken. Taylor's jury +had not agreed, and he would get clear, in case the box could not be +recovered. He informed me that I had been suspected and accused of the +deed; but that he knew I was innocent, for he had inquired of the boat, +and found I had left on the previous night, some time before the robbery +was committed. He did not wish any one to know that he had any knowledge +of my location, but told me I had nothing to fear. Indeed, I knew I +could prove an ALIBI by more than one person, and I consented to return. +While on our way back to the city, I told Mr. Munger I did not wish to +go into the prison where the younger Brown was confined; I feared he had +some designs upon my life. + +"Do not have any apprehensions," said he, "on that account. You will not +be hurt, for you will be put into the debtor's apartment, where Brown is +not permitted to visit, and of course can have no chance to do you an +injury." + +I was placed in prison upon my return--a position of greater safety to +me than any other. Being assured by Mr. Munger of protection, I went +without hesitation--expecting to be released the next day. The next +morning I was brought out and informed, to my great surprise, that if +discharged I must furnish a very heavy bail. This was a source of alarm; +but my friend calmed my fears, by saying that all would be right when I +was examined; that the excitement was great, and it was only necessary +to wait for the return of the Lady of the Lake--which was on a trip to +Natchez, and would be back in a few days--when abundant evidence in my +favour would be secured, and I would be acquitted. + +In a few days, I was accordingly set at liberty. The plates and papers +had been found in Natchez, and a man by the name of King had been +arrested--who confessed the crime, but alleged that he had been hired by +a certain party to do the deed. This King was one of the brotherhood, +and had been employed by the committee of Grand Masters to enter the +office and secure for them the box, by which they expected to obtain the +package. In this they were mistaken, and placed in a worse dilemma than +before. + +On the day of my discharge I was visited by a man, to me unknown. He +informed me that he had procured my acquittal, and was my sincere friend +and well-wisher; that he desired always to remain the same--and would, +during life, on condition that I acted in accordance with his wishes. + +I considered him a strange person, to introduce himself in so singular a +manner. He advised me to leave the city as soon as possible. I told him +that was my intention. I likewise informed Mr. Munger of the same, and +he readily consented, as Taylor's trial had been put off. Arrangements +being made with him, I expected to leave the next day. In the mean time, +I had an interview with Cunningham, who told me I must look out, for +the brotherhood in general suspected me of foul play as to the papers. I +denied all knowledge of them--for I found it my only safety to pursue +one uniform course. + +He continued: "The party are determined to have them at all hazards, and +are now more convinced than ever that you are in the secret. All the +circumstances are against you--more especially since the custom-house +was broken open, which robbery was perpetrated for the express purpose +of finding the papers. It was thought if the colonel had disposed of +them, they would be found there; but now they will hold you responsible. +I bid you farewell." + +On the same evening I had this conversation with Cunningham, I went with +Smith to the gambling-house: the same day, too, on which I won seventy +dollars in the flat boat--the first and dearest money I ever won at +gaming, as it nearly cost me my life--the full account of which is given +in the work previously mentioned. + +On the second day after this, as I was about leaving for Mobile, I met +the gentleman who had procured my release. He advised me to depart +forthwith, promising to meet me at another time. As we were separating +he placed in my hands a box. + +"Here," said he, "is a box, containing something I wish you to keep with +great care. You must not open it till I give you permission." + +I took the same. It was a small box, made of oak, three inches high, +eight long, and five wide. Its possession gave me much uneasiness for +twelve years--during which time I remained faithful to my instructions. +I frequently met with my benefactor. The last time I saw him was in +Philadelphia, in 1841. I have received from him nine letters, in all, of +a good moral character, and always referring to the box. This +individual's name I have never been able to learn. No two letters ever +bore the same signature, but the identity of their contents convinced me +they were all from the same person. That mysterious box I have preserved +to the present day. + +It will be remembered by the reader that I confided the papers, taken +from Mrs. B., with a man by the name of Watkins. This individual died +with the cholera, in 1832. I called upon his wife for the package, who +returned the same to me at Cincinnati, in 1833. I found every thing as I +had left it, excepting the blank parchments. They were gone. Here was a +mystery I could not solve. How should a part be missing and not the +whole? I never gained any satisfactory information until last summer. +While travelling through the state of New York, I had occasion to visit +the state's prison, where I met with a certain convict who passed by the +name of Wyatt, but whose real name was Robert H. North. He gave me +information about a certain "FLASH," or comprehensive language used +among professional gamblers and blacklegs. Many of the phrases were +familiar, but I never could ascertain their origin. He was soon +convinced of my ignorance, and then informed me of the society whence +they originated. He likewise explained the reason why I was so +persecuted by the notorious Goodrich. "It is known," said he, "wherever +the fraternity exist, that you obtained the package; but they are +satisfied you destroyed the same, and it is well you did, or else you +would have been put out of the way long before this." + +I told him I had taken the package, but there was nothing in it save +letters and a few blank parchments. + +He laughed and said: + +"If you had WARMED those parchments, they would have presented an +exhibition worthy of your attention." + +This information made me restless with excitement and anxiety to peruse +those letters and notes which I still had in my possession. I may here +remark, the letters were, for the most part, unintelligible to a common +reader, because of the secret language in which they were written. I had +examined them again and again, without much satisfaction. I knew they +were penned for the purpose of clandestinely carrying on a wholesale +plunder--a deliberate imposition upon public and private rights. By +frequent perusal I had become familiar with many of the terms which were +often explained to me by those who were acquainted with their use, +though they are used by thousands, without any knowledge of their +origin. + +After I commenced an exposure of the vice of gambling, I was often +attacked by certain low, vulgar editors in a manner that indicated +deep-seated malice. I could not account for their abuse. They would +admit that society should be rid of the evil in question, but at the +same time exhibited the most bitter hostility to me as one who had dared +to expose the abominations of gaming. I was conscious there was +something that moved them in their work of calumny not yet developed. +The mystery rendered me unhappy. I was anxious to know the cause of this +public opposition, and the more so, that I might satisfy the people +that the whole arose from influences akin to the vice I was labouring to +destroy. The secret was soon discovered, and I am now prepared to +satisfy the public mind that the attacks upon my present relation to +society have arisen from something more than an ignorant prejudice. +These hireling editors knew I had the materials to draw their portraits +at full length in all their moral hideousness; and they feared society +would be thrown into spasms at the sight, and they would be hurled from +their stations of trust by an enraged and insulted people. It has only +been necessary in one or two instances to give them a few hints of the +information I possessed, and they were hushed up INSTANTER. + +A long time had elapsed since I heard from the mysterious stranger who +gave me the box,--long enough, I had supposed, to free me from +obligation of further restraint upon my curiosity. It had now been in my +possession several years, and I felt myself at liberty to examine its +contents. Having consulted with a few friends previously, I then made +known, in the fall of 1842, to Rev. John F. Wright--formerly of the +Methodist Book Concern, Cincinnati--that I had such a box, and my +intentions. I likewise gave the same information to Arthur +Vance--formerly of Lawrenceburgh, Indiana--Mr. John Norton, of +Lexington, Kentucky--Thomas M. Gallay, of Wheeling, Virginia. I informed +each of them how I came by the box, and the unaccountable conduct of the +man who placed it in my hands. Having opened it, I found the same number +of parchments I had missed from the package, all blank in appearance. In +these was a note, which read as follows: + +"THE PARCHMENTS, NOW IN THE HANDS OF THE POSSESSOR, CONTAIN MUCH SAD +INTELLIGENCE, AND CAN BE READ, PROVIDED THEY ARE HEATED. THEY ARE +EXPOSED BY A BROTHER OF THE BAND, A DOOMED MAN, ONE THE WORLD HAS KNOWN +TO ITS SORROW FOR FORTY YEARS. MAY THE OWNER AND HOLDER CONSIDER THE +DOOMED ONE A MOST KIND FRIEND FOR EVER! + +"New Orleans, May 3d, 1832." + +I soon hastened to ascertain the contents of the parchments, and found +the statement made correct. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + +The contents of these papers are such as almost stagger belief, even in +the most credulous. They not only go to prove the existence of a league +of villany, but also laid open the machinery by which their wickedness +was concealed; still, from many incidents of my own life, and from what +I have learned by observing events which have transpired around me, as +well as from narratives of undoubted truth which I have heard, I am +constrained to believe that the band above alluded to does now exist, +and that it has flourished for a long time, with astonishing power. + +I have reason to suppose that many of the band settled in and about +Lawrenceburgh, Indiana; and from the year 1800 to 1827, they were very +numerous, and some of them wealthy; they were mostly close traders, who +turned every cent they got, honestly or dishonestly, into real estate. +Many of them, also, were well educated, and composed the _aristocracy_, +while the _poor honest_ man was crowded down by these _influential +members of society_. + +There are now three classes of wealthy men in that neighbourhood: the +honest, whose property was obtained fairly; the members of the band; and +some, of whom I am doubtful whether they belong to the band or not. If +they do not, they are villains by nature, and do not need their +assistance. + +In the year 1846, I delivered a lecture at Lawrenceburgh, in which I +exposed this band, and showed the manner in which their correspondence +was carried on. The old members of the band had art enough to persuade +the doubtful rogues that they were the persons alluded to, and they +believed it. Whether conscience had any thing to do with their belief or +not, I do not pretend to say; but the community generally seemed quite +ready to grant them that honour. It was very amusing to notice the +difference between the conduct of the guilty and that of the innocent, +in relation to the exposure. The "Brotherhood," all at once, were very +much concerned about the fair fame of their neighbourhood--called me a +slanderer, and in fact caused a much greater excitement against +themselves than would have occurred, had they kept still; while the +honest citizens quietly asked for the names of the "brothers," and +whether any of their relations belonged to them; they begged me to go +on, and expose every member. + +Since 1802, many robberies have been committed under circumstances which +strongly indicate that such a band existed. Public agents, and other +highly respectable citizens, have been robbed of funds which they held +in trust, and no trace of the robbers could be found, and no curiosity +seemed to be excited by the fact. Sometimes the person robbed shared in +the spoils, and sometimes they were innocent; and it has sometimes +happened that the innocent man was suspected. The honest citizens of +Lawrenceburgh have, for forty years, known what a curse it is to have +bad neighbours. + +During the excitement occasioned by my lectures above mentioned, a +resident of Lawrenceburgh related the following incident, which is only +one among many which might be named to show the nature of the +transactions in which these men engaged, and their facilities for +carrying them out. I will give it as nearly as I can recollect in his +own words: + +"During the year 1832, a stranger came into the town of Lawrenceburgh, +and for several days was noticed in the public places watching every one +who passed, as if looking for some one. At length he came to me, and +told me that he wished my assistance in the business on which he came, +but that it would be necessary to keep the matter secret. I answered, +that if it were proper, I had no objections to secrecy. He then related +the following facts as introductory to his business. + +"He resided in Ohio; some eighteen months previous a friend had been +induced to purchase a large drove of hogs for the market; he made the +purchase on credit, with a promise to pay when he returned. While he was +preparing to start, Daniel and James Brown bargained and contracted for +them, to be delivered at a certain landing on Lake Erie, at a certain +day, at which place and time they promised to meet and pay him. He +gathered his drove, and proceeded to the landing, where he arrived +several days before the time appointed. He was there met by some men, +who told him that Brown had been there, and left word for him to drive +the hogs to a landing two or three days' journey further on, where he +had made arrangements to butcher and pack them. He went as directed; he +found neither of the Browns there, but found the men who had directed +him before; they informed him that they had orders to commence killing +and packing the hogs, and that Mr. Brown would be there that day, or +the next. He consented, and the hogs were killed and packed. A merchant +at the landing advanced money to pay the man, and also furnished salt, +and barrels on credit. On the day that all was finished, the two Browns +arrived, bringing with them another large drove. They pretended to be +very much surprised to find our friend there, and much more so to find +the hogs butchered. They declared that they had not bargained for the +slaughter of the hogs, and that they contracted for them in another +place, and would have nothing to do with them here; that he had broken +his contract, and they should demand heavy damages. He sought for the +men who had directed him hither, but they had dispersed as soon as paid, +and no trace of them was to be found. He told the Browns how he had been +deceived, but they denied all knowledge of the affair, and again talked +of damages. The merchant then presented his bill for supplies, and money +advanced to butchers and packers. Our friend not having the money, he +seized on the pork. What could he do? The case was desperate. He had +bought on credit; would his pitiful story satisfy his creditors? His +character was ruined. You may imagine the state of his mind. At this +crisis, the Messrs. Brown took him aside, and told him that since he was +in difficulty, they were willing to befriend him, and to show him how he +could soon make money enough to pay off his creditors. An oath of +secrecy was required and given. They then offered to settle the +merchant's bills, which were very extravagant, and pay him for the pork +in counterfeit money, at twenty per cent., with which he was to buy +stock through the country. In his despair, he consented; a few days +after he was detected, arrested, and tried, under a false name, and +condemned to the Ohio penitentiary. His friends, remaining entirely +ignorant of his fate, began to suspect foul play. The Messrs. Brown +effected his pardon, and hurried him away; but not before he had +contrived to make known his story, and the fact that he was under +restraint among a band of bad men, and that he could not escape without +assistance. He was never heard of more. + +"The stranger gave me his address, and requested that I would keep an +eye upon the people who should come there, and if I should see the +Browns, or hear of his unfortunate friend, that I should let him know. +He had visited Lawrenceburgh, because that was the former residence of +these two men, and he hoped to see them; but being disappointed, he was +compelled to go back to the family of the lost neighbour without having +received any intelligence of his fate." + +The reader will have seen by this time, that, probably, the whole +transaction was arranged before the man bought the first hoof of that +drove of hogs. Some emissary of the Browns advised him to speculate in +pork; to use his credit, which was good, and he did not see the Browns +till he was preparing to start. They make him liberal offers, because +they never intend to pay, and it matters little what they offer. He then +sends some of the meaner members of the gang to the landing, to order +him a few days' journey further, and there they meet him again, and +butcher, and pack the hogs. They are well paid for their villany by the +job, which they take care to make a fat one. The merchant was paid for +his part of the rascality by the profit on his stores, and perhaps by a +bonus out of the money advanced. They then thought that if they could +implicate him in any unlawful business, he would tell no tales about +them; accordingly, they entice him, or rather drive him to the +counterfeit trade. But conscience makes bad men cowards, and they felt +uneasy, so, by means of some of the band, they have him arrested; the +proof is so positive that he must be convicted, and the poor fellow was +thrown into the penitentiary. But even here they did not consider him +safe, although under a false name; so, through the influence of some of +the _aristocracy_, they get him pardoned; and then the moment he is +free, they meet him, tell him of all they have done for him, and propose +a new scene of action. Poor fellow, what can he do? He goes with them to +this new scene of action, but in all probability he finds it a state of +_rest_, for "dead men tell no tales." + +Thus, for the paltry price of a drove of hogs, was an honest man ruined, +and, for fear of detection, murdered. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + +Probably in no era of the world, and certainly never among a Christian +people, was there formed a more bold, daring, and, at the same time, +secret association, than the one whose constitution and by-laws we now +present to the reader. Composed of men of all classes and grades in +society, from the priest at the altar, the judge on the bench, the +lawyer at the bar, down to the most common felon and street thief or +pickpocket, all bound together by a solemn oath, they laboured for the +general cause of secret plunder, to the enriching of themselves at the +expense of the mass. But having previously shown how I procured my +information regarding these desperadoes, I shall leave farther comment +on their acts, for the present, to the public, before whose tribunal +they must be arraigned, and proceed at once to present their + + +CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS. + + _Hanging Rock, Western District of Virginia, + July 12, 1798._ + +SECTION I.--_Art. 1._ This society shall be known by the name of the +SECRET BAND OF BROTHERS. + +_Art. 2._ It shall be governed by brethren who have become prominent by +their many valiant deeds for the promotion of the society. + +_Art. 3._ The officers of this society shall be known as Grand Masters, +and shall be duly authorized, by this constitution, to initiate, as +members of this society, any male or female, who comes well and duly +recommended by a brother, in good standing, as having served the +probation which this constitution requires. + +_Art. 4._ It shall be the duty of a brother, before he gives the +applicant information who the Band of Brothers are, to take him on +probation three months, during which time he shall notify the Grand +Master, that at such a date he will introduce the person, on probation, +for initiation. + +_Art. 5._ It shall be the duty of the Grand Master to notify all the +Brotherhood, so far as he has it in his power, that such an individual +will pray for the privilege of becoming a member of the Honourable +Brotherhood, at such a date; and to likewise apprize them of the duty +set apart, so far as in the power of each member, to carefully scan the +motives of the said candidate, and, if they can ascertain by word, deed +or action, that the candidate is not a fit person to become a member, to +convey the same to the brother who recommended him, and the same must, +in all cases, apprize the Worthy Grand what has been said against, and +in favour of the said candidate;--and it must be strictly observed, that +in no case shall the Worthy Grand condescend to be introduced without +proper notice; and the same must in all cases be strictly obeyed. + +_Art. 6._ It shall be the duty of every member to make the candidate the +subject of trial, in every secret manner which he may think profitable +to test his qualities as a true believer in the virtue of the +Brotherhood; and likewise to throw every temptation in his way, which +may be likely to sour his disposition against the formalities of the +world, and thereby lead him into a closer commune with the Holy +Brotherhood, of which he is to become a member, and which he is to +believe to be true and honest in every sense of the word; and that all +other religions and creeds are base, and founded upon speculative +motives--that this is the only TRUE, by which he must stand through good +or ill, and never secede, on pain of death on earth, and punishment +eternal hereafter. + +_Art. 7._ It shall be the duty of every brother to be strictly on his +guard, concerning this brave and generous band, and give no intimation +to any mortal being of its existence, unless he is fully persuaded that +he or they are worthy by thought and act of the high and honourable +character which the honourable body will ever confer upon them, by +receiving them as men and brethren, worthy of the protection of the only +true society under Heaven. + +_Art. 8._ It shall be the duty of all, both members and Masters, to +guard against the influence of party spirit, either political or +religious, as termed by a certain class of people, who, from their weak +and shattered principles, have been led to suppose that the great and +overruling Bible, among certain classes, is the Divine inspiration of +the Deity, and was hewn from a solid rock, for the purpose of satisfying +all men of the power of God, whom this band hold sacred, as a being of +unchangeable character, who will, in the immortal state, prepare an +everlasting place of rest for all who do not by their oaths confirm the +total disapprobation of his supernatural power. + +_Art. 9._ It shall be the duty of all brethren of this benevolent band, +in their becoming members of this Christian (!) fraternity, to deny the +principles of the book called the Bible, to be other than the work of +priestcraft, got up to delude the weaker portion of mankind, and whose +principles have been carried out to the uttermost parts of the earth, +until even the heathen have suffered by the base intrigue of +missionaries, of this rascally compilation of nonsense, by being made +subservient to their most outrageous and villanous transactions. + +_Art. 10._ That we do deplore the perversion of the power of God, as men +and Christians, and believe it highly commendable to this, the only true +society of Christian principles, to associate and connect ourselves with +all churches, of every denomination, and with all societies, not for the +purpose of supporting them, but through these means to the furthering of +our own designs. + +_Art. 11._ That we labour to make proselytes of all with whom we come in +contact, when it can be done without suspicion and danger to ourselves; +that we believe this a true principle--founded upon Nature herself, our +ruler--that policy dictates to us the necessity of keeping at peace with +the world, and often appearing humble and Godlike, that we may be taken +as pious and God-serving people: at the same time, that we keep our +"lights so shining," that all who wish, may be able to understand, +appreciate, and embrace our principles. + +_Art. 12._ That we hold, as a duty to mankind, that the God of nature, +the only God, has made a benevolent donation to all his beings; and that +it is against the principles of true Christianity, to allow one man to +fare sumptuously day by day, while his neighbours, as good by nature, +and far better by practice, shall be made his servants;--and therefore, +we, the members of this honourable body, do pledge ourselves to try, by +every means in our power, to diffuse the necessaries of life throughout +the universe, that all may fare alike who live as Nature's Christians. + +_Art. 13._ We pledge ourselves to take from the rich, and give to the +poor; and, as none of the honourable body wish for more than the God of +Nature has given--which is an abundance of this world's goods--we agree +to take from the one, and give to the other; and that the wealthy, or +the enemies of this society, shall be the ones we will strive to harass, +by disapprobation of their tyrannical course; and no respect will we pay +to persons, either politically or religiously, but swear to prove true +to all the bearings which we have laid down in this our Constitution. + +_Art. 14._ We pledge ourselves to strive for the promotion of the true +principles as set apart by us, and to use every means in our power to +enlarge our institution, and to abhor--save when dictated by +policy--everything like priestcraft, (such as may be found in that book, +called the Bible, in the twentieth chapter of Exodus, and known as the +"ten commandments," which were said to have been written by the finger +of God, and which have since been the cause of nine-tenths of the crime +against the welfare of mankind,) and yet to take every means in our +power--knowing, as we do, that we are the only rightful Christians, and +few in number, in comparison with the other denominations--to carry out +our motives, as dictated by policy, by linking ourselves to them by +bonds of this same priestcraft; in other words, to be, if possible, +promoted to the charge of their flocks, as priests or ministers; and all +advancement of the like shall be duly appreciated by every worthy +member; and the industrious and honest brother, so succeeding, shall be +looked up to, and respected as one of more than ordinary talent. + +_Art. 15._ We pledge ourselves to educate our children so as, if +possible, to prevent them from becoming members of any society save that +of the Holy Band,--known as the Secret Band of Brothers--the only +correct and Christian people that strive to place all men upon an equal +footing,--and, furthermore, to destroy all principles we may from time +to time see developing in favour of that class of people whom the world +calls Christians, and that we do sincerely feel it a duty we owe to +ourselves and the God of Nature, to try, by every means in our +power--and in this case all means shall be considered justifiable--to +overthrow all institutions which take the Bible as their standard--as we +hold that the God of Nature has set apart for us three principles and no +other. + +First: That all men are made to live their time of probation on earth, +and are not answerable hereafter for any deed they may commit, so it be +sanctioned by the laws or constitution of this society. + +Second: That the course mankind in general pursues, particularly the +so-styled religious class of community, is wholly contrary to our views, +and therefore wrong; and that the God of Nature, as our God, requires +that we put down the fabulous book called the Bible, to save mankind +from priestcraft and delusion, and bring them over to our principles. + +Third: That there is but one unpardonable sin, which is, to allow +Christians, our tyrants, to progress when we can make them retard, by +leaguing ourselves with, and instilling into their minds, and more +particularly their offspring, all the noble sentiments which may tend to +overthrow former prejudice and eradicate the present false views of +moralists, until the Bible shall be looked upon by them in the light it +now is by the followers of Mahomet, and until all the present laws of +society be considered tyrannical and unjust. + +_Art. 16._ The God of Nature, we hold as our God, has in no principle +required us, through his wise construction of our component parts, to be +in any manner driven by, or subject to man,--that He, as a wise, +intelligent being, created all mankind upon an equality, and that all +men should so stand in regard to each other--that no being was ever +placed upon this earth to rule as monarch over others,--and, therefore, +that all monarchies, all governments, which are headed by rulers, such +as kings, presidents, governors, &c., are unlawful in the sight of God, +and unjust--and that we, as men and Christians of the Holy Brotherhood, +do hereby pledge ourselves, aye, do swear by all we hold sacred, that we +will use all the cunning of our natures to put down all kingdoms, all +governments which are ruled by crowned heads, presidents, or governors, +or ruled by any principle of religion other than, nature--and that all +religion, priestcraft, &c., is unholy in the sight of the Most High God, +and that He requires of us, as a paramount duty, that we labour +zealously for its final extermination, to the glory of Him and the +benefit of mankind here and hereafter. + +_Art. 17._ We hold that the foregoing articles are wholly correct, and +fully sanctioned by the God of Nature--that whoever of our fraternity +proves in anywise recreant to them is a traitor to us, to himself, and +his God;--that the candidate for membership, in view of this, does by +this article most solemnly declare and avow that all the foregoing are +according to his most unbiased views--that such, and only such, he will +ever support, nor shrink, nor waver from, nor expose the same, even in +the agonies of death, on flood, or field, in prison, on the rack, +scaffold, or feathered couch--that he understands this fully, and all +the bearings of it, with all of the foregoing, his name, which he +deliberately, without compulsion, sets to this constitution, stands as +lasting, undeniable proof--that he has come to this solemn determination +after calm, mature deliberation--that he is over twenty-two years of +age--and, finally, that he is willing to go through with all the oaths +and ceremonies which this band sees proper to impose; in proof whereof, +he now repeats the following + + + PRAYER. + + Almighty and all-merciful God! the Great Author and Disposer of all + beings! I hereby pledge myself, in thy sight, to keep sacred the + holy principles, one and all, which I this day have had set before + and disclosed to me, by the Worthy Grand Master of the most ancient + order under heaven--known by the appellation of the Secret Band of + Brothers--and I pray thee, Almighty God! to watch the workings of + my cultivated nature; and, Heavenly Father! keep me sane in mind, + that I may always know the everlasting punishment which awaits me, + if I prove recreant to the vows which I herewith do take upon me, + with my own free will, in thy holy sight--and I pray thee, Almighty + God! should I prove false to the vow or vows I now make, in + becoming a member of this Holy Brotherhood, to shut from me the + light of thy countenance--to visit the wrath of thy indignation + upon me--to let my walks here on earth be paths of desolation, at + the end of which be famine and death, and, in the world to come, + torment and more tormenting pains racking my soul for ever! But, + Almighty God! should I keep and carry out these, the only true + principles, which thou in thy wisdom hast set aside for thy + children to follow, then mayest thou be pleased to grant me a + well-spent closing life on earth, and an undying existence with + thee in thy holy kingdom of heaven!--Amen. + +_Art. 18._ The foregoing articles having been read and acceded to by the +candidate for membership, and the prayer having been repeated by him, he +shall be considered a member of this fraternity--known as the Secret +Band of Brothers--and the Grand Master shall then proceed with the +following:-- + +Most worthy Brother! You have now been initiated into some of the +secrets of the Holy Brotherhood, otherwise called the Secret Band of +Brothers; you have become a member of an Order which, I trust, you will +ever cherish--feeling it is worthy of any of God's children; and, if you +so consider it, and also consider yourself a true and lawful member, you +will now make the same manifest by an inclination of your head, in token +of assent, + +_Art. 19._ The member having bowed in assent, the Grand Master shall +again proceed, as follows:-- + +Now, Brother, you, through choice, can take one degree, which will +entitle you to a benefit in sickness or in distress; and likewise +entitle you to the use of the SCALE, which will enable you to converse +with any Brother without any possible chance of detection, by paying the +trifling sum of twenty-five cents per month, to the Worthy Grand, who is +the proper person for you to apply to for assistance, which in all +cases must be done verbally:--in token of assent that you wish this +degree conferred upon you, you will now lay your hand upon your heart +and answer in the affirmative. + +_Art. 20._ After conferring the foregoing degree, the Grand Master shall +again proceed, as follows: + +Brother, it is now my pleasant duty to inform you that the degree just +taken entitles you to a full membership of the Holy Brotherhood, and +also entitles you to a benefit of thirty-three cents per day, if +imprisoned, or confined by sickness, caused by exposure or +otherwise,--which you, in all cases, must make known to the Worthy +Grand, if possible, through a Brother, but by no other process; and you +must be careful to observe one particular point, which is, NEVER, under +any circumstance, to approach the Worthy Grand as an intimate +acquaintance, for fear of being suspected as such, and thereby bringing +mistrust upon him through some person who may have had their eye upon +you, as a man not carrying out the principles which they approve of as +being the ones best calculated to promote their priestcraft. + +_Art. 21._ The Grand Master shall thus continue: + +You being now a member of this Holy Brotherhood, it falls to my lot to +apprize you of the position which you now occupy, and some of the duties +incumbent upon you. This society claims you as a Brother, and, should +you be sick, will prepare hospitable means for your comfort--should you +be in difficulty, through misfortune, you will ever find friends ready +and willing to assist you: should you for any offence be brought to +trial, your judges, jurors, witnesses, &c., you will find composed of +men selected from this Holy Brotherhood: you have the privilege at any +time to go and come as you please, to retire or live in public life; but +you are to make known every transaction whereby certain classes may be +considered as dishonest--and if the person offending is not committed by +a Brother, you are bound, if possible, to see that the offender is +brought before the tyrannical bar, and, likewise, if it lies in your +power, to have the said offender convicted; and, if convicted, it shall +furthermore be your duty to apprize the Grand Master the length of time +he is sentenced, to what prison, and what punishment--as we, as men and +Christians, hold it a duty for each member to throw every obstacle in +the way of the people CALLED Christians, for the purpose of bringing +them to the laws which Nature's God has set apart. + +_Art. 22._ Having now informed you of some of the benefits and duties +falling upon you, as a Brother, I now come to an article of penalty, +which you will find requires your close attention, as follows: + +If you betray a Brother, this Constitution allots to you but one +punishment, which is--#DEATH BY VIOLENT MEANS!#--AND THIS SENTENCE WILL +SURELY BE CARRIED INTO EFFECT--as sure as that there is a sun at +noonday, or stars at night; and the Brother, so terminating your career, +shall receive, in compensation, the sum of THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS, which +shall be paid to him by a Grand Master, for this society. + +_Art. 23._ If you are ever true and faithful to the Brotherhood, you +shall be sustained by them, in all your undertakings, right or wrong; +and should you meet with danger, by reason of the Brotherhood, which +sometimes happens, by your making the same known to the Grand Master, he +will, if your quarterly and annual payments have been regularly made, +refund you the full amount. You will be charged, annually, five dollars +for your head, and a half cent per annum on all your common chattels and +freehold property,--which you will be required to pay in advance, +yearly, to ensure you the benefit and full privilege of the Secret Band +of Brothers' Mutual Insurance; the principle of which is adopted for the +special benefit of the Brotherhood, as we feel no interest in +befriending any, not even our own blood relations, unless with a motive +of sooner or later bringing to bear our Christian creed, and making them +true and faithful Brethren. + +_Art. 24._ If at any time you think it would be policy for you to +withdraw--or, in other words, retire--you will find it beneficial for +you to watch for, and detect every species of fraud--done by any other +clan than the Brotherhood--and convey the same to your worthy Brethren; +and in all cases, do all you can to make war with what the self-styled +Christians call moral principles; and whenever you see or hear of an +imprudent act in a Brother, it shall be your duty to convey the fact to +the Brother--if not by your own tongue, by that of some Brother of the +band,--and if you see any manifestations made throughout the community +of a moral, or, what is termed of a religious nature, it shall be your +duty to oppose and oppress the leaders in every shape and manner +possible, as we hold all such calculated to keep in darkness many who +might, otherwise, be made true and faithful Brethren, and followers of +Nature's God: and the moral part of the community, so termed, who will +not give us an opportunity to enroll their names, watch; and if by aping +them you can make inroads upon their creeds, or false views, you will +add not only to the promotion of the society, but will sustain a +character throughout the Brotherhood, not to be forgotten; and, +furthermore, as there are many ways to find out the principles of men, +it is to be the constant duty of each member of this Brotherhood, to +take advantage of every opportunity of finding out the opinions of the +mass--by talking as much as possible about the villanous transactions +which happened at an early day, in the new settlements, and the active +part which he took in detecting the band, &c.--by which means he not +only learns who are friendly towards the promotion of this Brotherhood, +but also who are the ones for this society to watch as their most deadly +enemies;--and a Brother must, in no case, refuse to give money for the +construction of the most popular churches, and must always pay great +respect to the priests--for through them we hope to hide many of what +might be termed, by our enemies, deeds of darkness; but such as we, as +men and Christians, believe to be lawful and proper duties: and one who +does not comply with the rules and regulations of this band so far as in +his power, after having taken the solemn oath, shall be treated by all +honourable members as unworthy of their protection, and shall be +proscribed by the Brotherhood--WHICH PROSCRIPTION LEAVES HIM LIABLE TO +SUDDEN AND VIOLENT DEATH, AT ANY MOMENT! + +_Art. 25._ Each member who has been duly sworn in, as Grand Master, can +have the privilege of withdrawing his name from the Holy Brotherhood, by +recommending one whom he considers worthy, and in whom he pledges +himself can be put unbounded confidence, and one who has never failed to +pay his quarterage and yearly dues in advance; (as such a failure +assuredly prohibits him from promotion;) and this office grants to the +holder his travelling expenses, and two dollars per day, while on +business of the society, and, likewise, secures him double the benefit +of a private, in sickness or difficulty. Now, therefore, Brother, you +have the full meaning of the foregoing, and the same chance of promotion +as either of the Brethren. + +SECT. II. _Art. 1._ The Grand Masters of this society shall consist of +six, to every fifty mile square,--five of whom have no power, other than +to bear the annual returns, in case of absence or sickness of the +principal Grand--in which case they are entitled to his pay, for their +services and expenses--said pay to be deducted from the moneys in their +possession, at the meeting of the society; and in case of death or +resignation, the seat or seats of the former Grand or Grands must be +filled by the next Grand or Grands, in rank--said rank to be through the +official age of the subordinates; whose seats, as THEY rise, must again +be filled by some one of the private members, whose appointment must be +confirmed by a petition, signed by three-fourths of the Brethren; and, +in case of two or more candidates running for the same office, the one +having the most names shall be considered duly elected--whereupon he +must solemnly pledge himself to keep the funds intrusted to him, +belonging to the Brotherhood, secure; that should he, at any time, be +required to resign, by three-fourths of the Grands, he will make due +returns of all moneys in his possession; and that, in all cases, he will +be ready to render a correct account of all moneys received and paid out +by him, which account shall, also, be duly made out and handed in at +every annual meeting. + +_Art. 2._ It shall be the duty of every Principal Grand to keep his +accounts, and the Constitution of this society, written on paper, with a +certain kind of acid, which cannot be read, unless held to the fire, +when the heat will bring to the face of the paper the desired +intelligence; and it shall, furthermore, be the duty of the Grand Master +to commit to memory this Constitution and By-laws,--that he may, at any +time, be able to give any passage verbatim, without the assistance of +referring to the article itself, as it endangers the Brotherhood to have +the documents on hand;--and it shall also be the duty of the Grand +Masters, in office, to supply the five, who are not matured officers, +with one article at a time, until they commit the same to memory; when +it shall be their duty to instruct them the manner in which the same is +written in acid; and then to demand a written Constitution from each, +which, if not written correctly, must be corrected and returned every +three months, until perfected. + +_Art. 3._ It shall be the duty of the Grand Masters to examine their +five subordinate officers, four times each year, until they find each +capable of drafting a constitution, and of giving each article its +correct No. and proper place,--with full instructions as to secrecy, in +keeping all the six words, with their proper tables, from the ordinary +members--as the ordinary members are not entitled to the use of the six +words, which are termed Qualities;--and, furthermore, if any of the +Grand Masters know of a letter of importance, which one of the members +has written to a Grand Master or Subordinate Grand, it shall be the duty +of the said Grand Master, if possible, to QUALIFY the letter, either +upon the inside or outside, as the case may be--for the qualities are +highly essential,--and it shall still, furthermore, be the duty of all +Grand Masters, to teach their Brethren the necessity of their committing +as much of the language as shall be given them on their initiation; and, +likewise, the great importance, for the general safety, that all letters +shall contain as much of the secret language as can be made to answer +the purpose,--because it will be easily read by the Grand Masters, and +common members, but will be impossible for the worldly people to +unravel. + +_Art. 4._ It shall be further observed, that no Grand, if known to +reveal to any common member more than the initiation prayer, and what +has been specified in the foregoing--with the exception of the meaning +of the figure 9, in the fourth column, to which all are entitled--can be +thought worthy of the honourable Grand's station; and in no case can +such an offence be forgiven--and that, as a punishment for such an +offence, he shall not only be discharged from the high and honourable +office of Grand Master, but shall have a vote of censure passed upon +him, which shall for ever disqualify him from holding office; and he +shall, thenceforth, be closely watched, and in case he shows, or in any +way manifests, any sign of malicious disapprobation, he shall be tried +in secret, by the Grands and members of his District; and upon +three-fourths giving their opinion that he is an enemy to the +Brotherhood, it shall be the duty of the Grand Master to take him on +probation, six months, and apprize him of the fact, that he is, in the +opinion of the Brotherhood, acting, or about to act, a treacherous +part,--and that he has been granted the state of probation, and the +privilege of leaving the District, or changing his treacherous +principles:--if he choose the former, his name must be sent to every +Grand Master in the Union; if he choose the latter, his after good works +must recommend him; but in case he should refuse either, it shall be the +duty of the Grand Master to put upon his head the usual reward--of a +traitor, which is three hundred dollars, to whoever takes his life, with +the highest approbation which can be placed upon the Brother, so doing, +by his honest Brethren. + +[The following qualities are known and used by the Grand Masters alone, +the common members being wholly ignorant of their existence; and thus it +is, that these grandees can so completely foil their followers, without +the least risk of the latter being the wiser. The qualities are made for +the special purpose of designating each individual, and at the same time +be entirely safe from the least suspicion. When a Grand Master has had +the honour of promotion conferred, he is supplied with the table of +qualities; likewise the secret of correspondence is submitted to his +confidence, under an oath, the penalty of which is death, if he, by +word, deed, or action develop, or by any means expose, the principles of +his special charge. After he has taken the solemn oath, the chief Grand +gives him the secret for preparing the sympathetic ink, which is used +upon all occasions where one Grand is corresponding with another; and +where a Brother is about to travel, it is the duty of the Grand Master +presiding, in the district where he resides, to give him a plain letter +of recommendation, with the private qualities in cipher, in a definite +manner, that the Grand Master who receives the same may not be deceived; +and ofttimes has the poor ninny carried in his supposed letter his death +warrant. As the secret of the cipher is not known to any but those of +the fraternity who have been promoted above the ranks of the +subordinate, it leaves the latter completely in the hands of their Grand +Masters. But we would not have our readers to understand, by our +explanation, that it is our belief, that the private qualities are +always carried out to a letter, as laid down in their constitution and +by-laws; yet we have no hesitation in saying, that we believe that the +members live more closely to their profession than many of our Christian +institutions; and that there are many that walk as near the line of +their profession as they know how, we have every reason to believe from +the daily illustrations we have of depravity among us. We therefore give +you the correct qualities of the Grand Masters, which are held entirely +apart from the common Brotherhood, by the preceding restrictions set +forth in this note.] + +_Art. 5._ The Grand Master shall be fully invested with power to give +out the following catalogue of useful flash words. The six words of +QUALITY are highly beneficial in conversation, and must, in all cases, +be used when one is present who is not known to be a member. By this +means can be found out the strange Brethren, who are ever ready for any +sound so familiar to their ears. The dualities, also, serve to advance +the Brethren, who are made acquainted with them, to the higher seats of +honour, and are as follows: + +First: HUSKA--a flash word, signifying GOOD--is fully described by the +subjoined numbers, the signification of which is annexed: + +No. 1 signifies Bold. + " 2 " Intrepid. +No. 3 signifies Artful. + " 4 " Undaunted. + " 5 " Cunning. + " 6 " Active. + " 7 " Assiduous. + " 8 " Temperate. + " 9 " A true Brother, without cultivation--meaning one who, +from infancy, has had sufficient strength of mind to carry out his +principles. This number is considered highly honourable to the Brother +bearing it, who is said to have the same conferred upon him by the God +of Nature. + +Second: CAUGH--a flash word, signifying BAD--is also described as +follows: + +No. 1 signifies Treacherous. + " 2 " Ungrateful. + " 3 " Presumptuous. + " 4 " Meddlesome. + " 5 " Quarrelsome. + " 6 " Impudent. + " 7 " Imprudent. + " 8 " Dilatory. + " 9 " Intemperate. + +This last number is one which will prohibit whoever is entitled to it, +from holding the high and honourable office of Grand Master; and whoever +is known to sell or give intoxicating liquors to a Brother, for the +purpose of making him subserve to his avaricious purpose, shall be +highly censured, and made to pay over double the amount which the victim +has lost. If a Brother sees proper to distil, or vend intoxicating +spirits, and at the same time notifies the Brethren, when they call on +him, that he does not make and sell the same for any other purpose than +to prostrate the minds of the tyrannical priestcraft, and their victims, +he shall be sustained in his noble enterprise. + +Third: NAUGH--a flash word, signifies SIZE AND COMPLEXION--and, +therefore, each number has a double meaning. + +No. 1 signifies the person to be Large and Tall. + " 2 " " Low and Heavy. + " 3 " " Tall and Slender. + " 4 " " Medium. + " 5 " " Small. + " 6 " " Sandy Complexion. + " 7 " " Light Complexion. + " 8 " " Dark Complexion, + " 9 " " Coloured. + +A person of the last-named colour is never to be admitted, unless as an +outlaw, who is to be used by the Worthy Grand, and who is to be so +educated that he will not dare to commit any daring act, without +permission from the Worthy Grand; and it shall be highly reprehensible +in any Brother to converse with any coloured Brother, upon any business +pertaining to the Brotherhood; and all such shall lay themselves liable +to a vote of censure--as the man of colour is not admitted for other +purpose, than to carry out deeds thought highly honourable, but which +many worthy Brethren dislike to execute, but for which the Worthy Grand +can always depend on his coloured Brother; and, furthermore, should he +be detected, the Brotherhood will be in no manner endangered, as the +coloured Brother's testimony cannot be used against them. + +Fourth: MAUGH--a flash word, signifying PROFESSION--is designated thus: + +No. 1 signifies a Brother of wealth and a Labourer. + " 2 " Seaman. + " 3 " Lawyer. + " 4 " Physician. + " 5 " Mechanic. + " 6 " Merchant. + " 7 " Sporting Man. + " 8 " Planter or Farmer. + + + " 9 " Felon. + +This last number is considered in a different light from any of the +others. When a cross is placed over it, it signifies that the Brother +bearing it has been a martyr in the great and noble cause of Equal +Rights; or, in other words, that in performing his duty as a freeman, he +has been seized and cast into prison by the tyrants of the world: and it +shall be considered a deed worthy of censure, for any Brother to +mistreat, or throw any obstacle in the way of another, who may be +entitled to the cross over the figure 9, in the fourth line of +Quality;--and all members, both officers and privates, are entitled to +know the meaning of the mark over the figure 9; and if any Brother says +he is entitled to said mark, all Brethren are, in a measure, bound to +believe him--as it will be expected that no Brother will be base enough +to attempt a deception of this kind; for the truth can always be +ascertained by writing to the Worthy Grand of the District where he was +sentenced--whose duty it shall be to answer the epistle correctly and +promptly; and in case any Brother shall make a false statement in this +respect--or in fact in any other--he shall be branded as +dishonourable--shall be publicly exposed to all of the Brethren +present--and his name sent, by the Grand Master, to all other Grand +Masters of the several Districts, so that it may be marked on their +several books as a Brother who cannot be depended upon under any +circumstances. + +Fifth: HAUGH--a flash word, signifying DISEASE--embracing under it, +imperfections, scars, marks, &c.--is described as follows: + +No. 1 signifies Consumptive. + " 2 " Rheumatical. + " 3 " Gout. + " 4 " Dropsical. + " 5 " Hypochondriacal. + " 6 " Scrofulous. + " 7 " Stoppage in Speech, or Stuttering. + " 8 " Pox-marked, or Hair-lipped. + " 9 " Loss of an eye, tooth, or limb--a bald +head, or any noted scar exposed. This number will require close +inspection, in order to avoid being deceived; as the mechanical +construction of wigs, glass eyes, false teeth, wooden legs, false +whiskers, &c., has been brought to such perfection, that, without the +very closest scrutiny, they will, many times, escape our observation, +and pass as the real members created by the God of Nature. + +Sixth: GAUGH--a flash word, signifying AGE AND MANNER OF SPEECH--is +described as follows: + +No. 1 denotes the person to be 70. + " 2 " " from 50 to 60. + " 3 " " " 40 to 55. + " 4 " " " 30 to 40. + " 5 " " " 21 to 30. +No. 6 denotes the person to be Very Gray. + " 7 " " Dappled. + " 8 " " Quick Spoken. + " 9 " " Slow and Indistinct. + +These private Qualities are not to be explained to any but Grand +Masters; and when a Brother becomes familiar with these private +dualities, he can correspond with other Masters, without any fear of +detection, as all of the Qualities, though apparently simple, are +impossible for any one to understand, unless he has the key; and he who +shall DARE to instruct another in this mystery, unless entitled to it by +the law of our constitution, will find it would have been better for him +had a mill-stone been tied about his neck, and he been cast in the bosom +of the deepest sea. + +[The table of "flash" words contained in article sixth, section second, +are words used among the fraternity in general, and by the common +members believed to be the only secret language of the order. In this +they have been kept wholly ignorant, by the cunning of their leaders. We +have but little doubt in our mind that there may have been a great many +words added to the original vocabulary, since the adoption of the +constitution, as we find among the gamblers, and other dishonest men, +language entirely incomprehensible to all without a key. The gambler, +though not anywise connected, stands in his profession ready to +conciliate them in their works of death, under the horrible idea that +Nature, as their God, has plainly sanctioned the profession. And the +religion of Nature they aver to be the only true religion on earth.] + +_Art. 6._ It shall be the duty of the Grand Master, upon the initiation +of a member, to supply him with a list of flash words used by the +Brethren of this society, and shall likewise inform them of the great +importance, for the safety of the Brotherhood, that they commit the few +words given them to memory,--which they will also find of great +importance in conversation and correspondence--as, in the few words +which are diffused in their respective places, no person, without a +complete key, can explain or interpret their true meaning. The words +adopted are but few, yet answer, with common language, to enable the +Brothers to converse with ease without being understood by others +concerning their business, or matters and things pertaining to the +Brotherhood. It likewise enables a Brother, in common conversation, to +designate another; or, in addressing thousands, he may be identified by, +as it were, accidentally using any one word of his discourse in +connection with the Brotherhood:--the latter, however, is never to be +done, unless in extreme cases. The most essential service is in +conveying the meaning, which, in all cases, must be done in its proper +place. + +If you wish to ascertain if a Brother be present, you can easily do so +by SOUNDING. SOUNDING signifies FEELING, or ASCERTAINING; and if you +wish so to do, use the word CULLEY, which signifies Brother, Friend, +Partner. + +The word CONEY means Counterfeit paper money. + " BOGUS " Spurious coin, &c. + " CRABBING " Robbing, Stealing, &c. + " DUMBY " Pocket-book, purse, &c. + " DROP " Pocket, &c. + " CADY " Highwayman, murderer, &c. + " GLIB, STRIKER " Incendiary. + " CRACK " Break. As crack a crib. + " CRIB " House, trunk, desk, &c. +The word THIMBLE means Watch, crome, clock. + " PRAGUE " Horse, mule, or ass. + " GLIM " Light. + " SIFTER " Burglar, house-breaker, &c. + " GEISTER " An extra thief. + " FEELER " Dirk, sword, knife, &c. + " REACHER " Gun, pistol, &c. + " PAD " Bed. + " BLOTTER " Writing--such as letters, &c. + +As Nature, in every feature, dislikes a traitor, no provision has been +made for dissembling. This society is ruled by Nature, as our God!--and +it is the duty of each and every member to do all in his power to +promote the welfare of his Brethren, as, by so doing, he must in time +convince all observers that the Secret Brothers are the only true +Christian sect on earth; and this we, ourselves, individually and +collectively, believe; and we make this manifest, by placing our names +to this scroll, and thereby pledging our fortunes and our lives to +maintain and carry out these principles in all sincerity and truth; and +should we ever offer to take up another faith, and renounce this, may +our prayer-oath be fulfilled to the extent of all its agonies; aye, and +more: we now again doubly pray, that if we ever offer to secede from +this, our religion, that we may thereby seal our immortal state with an +undying existence in a world of torment, prepared for all priestcraft +and treacherous mortals. + + * * * * * + +The singular circumstances connected with my obtaining these papers, and +the awful obligations contained in the constitution, will prepare the +reader for some strange developments. The constitution, although not +elegantly worded, proves its author to have been a man of uncommon +shrewdness, and knowledge of human nature, and forethought. We may +therefore expect that the plan of operations should be so laid as to +baffle detection by ordinary means. I will try to give some idea of it. + +It was necessary that letters should be transmitted from one member to +another, in a distant location, yet the person to whom the letter was +addressed might be miles from a government post-office, and it might not +be safe for him to present himself for a letter, lest he should be +recognised as a desperate man, and letters were liable to be opened and +their desperate projects exposed. To avoid this danger, they established +a line of communication, extending from Toronto, Canada, to New Orleans. +Not precisely direct, but lying through large towns. + +On this route were post-offices; consisting of hollow trees, caves, +cavities in rocks, &c. Those who wished to send letters deposited them +here; with full directions. All the "brothers" knew these post-offices; +and when, in their travels, they came near one, were bound to stop, and +examine the letters. If they found letters directed to persons on their +route, they must carry them along. If the letter was directed to a +person beyond the extent of his journey, he must at least carry it to +the next post-office, if he was going so far; and from that, some other +Brother would pass it along. It was death, in all cases, for a member to +open a letter not directed to him. + +As Brothers are constantly passing along the line, in both directions, +considerable despatch was secured. If a letter should chance to be lost, +it was written in such a manner that one not knowing the secret would +suppose it to be an ordinary business letter, and the persons alluded +to were so mentioned as that only the individual to whom the letter was +addressed, or some person interested in the same transaction, could +understand the allusion. + +The person to whom the letter was addressed must return the letter, if +requested, but might keep a copy. Along this mail line lived many of the +Brotherhood, and as they knew each other by signs, and were able to +converse in a _flash language_, unintelligible to the community +generally; when we recollect that they were bound by solemn oaths to aid +and defend each other in every emergency, right or wrong--that both men +and women belonged to the order--the reader will see what security a +villain could enjoy when hunted by the police; how easily the +_respectable_ citizen, the country merchant, the lawyer, the captain of +a steamboat, could conceal the fugitive, and put the officer upon the +wrong scent. + +In addition to this caution, any thing which must be so explicit that a +stranger to the order might understand, if he should see it, was written +with sympathetic ink, which would appear only when heated, and would +disappear again when cold; and even this was written in a perfectly +unintelligible cipher, to which, however, I very fortunately found the +key among the letters. I insert it for the benefit of the curious. + +One of the most profitable branches of their business was that of +_trading in horses_. For this, as will be seen, their combination gave +them peculiar facilities. + +One of the _common_ robbers steals a _horse_, rides it fifty or a +hundred miles, and offers it to a _respectable_ robber, called a +_trader_. If it do not appear a dangerous bargain, he makes the +transaction as public as possible; he takes a bill of sale, and enters +it on his books, and the common robber goes on his way rejoicing. +Presently the owner comes along, and _claims the horse_. The +_respectable_ trader is very much astonished at the discovery, but makes +no resistance. The owner, rejoiced to find his property again, gladly +pays the expenses of keeping and goes home. But the respectable trader +is very sure to have not the slightest clue to the whereabouts of the +man who sold him the horse, and although it was done so publicly that +the owner cannot have a doubt of the innocence of the trader, yet, +strange to say, nobody knows which direction the thief took, even when +he left the settlement. + +Lest some member should get another into his power, it is provided in +the constitution, that for every transaction they shall "pass" or +exchange receipts. This gives to each the same power, provided they are +both of the lower grade. That is, whoever has bought a stolen horse of +some member of the band, can be proved to have done so by the thief, +from the receipt; and the thief in like manner is in the power of the +trader. Again, it is of importance to the poor robber to have a receipt +from some eminent trader, since it gives him character as a man of +business, and serves as a letter of introduction. They are written in +the usual form of an ordinary business transaction. + +The Grand Masters, who, alone, it will be recollected, have the secret +of using sympathetic ink, and the cipher, always add to the receipt, +with invisible writing, the description and character of the individual +who bears it, thus holding the poor fellow completely in his power. + +But should a poor scamp get caught, and lie in prison a year or two, he +is entitled, by the constitution, to thirty-three cents per day for the +whole time. By the same constitution, also, he is directed how he must +proceed to get it. He proceeds, therefore, in due form, as follows: +Going to the Grand Master of the district in which he was convicted, he +addresses him thus:--"Most worthy Grand Master, I have this day come +before you, to place my hand upon the seal and swear that upon ---- day +of ----, in the year ----, I was confined in prison, (or _by sickness_) +for ---- months and ---- days; during which time I have contracted the +following expenses; I therefore make my petition that such money as may +be my due may be given me for my assistance." + +The Grand Master, or Grand as he is called, then asks the following +questions: + +"How long have you been a member? + +"Where were you initiated? + +"To whom have you paid your dues? + +"What evidence have you that such are the facts?" + +If, then, the poor brother have not receipts proving the transactions +for which he was imprisoned, and further, proof of his actual +imprisonment, (or evidence of his sickness,) no further notice is taken +of him. But if he have such regular proofs as are required, the Grand +declares that they have but a small amount of funds in the treasury. But +that the Brother may get his dues, he gives him drafts upon the various +Grands in the country, to the amount of his dues. If the amount were +five hundred dollars, he would receive fifty ten dollar drafts upon +fifty Grands, scattered over the country, from Canada to Alabama, and of +whom, in all probability, he will never see three; and they are payable +to none but the person in whose favour they are drawn. And "to make +assurance doubly sure," with sympathetic ink, the cunning officer +writes a full description on each draft, of the age, size, complexion, +profession, peculiarities, &c., of the bearer, so that if he should +undertake to send by another, he would have his labour for his pains. + +We have now submitted the constitution to the judgment of our readers, +as we found it, having only added a few explanatory remarks, which we +are enabled to do from knowledge acquired in various ways; and we now +select from those letters which came into our possession a few, written +by some of the individuals noticed in this work, which will throw +additional light on the character of the Band. The note to each letter +is explanatory of the language contained in the ciphers. + + +No. 1. + Lawrenceburgh, September 24, 1825. + +_Most Worthy and Respected Brother_,--Let me introduce the bearer of +this, who visits you for the purpose of promoting our benevolent +institution and his operations. I have not the least doubt you will find +his visit not of importance to him alone, but to you and all the friends +of humanity and kind feeling which belong to our benevolent society. + +Yours, in great haste, + +101000 +000000 +000300 +000004 +500000 +000000 +000000 +800088 + + +000900 + +[This letter bears upon its face the following ciphers, which +interpreted read as follows:--The bearer is BOLD, CUNNING, TEMPERATE, +LARGE, and TALL; by profession a LAWYER, and has been a CONVICT, he is +marked upon the face; his age is from THIRTY to FORTY, and QUICK in +speech. The cross (+) upon the number 9 designates the bearer to have +been a convict, and that he is entitled to much respect among the +Brotherhood. This, however, the Grand Masters teach their subordinates +to acknowledge, for the purpose of finding out among them such as they +can have confidence in in carrying out any desperate scheme; and +likewise to prevent them from exposing others, through their +associations; and thus it is that they, as brethren, feel no delicacy in +acknowledging to a brother, the honour of having been a martyr.] + + +No. 2. + Lawrenceburgh, October 13, 1825. + +_Friend Brown_,--According to our agreement, I was at the place +appointed, where I remained until three o'clock, much distressed on +account of your absence; and my situation was very little better when I +learned you had been detained through the negligence of our friend in +Boon county. I have no confidence in him, nor ever will have, so long as +he makes use of so much whisky. I exchanged the coney I had for four +hundred pounds of feathers, and left them subject to your order at +friend ---- ----, grocery store, Lower Market street. I called and took +breakfast with the judge, and he tells me times have never been so close +upon the coney trade since he resided in the city. I likewise called +upon the Irish friend, and the first word he spoke was an oath that +Cincinnati was bankrupted; that constant calls were continually made by +the boys, and not one dollar to accommodate them with. I hope you will +be at home before I leave for Indianapolis, as I cannot remain long upon +the way, and I have many calls to make, and be there by the 20th, as +that is the day appointed. Raise all the funds you can, and I have no +doubt every thing will come out right. This will be handed you by one +whom I recommend strictly honest, as I have had recommended. Though he +has lived in the burgh ten years, I never knew him until our old friend +told me that he was a member. He knows you only by sight. + +Yours, ---- ----, + +000110 +000000 +003000 +000000 +000005 +600000 +000000 +888000 +000009 + +[The figures of this letter describe the bearer as follows: ACTIVE, +TEMPERATE, DILATORY, TALL, AND SLENDER, DARK-COMPLEXIONED, WEALTHY, +without any particular occupation. That he is CONSUMPTIVE; his age is +between TWENTY-ONE and THIRTY; his speech SLOW and INDISTINCT.] + + +No. 3. + Greensburgh, October 20, 1825. + +_Friend Brown_,--I have, as you see by this letter, arrived at +Greensburgh, having travelled several nights over some of the roughest +roads I ever placed foot upon; my journey, otherwise, has not been so +disagreeable; but night-travelling always disagrees with me. I was +joined by our friend, the doctor, and his intimate friend from +Brookville. They tell me they have been absent from Brookville +twenty-one days. We met at our good old friend's house, near York ridge. +He is as pleasant as ever, and full as religious, and paid me one +hundred and twenty-five dollars--squaring accounts--and traded me two +notes on our Madison merchant, amounting to one hundred and thirty-five +dollars, which are as good as gold, as he endorses them, and I believe +and know the principal to be as good as any man in Madison. + +The doctor tells me some of the boys have had a flare-up in Buffalo; but +that is nothing new, as our Canada friends act very imprudent. He tells +me since he left us, that several cabs have been traced out, and no +traces of the workmen left which can injure any one party. He came +through Columbus, Ohio! He says they are hard at work, but scarce of +material, and no means to procure it. I have not the least doubt but you +might find it profitable to go or send some one to supply their wants, +so we can make it very profitable. Our friends, ---- ----, ---- ----, +_take_ Fort Meggs, and at Manhattan (I have reference to our judge and +the lawyer we met in Manhattan, Ohio) have made out well with the +horses, taken them in the summer, and say they wish the boys would +bring them one hundred head before the lake closes. The doctor brought +me a letter to that effect. I leave this place to-morrow evening for the +Forks of the road, where I shall expect a letter from you. Let my friend +---- ---- know I am well. + +Yours, ---- ----, + +000000 +002200 +000003 +400000 +000000 +600600 +077000 +800008 +000000 + +[This describes the bearer to be UNDAUNTED, ACTIVE, TEMPERATE, +IMPRUDENT, LOW, and HEAVY, LIGHT-COMPLEXIONED, by profession a LAWYER +and MERCHANT; age from FORTY to FIFTY-FIVE, QUICK-SPOKEN.] + + +No. 4. + Four Corners, October 24, 1825. + +_Friend Brown_,--I have arrived at the Four Corners, where I was pleased +to receive your favour of the 17th, and having the good luck to learn +that five of the brethren of Virginia are in the neighbourhood, and +would leave to-morrow evening for their homes by the way of +Lawrenceburgh, I make ready this and forward it by them for the purpose +to inform you that our friend ---- ----, the cooper, cannot, without my +consent, have any more stock, unless he pays for it in advance, as I am +satisfied he does not wish to act out the correct principles. He tried, +the day before I left, to make me agree to take cooperage for the last +stock he got; and though he made it answer to the whole face, two +hundred, yet he did not wish to pay me thirty in cash, and said you +promised to supply him at fifteen cents per hundred, and take it out in +cooperage; if so, your contracts must be for your own private benefit, +not mine; he has gulled me enough, and I cannot stand his slabbering +discourse any more. I am satisfied he has no moral honesty. Our friend, +the grocery-keeper, must pay for his last, as he has bartered it all +off. I met an intimate friend of his from Burlington, Kentucky, on +Clifty, in company with our light-complexioned friend, who lives not far +in the county back of the burgh. Two who accompany this are crossed (+) +9's, immediately from Tennessee, and have been travelling fifteen +nights. They are accompanied by a brother from Charleston, Virginia, +another from Parkersburg, Virginia, and a third from Marietta, Ohio; all +wealthy, the bearer and all, worthy brethren. The bearer is a Grand. + +Yours, ---- ----. + +100000 +002000 +300000 +000004 +000000 +606600 +000000 +800008 +000000 + +[This describes the bearer as being BOLD, ARTFUL, ACTIVE, TEMPERATE, +LOW, and HEAVY, SANDY-COMPLEXIONED, by profession a MERCHANT; age from +THIRTY to FORTY, QUICK-SPOKEN.] + + +No. 5. + Sugar Creek, October 24, 1825. + +_Esteemed Brown_,--After two nights' hard travelling, I find myself well +provided for, in company with our old "Bogus Friend," who informs me he +has just returned from Toronto, Canada; and has brought some of the most +splendid bogus I ever have seen, and sells it, in trade at 33-1/3, 28 in +cash. I purchased two thousand of him, part trade, part cash; and he is +to deliver it to you. He has sent a large quantity to Brookville, +Indiana, and he will send your two thousand from Brookville. I let him +have four horses, which I purchased from our Rising-sun Brethren. He +sent them immediately to his lawyer, in or near Sandusky, who will +forward them immediately to Michigan. I believe the horse trade is +better, and a great deal more safe than the slave. There are many +brethren living here, and of the best order, and live up to the +principles of the Brotherhood; and of the many which live here, and in +fact all through these parts, very few are considered other than men of +the highest respectability. But I hear many making inquiry about our +Lawrenceburgh Aurora, and Rising-sun brethren, and say the brethren have +acted in many respects badly, and our friend ---- ----, in the burgh, +who purchased the pork he shipped from some of them; they say that he +has deceived them. I feel mortified to think he has no more principle: I +want you to call and tell him he must settle, and I think he ought to +know the same without advice. They are the wrong men for him to try to +gull; I have every right to suspect him of dishonesty, when I think how +much the Brotherhood has done for him, you and I in particular, and +know how he treated us; and though we have given him all of the start he +has, he would sacrifice us both, with our families, for a hundred +dollars. I have found out that Sulivan did not make his escape, as he +assured us he did, but was sold for seven hundred and fifty dollars. So +you can depend he has swindled you and I; do not trust him farther than +you can see him, and recommend him in the right numbers. This will be +handed you by a brother living near the islands Sixty-two and +Sixty-three, on the Mississippi; he is about to make a permanent +location, and wishes to purchase six or eight blacks. If the lot we have +an interest in have not left the burgh, he is the man: he says there are +large bands of the brethren settled near him; I hope you can please him. + +Yours in haste, ---- ----. + +101000 +000000 +300000 +000004 +000000 +000000 +007007 +800800 +000000 + +[This describes the bearer as follows: BOLD, ARTFUL, TEMPERATE, LARGE +and TALL, LIGHT-COMPLEXIONED, PLANTER by profession, HEAD DAPPLED GRAY; +age from THIRTY to FORTY, QUICK SPOKEN.] + + +No. 6. + Indianopolis, November 5, 1825. + +_Friend Brown_,--I have been waiting four days for your answer to mine +of the 24th, and this day have the pleasure of receiving it. I am glad +to hear that your friends in the east have not forgotten you; I had a +letter forwarded me to this place, speaking of your liberality to the +people in Pittsburg, when you visited there last spring, and our friends +---- & Co., the iron traders, are very anxious for another trade. I +think they have made better use of their trade than our two Marietta +merchants ---- ----; the latter, I believe, some of the boys got hold +on, as he was going east, and he returned, one thousand minus, in clear +dust, and his twelve hundred in coney. The Steubenville merchant is +here, and has contracted with me for two hundred dollars' worth of +coney, assorted; he tells me that a brother in a flat boat has been put +aside for his plunder, which, sad to relate, was but little; and that he +saw the wife of the deceased was trying to make up the amount at this +time in Cincinnati; if she has not effected it, I think some attention +had better be given her before it is too late, as she is satisfied it +was done through mistake. You had better go or send some one to see her; +you will find her on Sixth street, at the widow ----, or if you inquire +at, ---- ----, cabinet-maker, on Sycamore. I will give ten; you will +give the same: tell ---- ----, on Lower Market, he must do the same; it +is a pity she should suffer through mistake. She is a fine woman, and +all of the Brotherhood should befriend her. I hope you have, from your +letter, become satisfied with the friendship of ---- ----. I told you +they would not do--I have known them from boys, and the day they got +that bogus from you so cheap, I would sooner have thrown it in the +river. The airs they put on about that negro, satisfied me that they had +forfeited all principles of honesty, which is the way with such men +after they become able to live--never think they are beholding. I will +write you again in a few days. The bearer of this I have learned is a +good brother. + +Yours, ---- ----. + +110000 +002000 +300000 +040004 +000000 +006660 +070000 +800000 + + +000900 + +[This describes the bearer to have been BOLD, ARTFUL, TEMPERATE, +TREACHEROUS, MEDDLESOME, IMPRUDENT, LOW and HEAVY, SANDY-COMPLEXIONED, a +MERCHANT by profession, and that he had been a convict; his age between +THIRTY and FORTY, disease SCROFULOUS.] + + +No. 7. + Indianopolis, November 9, 1825. + +_Friend Brown_,--The town is full of our warm friends, and I am happy to +say that there is a fine spirit existing. To-morrow night I will leave +for Fayetteville; I have received your package of coney, and disposed of +three thousand to the old doctor we met while we were in Canandaigua; he +is the man we sold the flour to at Buffalo. He resides in St. Louis, +Missouri, I hope he may do well, as he is a great man, and has more +knowledge of mankind than any man of his age in America, and will trade +from a pin to a steamboat. He tells me he purchased the lot of negroes +which were in Madison, and he says that he heard, since he left, that +three more had been deposited for sale by the same man; if so, he +wishes you to write him a few lines to Terrehaute, and a copy of the +same to Vincennes. He tells me he will be able to get rid of every +dollar at these two places, and that he can purchase one hundred head of +horses if he wished, all which have come from other states, and some +fine blooded stock. I learn through friend ---- ----, of Bairdstown, +Kentucky, that there has been some hard talk about Judge ----, at +Lexington. I have no confidence in a man who drinks and gambles, as he +does; I do not care how wealthy he is, nor how great a title he wears; +for my part I intend to keep clear of him, with all of his wealth and +title; and your friend in Maysville is another. I write in haste, and +send it by our brother. + +Yours, ---- ----. + +101000 +000020 +300000 +000004 +000000 +000600 +070007 +808000 +000000 + +[This number describes the bearer to be BOLD, ARTFUL, TEMPERATE, +IMPRUDENT, LARGE and TALL, of DARK COMPLEXION, by profession a MERCHANT; +he is diseased with RHEUMATISM; his age from THIRTY to FORTY, hair +DAPPLED.] + + +No. 8. + Lexington, June 3, 1827. + +_Dear Brown_,--I have at last arrived in this wealthy part of Kentucky, +which I assure you is a treat for a man that has been so much exposed to +the fatigues of travelling over cliffs, and swimming creeks, and all +other inconveniences that man could imagine. I arrived at Winchester, +Kentucky, where our old friend resides. It was two o'clock when I +arrived, but I found him in his shop playing cards with a black +journeyman old sledge, at twenty-five cents a game, and you ought to +have seen him scrabble for the cards when I rapped upon the window. I +left Winchester for Maysville, where I remained four days with our +friend, the same old block of sociability; yet he tells me he does well +in the stock trade. He says he sold forty odd horses in one year. Since +he has lived in Kentucky, over two hundred, which you know is over fifty +per year. From Maysville I crossed the river through the Sciota region, +by the way of Portsmouth, then to Chillicothe; from there on to +Zanesville, from there to Wheeling, and then to Washington, +Pennsylvania; returned to Wheeling, then to Parkersburgh. I did not call +at Marietta; there has some difficulty taken place in that region. From +Parkersburgh to Charleston, Kanhaway, with but little delay. Our saline +friends are great dealers in "coney." I met twenty-six in one day at the +old "Col." He is doing his work clean, without any risk. There are, he +tells me, upon an average, five horses sold per week from Sandy among +the friends of the trade. I left Charleston; had a tedious journey to +this city. Lexington is a humane place, but dangerous to move, unless +you do it through some of the old wealthy friends of the trade. I must +now say to you that I have done well in my small way. I have cleared +over two hundred per month. I found our friend, of the Blue Lick region, +who tells me the house trade is good along the road; that the coloured +boys do it all, and are not suspected. (_In speaking of the house trade, +he had reference to the entering of houses by the slaves, pillaging, +&c., which would be laid to white men._) Well, now, I am through with my +travels for the present. Let me give you some little of the history of +our Dearborn brother, which I assure you is novel. I told you he would +never do, and I suppose, ere this, you have found I was right. I cannot +be fooled easy. You thought that from the simple fact that he traded in +horses well, (_meaning that he stole horses well_,) that he would not +fail to be useful anywhere I wished to place him; but he returned home, +I suppose you discover, without a dollar, and made sixty the first night +we arrived in Cincinnati, off of a cheese trader that slept in the +adjoining room. He wanted to return the next day to the burgh, but I +prevailed upon him to stop, as suspicion rested not upon us. He remained +according to my request, and I never have come across such an +industrious man; but he had not much courage, less than any man of his +age I ever met, and not one particle of judgment in human nature. When +we arrived, I cautioned him about trading with any of the brethren of +the city without my consent, knowing, as I did, the city brethren were +"celish;" however, he assured me his trade was "bogus;" that you had +supplied him with cut quarters, which no other person dare offer, and +that he had done well even with them. (Cut money was, at an early date, +used as change; one dollar cut in four pieces answered as twenty-five +cents each.) I found he was bent on the "bogus" trade, and I told him to +hold on a few days, and that I would assist him to some; that I had not +the first dollar, but would find out through the brethren when I +returned from our friend's in the country--nine miles. I then left him +at the boarding-house, and promised to return the next day. I returned +according to promise; called at our boarding-house, and upon inquiry +learned he was out in the city. I took a stroll up to our friend's, the +coffee-house keeper, in Market street. While I was passing through the +market-house, I passed by a man with a large load upon his back. I could +not discover what the bulk was. I passed on to the coffee-house, where +three of the boys were dividing one hundred and sixty-five dollars, the +proceeds of the day's work, which, they informed me, they had obtained +from one of the soft-shell brethren. That in the course of the day they +had met a countryman, and seeing he was apparently upon the look-out for +speculation, they had finally entered into conversation with him, and +had accidentally shown him some bright half dollars, and told him they +were counterfeit. "What," said he, "bogus?" "Bogus, indeed," said one. +"And do you know what, bogus is?" He said he ought to, and they then +tried him, and found him one of the right kind of brethren to skin; and +that they did in the following manner: Finding that he had money and +wanted "bogus," they set upon a plan to deceive him; which they did by +showing him the new half dollars, and telling him they were good coin; +and that if he wished he could have them at fifteen dollars for a +hundred dollars of "bogus." He agreed to purchase one hundred and +sixty-five dollars' worth, which they were to supply that evening. That +they were to meet him in the Fifth street market-house, and deliver his +bogus in a tobacco keg headed up. He of course took it for granted that +all was honest. They separated from him, purchased a tobacco keg, filled +it with stone-coal cinders, within an inch of the top, packing them very +hard to make them weigh heavy. They then put a false head one inch from +the top, upon which they put two hundred copper cents. They then placed +another head upon that, confining it tight with a hoop. After preparing +it, they rolled it into the market-house where they had met. He had paid +them the one hundred and sixty-five dollars for the cinders, which he +supposed to be the most beautiful bogus, and when he lifted the keg he +was satisfied all was right; _and how could he doubt it, they were +brethren!_ and they were then dividing the spoils. I suspected, from +description, it was our Lawrenceburgh friend, but remained silent, and +returned to my room where I knew I could ascertain. When I went, I +discovered my friend just ascending the stairs, with a large keg upon +his shoulder. "Halloo," said I, "what upon earth have you here?" He +dropped the keg, as though he had been shot, making a crash to be heard +a half mile distant, but fortunately no person about the house appeared +much disturbed. The old lady came to the door, and wanted to know what +was the matter. I told her my friend had fallen, but that no damage was +done. She retired. As soon as he discovered it was me, he raised his +burden once more, and carried it to the room. "Come in, sir," said he. +"What have you here?" said I. "That I will show you, in a few minutes." +I knew all the time, and though I was vexed, I could not refrain from +laughter. "You laugh," said he, "and well you might, if you knew the +speculation I had been making to-day." He soon got a hatchet to show me +his treasure. I never saw a man so perfectly carried away at the +prospect he had in store. He was nearly exhausted by carrying such a +burden so far. The perspiration drops were oozing out of his forehead, +and he effected the opening of the keg with no little trouble. "Now, +sir," said he, "you may laugh, if you please; raise that head and see if +there is not something in store to laugh at." I did as he bade. I lifted +up the head which covered his treasure, when to his surprise a few black +copper cents made their appearance. "Copper bogus," said I. "I believe +in my soul they have mistaken; let's examine further." He soon +discovered the false head, which he raised, and in a double surprise +cried out, "My conscience, I won't trade. No, I will have my money back! +I will sue them." "Who will you sue?" said I. He came to a stand, then +remarked, "Really, I can't tell who they were. They gave me no name, but +I will take them for swindling if they don't give it up. I will swear," +said he--then he paused and I took the word from his mouth, and told him +that I would swear that he was a fool, and had better return to Dearborn +county and plough corn. He laid the coppers one side, being about two +hundred, then carefully headed the keg up. We went to bed. During the +night he arose. I heard him going downstairs. The next morning I +discovered that both him and the keg were missing. I never heard from +him afterwards, but hope, if he is at home, that you will hereafter keep +him there. + +Yours, in haste, + +P.S. I hope you will answer this immediately. Direct to Nashville, +Tennessee. This Brother is a true blue. + +100000 +002020 +000003 +000400 +500000 +000600 +070000 +800088 +000000 + +[This describes the bearer to be CUNNING, TEMPERATE, TREACHEROUS, +IMPRUDENT; size LOW and HEAVY; by profession a PHYSICIAN and a MERCHANT; +disease RHEUMATISM and FACE DISFIGURED; age from FORTY to FORTY-FIVE; +QUICK-SPOKEN.] + + +No. 9. + Lawrenceburgh, April 9, 1827. + +_Friend Brown_,--I am happy to have the extreme pleasure of introducing +to your acquaintance one of my most intimate friends. He visits the city +on business, which may require assistance; if so, you can confer no +greater favour on your humble servant, than by serving him. + +Yours, in haste, + +The following was taken from the same sheet, having been interlined in +fine hand in sympathetic ink, which was entirely a secret to the +bearer, and read when warm, as follows: + +_In a side pocket made upon the inside of an old black velvet vest, you +will find eighteen hundred dollars in United States money. In an old +hair trunk, tied around with a rope, he carries twelve hundred dollars +in silver. He is fond of spirits, and occasionally gets drunk, and when +drunk, has no memory, and would not acknowledge the fact of being drunk +for twice the amount. He is a man of wealth and of honour. Destroy this +immediately._ + +The history connected with the above letters may be considered of great +importance to explain the villanies of this band; and from the +circumstances connected with this history, I have every reason to have +full confidence that the same letters this note refers to, were the +occasion of the bearer being robbed of some thirty-one hundred dollars. +We will now give the foundation for our belief. During the examination +of my original package of letters, I discovered a very familiar name +attached to one of those apparent business letters, which caused me to +examine the import, and upon so doing, I found that it contained the +same which I have given, with a few omissions which I considered of +importance to my personal safety, viz., the names of the parties, the +place of residence of the man robbed, &c. When I found that I had a +familiar name to so base an article, to satisfy myself that it was not a +forgery, I examined the same person's signatures which had been written +in the year 1827, and found they compared satisfactorily to my mind. I +then set upon a plan to ascertain from the man who lost the money, +without his having an idea of my intention, which I did as follows. I +wrote to a responsible man living in the same place, to know of him if +such a man of his village had ever lost any money, and if so, what +amount, the date he lost it, &c.; to which I received the following +brief note: "Sir,--You have written me upon a subject which I was not +familiar with at the time I received your letter, but have made inquiry, +and found that in the spring of 1827, the person alluded to in your +letter was robbed while in Wheeling, on his way to Philadelphia, out of +rising three thousand dollars: which money he has never heard of. He is +a man in good circumstances, and was at that time, in fact he has always +been, considered wealthy. I conversed with him one time upon the +subject, but he dislikes to have it mentioned to him. You likewise +wished me to inquire if he received any letters of introduction or +recommendation previous to his departure, on the date mentioned. He had +several, and with one exception, they were all from his best friends. +One he had given him by a man residing in Lawrenceburgh, Indiana, was +for the purpose of introducing him to Daniel Brown, a merchant of +Dearborn county, whom he met in Cincinnati, on his (Brown's) return, and +had but a few moments' time to converse with him, after he gave him the +letter. You, therefore, know all I can ascertain about your request." I +could then see through the whole lead of his misfortunes, and it is +about in this way. The letter which he bore to Brown, having the +particulars concerning his temperament, likewise the amount of money, +&c., enabled Brown to set the band upon him, who robbed him, and then +divided with Brown and his Lawrenceburgh friend. These letters I had +transcribed and put them up and lectured to the citizens of +Lawrenceburgh concerning the horrible fact of their existence; and +these are the letters spoken of, that made the pigeon's flutter, and +likewise caused so many threats of my assassination; and all that +prevented them was, that they feared whoever might have the handling of +the papers hereafter might handle them with less mercy. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + + +I have frequently, in the course of this work, had to notice the very +intimate connection which those concerned in the administration of +justice, or ostensibly in the suppression of crime, had with those who +perpetrate it. In all of our large cities, this occasionally forces +itself into public notice. Anxious as the authorities always are to +conceal any thing of this kind, it accidentally leaks out. The +opportunity for concealment, and the advantages afforded by official +station, have not been overlooked by the Brothers, and the police of +every city contains several of the fraternity. In all fairness, however, +the great mass of crime connected with such establishments ought not to +be laid to their charge. The very wish to be connected with the police, +indicates a morbid disposition of the mind--a desire to be familiar with +crime; for it is necessary to detect it successfully, to come in contact +frequently with the criminal. In consequence, by familiarity, crime +loses its enormity: the police officer sees how seldom the perpetrator +is detected; how often, when detected, he escapes unwhipped of justice; +he connives at some petty offence, in the hope of entrapping the +criminal in some more flagrant act, and tampers with crime, till the +little moral sensibility he had when he entered the service is +destroyed. This is obviously a true picture of human nature; but I must +proceed with the story, which suggested these remarks. + +In no city of the Union has the depredations of the Band of Brothers +been more extensive than in Cincinnati, Ohio, yet there seems to be a +prevailing wish, entertained even by those who have witnessed their +ravages, to doubt the existence of any such organization. Nor am I +surprised at this incredulity--the thought that we are surrounded by +hundreds of individuals, sworn to protect and assist one another in +their ravages upon our lives and property, is no very pleasant prospect +for contemplation. Sincerely I wish it were merely a dream of the night, +but the unaccountable and sudden downfall of some of the most +respectable and talented families of that city convince that it yet +exists in all its awful realities. In confirmation of this I will +introduce the history of one family, guarding myself as much as possible +from saying any thing that might hurt the feelings of any of the +relatives yet living. It consisted of five boys--at least that number is +all that has come under my notice; the eldest, at the age of sixteen, +connected himself with bad associates, was committed to the jail on a +charge of theft, and convicted. In a short time the next brother +followed in the same course, and shared the same fate. The remaining +children were yet young, and to preserve them from the vicious habits of +the elder ones, the father kept them at hard labour every day. We are +not intimately acquainted with the character of the father, but we never +heard any thing laid to his charge but that he was a dissipated, and so +far an immoral man. He at least gave his children an example of +industry, and could not be suspected of training them in dishonest +practices. The eldest son was pardoned, or served his time out, we +forget which, and came home to his father's house; but was soon taken +in another misdemeanour, and sentenced to ten years' confinement in the +Kentucky State Prison. At the expiration of his term the second also +returned, but fearfully depraved and abandoned. He seemed to take a +delight in all manner of wickedness, and bore evidence that he came from +a good school. After a few months of dissipation, supported by robbery, +he was again taken, convicted the second time, and sent to the State +Prison. From it he made his escape, and found his way to Vicksburg, but +on attempting a robbery, he was detected, and shot through his left +shoulder, the ball fracturing the bone very badly. One day while he was +under arrest, several men visited him; he was alarmed when they first +entered, but soon regained his self-possession. One of the party +inquired why he seemed so much affrighted at their entrance; to which he +replied, that at first sight he had taken one of them for a man of the +name of Phelps. [A robber who was afterwards taken, and attempted to +break from jail, but was shot down in the streets of Vicksburg. For +particulars see "Gambling Unmasked."] A very friendly feeling was soon +established between the robber and his visitors; in a few days he was +taken from jail, and bent his way for New Orleans, where he was again +detected in the very act of robbery, but in attempting to make his +escape was shot down by the captain of the guard. + +This same year of his death the third brother got into difficulty, and +was sentenced to the Penitentiary for three years. Before the expiration +of his sentence, the fourth was convicted. The fifth boy at this time +was about seventeen, and he too was caught stealing, convicted, and +received his sentence about the time the fourth regained his liberty. + +The third brother, after serving the specified period in what is called +the _Penitentiary_, took his way south, where he was again committed for +robbery, and sentenced to five years' confinement in the Louisiana State +Prison. At the expiration of that period he started for home, but when +near the island of Sixty-six, on the Mississippi, he concluded to take a +trunk and jump overboard. This feat he accomplished successfully; but +unluckily for him, it was in the same year in which so many outlaws were +put to death by the citizens, and having connected himself with a band +who were at that time flooding the river with counterfeit coin, +negro-stealing, and indulging in all manner of villany, he was taken by +a company, and with about forty others put to death, some being shot, +and others tied up in sacks and thrown into the Mississippi. + +The fifth brother was now in the Ohio Penitentiary, the fourth in the +Indiana State Prison, but the eldest brother was released from +confinement, and returned to Cincinnati. His long confinement, however, +seems to have had no very beneficial effect, for in a few months he was +again convicted of petit larceny, and sentenced to serve in the chain +gang. Here he conducted himself so well as to gain the unqualified +commendation of one of the drivers, who in consequence treated him +indulgently. About this period, there was much excitement, caused by the +frequency of night robberies, and no trace of the thieves could be +found, by which they could be detected. The most vigilant means were +used, and many were sent to the jails and penitentiary, but still the +robberies went on. Among those committed at this period, was the fifth +brother, who for a short period had enjoyed his liberty. The eldest +brother served out his time in the chain gang, and after being +liberated, suddenly disappeared; and, which surprised many, the driver +of the chain gang disappeared at the same time. A day or two after their +disappearance, a drover from Kentucky, who had been at Cincinnati, and +was on his way home, was taken from his horse, robbed, his throat cut, +and left for dead upon the road side. They had, however, merely severed +the windpipe, and on being discovered, he was able to give such +information as led to the detection of the driver and his friend, the +convict. They were arrested, and identified by the mangled drover; and +the citizens, knowing the desperate character of the elder brother, who +had served an apprenticeship in their own State Prison, gave them a +trial according to "Lynch" custom, and hung them both. Thus ended the +life of the eldest of the brothers--the third who had suffered the +penalty of death for their crimes. + +The suspicions of the people were excited by this occurrence, and a +train of investigation set on foot which left no doubt but that the +recent robberies were committed by the chain driver and his gang. At +night they were freed from their chains, allowed to prowl about and +plunder, and brought their spoils to the prison, where it could easily +be stowed away without suspicion. We believe that we are quite within +the mark, if we attribute one-eighth of the robberies committed in large +cities, to the police, or perpetrated with their connivance. Many, we +hesitate not to say, are done by men whom the public believe to be in +prison. It has become a proverb, "Set a thief to catch a thief," and +the public seem to have acquiesced that thus it shall ever be. There is +an allowed and constant connection between the criminal and the officer +engaged in suppressing crime, but whether it be necessary and +unavoidable, or the best disposition possible, deserves some +consideration. The hangman is in general only a little more fortunate +than his culprit. The leader of a band of Regulators is commonly more +ferocious, and as lawless as the victim against whom his fury is +directed. The lawyer unscrupulously pockets a fee, which he knows has +been obtained by the plunder of the citizen. Not a few of them hang +about our jails, prying into the means of the prisoners, and divide with +them the spoil, sheltering themselves from communicating any disclosures +they make under their judicial privileges. But if justice be the end of +the law, why should the communications of a prisoner to his counsel be +held sacred? If the case be undefensible otherwise, why should it be +defended, unless it be to give a fee to the lawyer, at the expense of +justice? With all deference to the legislators of our country, and to +the gentlemen of the legal profession, this seems a privilege not to be +envied: to _know_ that you are assisting to defraud, but debarred by +custom from disclosing it; to know that the culprit is guilty, and +deserves punishment or restraint, but to send him forth again upon +society to commit further crime. + +Our readers may be anxious to know what became of the other two +brothers, the fourth and fifth. At this moment we believe they are both +in the State Prison. Now how was the ruin of this once respectable +family accomplished? Why did the fate of the elder not deter the +younger from crime? Were they merely drawn along by the contagion of +ill-example, or were there more potent influences at work in their +destruction? And why did punishment and penitentiaries do so little in +their reformation? The greater part of their lives were passed within +their walls, cut off from the influence of evil, but we see no sanitory +effect. We will not answer these questions directly, but in the course +of this work will supply the reader with materials to answer them for +himself. We have every reason to believe that the eldest and the second +were entangled in the meshes of The Secret Band of Brothers, in a manner +from which there was no escape. They are ever on the look-out for any +individual who has forfeited his character, and who promises by his +ingenuity or dexterity to be a fit tool for their purposes. Their agents +are to be found in all the professions, in the magistracy, and in the +prisons and penitentiaries; sometimes, under the vail of hypocrisy, +assuming a fair exterior at the time they are engaged in all manner of +villany; at other times, when their influence in any place is in the +ascendency, openly showing their real character. Men can be found in +many of our towns so notoriously profligate, that not one individual in +the place could be found that would say they were honest men, yet +through solicitation, party spirit, and sometimes through fear, they are +elected to official stations. It is one of the leading objects of the +Secret Band, to have as many of the brotherhood in the magistracy as +possible, and neither money nor importunity are spared to effect their +object. They know what they are about: they are too sagacious to suppose +that a thief will catch a thief; that a gambler will suppress gambling, +or a drunkard promote temperance; and it would be well that those who +really desire any of these objects, were equally "wise in their +generation." + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + + +The spring of 1833 found me travelling through the Choctaw nation, +which, at that time, with the exception of the government posts, was a +wilderness. Fort Towson, Duxborough, Jonesborough, Lost Prairie, Horse +Prairie, Pecan Point, and several other places throughout this wild and +newly settled country, were crowded with every kind and description of +people from the states, from, the government agents and contractors to +the wild and mysterious refugee--the latter being very numerous, and +having settled upon the south side of Red river, to evade the pursuit of +the United States' officer of justice, that portion then being +considered within the boundaries of Texas. The whole region was one of +peculiar debasement in all respects. As might be suspected, seasoned as +it was with such a population, drunkenness, debauchery, and murder +walked abroad, hand in hand, day and night. Human life was valued no +higher than the life of an ox or a hog, and the heart of the settlement +was cold, and palsied to the most remote touch of feeling, and hardened +to the recital of brutalities and crimes of the most indescribable +enormity. Men talked of their evil doings, their deep, revolting guilt, +with the most impudent freedom, and laughed and chuckled over them as +though they were the best jokes in the world! + +It was in one of the Texan settlements, in this rude, wicked tract of +country, that an incident came to my knowledge, quite by accident, +which I will relate. The settlement contained some seventy to eighty +people, men, women, and children, white and black. I was taking a stroll +with one of the settlers among the cabins and huts, he being familiar +with the occupants of each, their habits and history. When we passed a +spot worth notice, he gave me the character of the owner, his wealth, +&c., and although all about the settlement wore an appearance of the +most abject poverty, I was surprised to find the wealth which many of +the inhabitants of so desolate, dreary, and forbidding a place +possessed. We finally came to a small log cabin, at the extreme end of +the settlement, apparently about twenty feet in length by eighteen deep, +a story and a half high. + +"Who lives here?" said I. + +"The widow ----," replied my guide, whose name was Edmonds--"the widow +of ----, but--yes--the widow of Dr ----, who was killed a few days ago." + +I was struck with my companion's pauses, and thought there was something +singular in them, especially as his countenance at the time seemed to +change slightly. I soon mustered resolution to ask him who were the +murderers of Doctor ----, but his reply was simply that he did not know. + +"I should like to see the widow," said I; "will you introduce me?" + +He declined, stating that he must then leave me, and go along some half +a mile further, where some men were at work, chopping down a bee-tree. + +"Very well," said I; "I will step in and introduce myself. You have +awakened some little curiosity in my mind to know more about the murder +of this man." + +He left me without making any reply, and I entered the cabin, the door +of which was standing ajar. I found, seated near the fire on a rude +bench, a female, perhaps thirty years old, whose countenance wore a look +of deep dejection, but at the same time betrayed strong evidence of +having been once quite attractive. A little girl sat in her lap--two +boys of the ages of perhaps seven and eleven occupied a bench at her +right--an infant of, I should think, three months old, slept in the +cradle, which a little girl apparently about five years old stood +rocking. The group was a very imposing one. As I entered, I gave a tap +upon the door, which caused the mother to turn towards me; but she did +not speak, waiting, it would seem, for me to introduce my business. I +apologized for my unceremonious entrance, saying, that I had learned she +was formerly a resident in the states; and that I being also from +thence, felt some interest in her and her family. She beckoned me to a +seat, and after some time, told me she was born in Philadelphia, but +that, having married a Kentuckian, she moved there, and lived some eight +or nine years in that state--that her husband, at the expiration of that +time, had taken his family to Little Rock, Arkansas, where they resided +one year, and that from thence they had come to the place where I found +them. + +Here there was a pause; in fact, I discovered that the poor woman's +voice faltered the moment she approached the subject of her arrival at +her present residence. The silence was broken by the child, who stood +rocking the cradle, and who said, "This is a bad place, ain't it, Ma? +Here the bad men live that killed Pa." At this the mother burst into +tears. As she did so, she kindly told the child to hush. + +After the mother's tears had partially subsided, I told her to talk to +me without restraint; that I had visited the settlement on the other +side of the river on government business, which I expected to transact, +and leave in a very few days. I here was guilty of falsehood. I had not +visited the settlement for government, of course, but to pursue my +iniquitous course of gambling with the refugees. + +The woman implored me to be watchful; that I was in the midst of the +most abandoned description of men that could possibly be conceived of; +and that they would make a victim of me the more readily, on account of +my extreme youth. I told her that they could want nothing of me, for the +simple reason that I had nothing valuable about me. She assured me that +it was not always avarice which tempted these men to deeds of blood. +They had butchered her poor husband in the very house where we were, +within hearing of herself and children, and when all were imploring that +his life might be spared. And yet money was not the temptation. She then +gave me a history of the cruel murder of her husband, which was as +follows:-- + +Doctor ---- was educated a physician in the city of Philadelphia, though +a native of Kentucky. He married his wife in that city; after which he +went back to Kentucky, where he settled down in the practice of his +profession. It was not many years after he took up his abode in his +native place before he became involved, and subsequently being accused +of committing a forgery, he concluded it was best to leave his native +state. His first stopping-place, after leaving Kentucky, was Little +Rock, Arkansas, where he remained until his brother-in-law joined him +with his family. Becoming uneasy and unhappy there, he finally removed +to the settlement, where an end was put to his earthly career by the +band of assassins. + +His wife, when she came to this portion of her husband's career, was +again deeply affected; but she soon mustered composure enough to +continue the story. + +After my husband came here, he proceeded to build this house, and we all +moved into it in a very short period after the first log was laid. He +was a changed man, and my health had become impaired by the exposures +which it was necessary to encounter, in travelling through this +wilderness. Doctor ---- was a changed man; most painfully was this the +case. He was not only moody and sullen in his temperament, and at times +unhappy to the last degree; but he did not seem to take that pleasure +which he once did in the society of his wife and children. Now and then +he would drink hard, and become intoxicated, in which case he abused me +most shamefully, and I bore all for the sake of the children. Some few +days before his death, he entered into a speculation with some bad +fellows here, to smuggle spirits through the nation, which they +succeeded in doing, and with great profit. About this time, or just +after, when in a calm and subdued mood, he confessed to me, that he was +not an honest man; that he was a refugee from justice, and a doomed man; +that a trap had been laid for him a short time after he was married; +that he fell into it; that he was a sworn member of a band of +desperadoes and villains, and that he was doomed to be a guilty wretch +so long as he lived. I thought he was crazy, but his assurance was in a +few days fully verified. + +Not long after my husband made this confession to me, he ran a partition +across the cabin--making two rooms. In the other department he put two +beds, and whenever any of his cronies called to see him, he would order +myself and the children into the room. Here we remained while he and his +companions drank and played cards--making sometimes such a noise that it +seemed as if the very roof would be raised. They often kept it up all +night long. + +One morning, after one of these frolics, he said to me he wished I was +at home with my father; that he never intended to return to Philadelphia +himself; but he would see that I was safely taken there. I asked why he +was so much inclined to part from me. He stated that that was his +business; I must leave him. Only the night before, he had been accused +of divulging secrets to me in regard to his companions; that he had +promised them to send me home. He added, that I might take all the +children but the two eldest boys. I protested against separating me and +my children. His only reply was, that his determination on the point was +fixed. + +That night he ordered myself and the children into the room, in a more +angry tone than ever, and barred us in. It was not long after this +before his wicked companions arrived and planted themselves down at the +table. I listened at the door, and while my husband had gone out of the +cabin for some purpose, I heard them whispering busily together. As he +entered the apartment, however, the whispering ceased, and one of them +said, "Let's play for the liquor first, and decide that point +afterwards." + +After this, they played and swore, and one would have supposed the room +to have been occupied by fiends incarnate rather than by men. At about +twelve o'clock, one of the company said, "Well, boys, now is the time; +what are we here for?" "Out with the light," said another. My husband +now asked what they proposed doing, when, without giving him the +slightest notice, the light was put out, and a heavy blow descended. I +heard my husband cry out, "Do not murder me;" but the strokes fell heavy +and fast, and spite of my screams and the screams of my children--spite +of our efforts to beat the door in, the bloody work was kept up until I +heard my husband's body fall upon the floor. In a short time his +murderers left. I tried to burst the door open, but without success. At +last, I raised my eldest boy to the window, and he crawled outside, and +ran round, entering the door which led to the room containing his +father's corpse. As the child moved towards the door of the room, for +the purpose of unbarring it, he fell over the dead body of his father. +The door was finally unbarred, and I rushed into the room where my +murdered husband lay. Oh, sir, I cannot tell you what were then my +feelings. The lights which the children brought into the room exposed +the whole scene, and it was one which I could not describe if I +would--my husband's body lying upon the floor, weltering in blood. I +tried to lift it up to the bed, but could not. I then, with the +assistance of the children, rolled it up in a counterpane, and we sat +down and watched it till morning--fearing that, if we did not, it might +be carried off by wolves--a large number of which howled about the house +until day dawned. Oh, sir, it was a sorrowful night! The next morning +several of the neighbours called in, and after expressing their horror +at the deed of blood, assured me that they would aid in bringing the +murderers to justice. That they knew them, and that they resided on the +Sabine river. Would you believe it, sir? Two of the very sympathizers I +knew to have been concerned in the murder of my husband. + +A coffin was made, into which my poor husband's body was laid, and then +the neighbours buried him, but in such a manner that he lay but a foot +or two below the earth's surface. I have been afraid the beasts of prey +which infest this region would get possession of his corpse; so, with my +children, I build every night a fire near his grave. + +"Now, sir," added the woman, "I have told you the painful story, and you +will see in what a dreadful situation I am. I am here in this dreadful +place, with perhaps one hundred dollars in money, and five children, +nearly all of whom constantly require my watchful care. Can you not +assist me in my wretchedness?" + +I told the poor thing I would endeavour to do something for her. I had +hardly done so, when Edmonds passed the door of the cabin on his way +back from the choppers. Seeing me, he turned back and said, as I passed +out to meet him, "Well, Green, what do you think of the widow?" My reply +was, that she was so shy and distant that I could not learn much about +her, one way or the other; that she appeared unwilling, or afraid to +converse. + +"It is well enough that she did," was Edmond's reply, "she does not know +what she talks about. When she does choose to speak, I believe her to be +either crazy or foolish, and d----n me if I know which." + +Edmonds invited me to go with him to his home. So I went along. I found +there a man, named Scoggins, with whom Edmonds got into a very free +conversation. I heard him say, "We must send that woman away; she talks +to somebody every day; she must be taken care of in one way or the +other. She must, Scoggins, she must." + +It was not long after this, before Scoggins took me aside, and in a +friendly manner advised me not to go to the widow's again; that she was +a bad and a meddlesome person withal. I did not visit her afterwards; +indeed, I had no opportunity to do so, for the day following the +incidents I here related, in company with Edmonds and Scoggins, I left +the settlement for Fort Towson--about one hundred and fifty miles east. +Our object was to play cards with the officers at the fort, and lighten +them of some of their change. We also expected to fall in with some of +the half-bred Choctaws, who are not inexpert in the shuffle. Edmonds and +Scoggins were ordinary players, and depended on my skill. The former was +a shrewd fellow, a Georgian by birth--aged about forty-five; the latter, +a Canadian, was about the same age. They had served together during the +war of 1812, and in the same company. Two more peculiar men could not be +found. Like a pair of well-trained horses, I saw very soon, after we +joined company, they pulled together. They had a negro with them, who +was deaf and dumb; and he was one of the best servants I ever saw. He +had been Edmonds' attendant for fifteen years, and was, I should think, +about fifty years old. This old negro knew every route from Canada to +Texas. He would stand and sleep, like a horse, for hours, and seemed to +care much more for horses than he did for himself. I thought there was +something more than at first appeared about the old darkey. While at the +fort, he would, in our company, stand for hours, it seemed to me +listening attentively to all that was said, and appearing to understand +it. He was very submissive and polite to any one who noticed him, and, +from the beginning, appeared to take a wonderful liking to me. At Fort +Towson I tried to get rid of Edmonds and Scoggins, telling them I had +resolved to leave them, and that I was going to cross the Nation to Fort +Smith, about one hundred and fifty miles distant. They appeared to like +the route I had chosen, and said they would accompany me. While at Fort +Towson, I discovered that both of my companions had a large number of +acquaintances there, mixed in among the Indians; and, likewise, that +many of the slaves appeared to know them. + +We finally left the fort, in company with ten Choctaws. I had purchased, +while in the nation, twelve head of horses, two of which were quarter +horses, that is, intended to run a quarter of a mile in singularly quick +time. I obtained them of a half-bred Choctaw, and they were valued at +five hundred dollars each. + +We encamped, the first night after our departure, about thirty miles +distant from Fort Towson. The next morning I found that my two valuable +quarter horses, with six others of the drove, were missing. I said +something about my chance of finding them again, but soon had every hope +of the kind destroyed, by being informed that the Pawnee Indians were +very numerous in the neighbourhood; that they were great horse thieves; +and had undoubtedly appropriated to themselves my valuable beasts. We +went fifty miles further, when we again encamped. Here the horses of +the dumb negro and Scoggins were missing. They appeared to think their +animals might be recovered, and turned back for that purpose, promising +to overtake us, if possible, at Fort Smith. + +When we arrived at the fort, I disposed of the horses I had left, and +took passage on the steamboat Reindeer, for the mouth of White River. +Edmonds insisted on accompanying me. I made no objection, of course, but +was anxious to get rid of him. It was about the twentieth of May, when +we arrived at Montgomery's Point, on the Mississippi. Edmonds, daring +the passage, frequently sympathized with me on the loss of my horses. He +also, now and then, spoke to me about the widow of Doctor ----, +commiserated her forlorn situation, and stated that he had a strong +desire, and in fact determination, to communicate intelligence of her +deplorable condition to her friends in Philadelphia. He asked me, if I +did not, myself, think of doing something of the kind. I told him that I +had forgotten her name, and had I remembered it, I hardly thought that I +should trouble myself about her or her affairs. He said, he, too, had +forgotten the name, but he could procure it of Scoggins when he +returned. + +We remained at the Point several days, awaiting the arrival of a +steamboat. Finally, the Chester came along, bound for St. Louis. I took +passage in her, and left Edmonds behind, not a little to my +gratification. We had not proceeded far from the Point, when the Chester +broke down, and I was obliged to get on board of a down boat, and return +to the Point. On arriving there, the first person I encountered was the +dumb negro, who told me that Edmonds had died suddenly, since my +departure, of the cholera, which was raging at that time on the +Mississippi, and which cut men down almost without warning. On inquiry, +I found the negro had told me the truth, and must confess I was not a +little astonished at it. But a few hours previously, I had left Edmonds, +apparently well; now he was a corpse! The thought gave me a shade of +melancholy, especially as I knew and felt that he had been cut down in +guilt; for that he was both a robber and a murderer I could not for a +moment doubt. + +I made some inquiry about the amount of money left by Edmonds, and +discovered that after paying all the expenses of his funeral, the amount +of nine hundred dollars would be left, which, according to his request +just before his death, was to be sent to his friends in Savanna, +Georgia. + +Not long after I got back to the Point, when walking out alone, the dumb +negro joined me, and motioned me to follow him: I did so, without +hesitation. We had not gone far out of the way, before he placed himself +near me, and, to my surprise, spoke to me as plainly and distinctly as +any one could. He said he knew he would surprise me when he talked like +other folks; but he would give me a good reason for having seemed to be +dumb. He then gave me a sketch of his chequered career. He was once a +slave, but had been a free man between thirty and forty years. At the +age of twenty, he was purchased from his master, at Petersburg, +Virginia, to save his life, by a band of outlaws of which he became a +member, in a servile capacity. These men had freed him, soon after they +purchased him from his master, and in consideration he had taken the +oath as one of their gang, and had sworn, with other things, to appear +to be deaf and dumb, so long as he should live--the penalty for any +forgetfulness, or otherwise, that should betray that he could either +speak or hear, being death! That he had been educated to this end; that +the band had men who could converse with him readily by signs, and that +he had been so much accustomed to communicate his thoughts in that +manner, that it had become second nature. He told me he was now +determined to go to Canada, where he proposed remaining for the balance +of his life. I asked him how he meant to go? His reply was, that he +should make the journey by land; that he knew every foot of the route, +and had hundreds of warm friends all the way along. He further said that +he could communicate to me a secret, which he thought it would be better +for me to keep--and this is the first time I have ever publicly revealed +it. + +The secret was, that he and Scoggins, after leaving Edmonds and myself, +had retraced their steps to the skirts of Texas; that my horses had not +been taken, as I supposed, by the Indians, but that hired tools of +Edmonds and Scoggins had stolen them. That it was well for me I laid my +money out in horses: had I not done so, they would have murdered me, to +possess themselves of it. He further assured me, that I had been for +three months in the most heartless and desperate region which the +country affords, and among my worst enemies. The negro added, that he +had heard hard letters read concerning me since I was in the country. +That they were written a year before, by certain men belonging to the +same band, whom I knew, but least suspected. One of them lived near +Lawrenceburgh, Indiana; another was Goodrich, the notorious villain to +whom I have alluded in the preceding part of the work. + +This negro also told me that Dr. ----, who had been murdered on the +Texan frontier, was himself a member of the Secret Band, and that he was +killed to save many a better man. That he and Scoggins had gone back to +see that the widow and her family were removed; but they found, on +reaching the settlement, she had left. We had learned, moreover, that +when seventy or eighty miles on her journey to her friends', she was +taken sick and died, and that she had lost her youngest child before she +left the settlement. It was further stated that the remainder of her +family were at Little Rock, with a friend of her husband's, who would +provide for them till her family could either send for them, or give +some directions in regard to their disposition. + +The negro advised me never to divulge my opinions in relation to the +doctor's death, nor to the history of his family out west. I told him I +did not recollect their names, and therefore could not do so if I would. +He assured me that it was well for me, perhaps, that it was so; and that +it could do me no good if I did. I spoke to the negro about the lively +sympathy which Edmonds had expressed for the family, a few days before I +parted with him; that he had told me, in case he could procure the name +and residence of their friends at the east, he would write them; and +that he had asked me if I remembered them. I told him I did not. + +The negro assured me that it was well for me I had been so ignorant on +the subject; Edmonds was only trying me. Had I appeared to have known +any thing, and betrayed any disposition to give publicity to what I +knew, he would have prevented me, even if he had taken my life. + +I discovered from the negro, that the secret band of outlaws, to whom I +here alluded, had a large number of members scattered among the +different tribes of Indians; that they are all about the western +country, in fact, and that all are true to each other as steel itself. +The negro assured me that he could find friends at every turn; yes, +those who _would die for him!_ He was well off, however, without them, +and had determined to pass the remainder of his days in living a life of +honesty; hoping that, by so doing, God would forgive him, if man did +not. + +The negro told me much more in regard to himself and his companions. He +said he had been deaf and dumb, in order to find out what was going on. +He stood about and heard much said, which would not have been said had +it been supposed he could hear, and much, too, that was at times +extremely valuable to the band. + +I told him that I had often noticed and pitied him. His reply was, that +he saw I felt for him, and it was none the worse for me that I did. This +very county where we were, was afterwards infested by Murrill and his +gang; and it was here that, in 1841, the citizens turned out and put to +death, by shooting and drowning, some forty or fifty villains. + +But to return to the negro. I told him that his intelligence startled +me. He assured me, that while with him I was not in danger; that, to +tell the truth, where we then were was not a very bad tract of country. +For, said he, the brethren of Arkansas and Mississippi are not "clear +grit." That a few weeks preceding, a man by the name of Jeffries, who +had passed counterfeit money, they permitted to be taken and put to +death. He had, it seems, got off about one thousand dollars of the +spurious money on some river boatmen and traders; who returned when they +found the money was bad, pursued the counterfeiter to an island on the +river; where, after having stripped him naked and tied him to a tree, +they beat him to death! It was true this man was not a member of the +secret fraternity; but he would have been had his life been spared. + +At this point of my conversation with the negro, I discovered the +steamboat HURON near by, so I shook hands with him and left him. +Rejoicing that a boat had at last come along, I was soon on board her, +bound for Louisville. We "wooded" some thirty miles distant from +Montgomery's Point, and at the wood-yard, I overheard one of the workmen +telling about the skeleton of a man which had been found on an island +near by; that it was tied to a tree, and that it was the remains of a +man who had been whipped to death for passing counterfeit money. The +woodman added, that the poor victim's watch and clothes were found +hanging near his skeleton. This story confirmed the statement of the +dumb negro on this point, and gave me confidence in all he had told me. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + + +In the first chapter of this work, I have spoken of various attacks upon +my character; but not knowing from what motives they originated, I paid +no attention to them, nor should I to the one I shall here attempt the +exposition of, had it not been to satisfy the public that it was made +through a motive which I have every reason to believe a sinister one. I +will not offer through any remark intentionally to say such is the fact, +in relation to the intention of my imprudent opposer in my lone work of +mercy, for of the motives of a man no other man can judge; but will lay +our correspondence before the public, that they may examine and judge +for themselves. + + +No. 1. + State Prison, Auburn, April 7, 1845. + +_To the Editor of the Tribune:_ + +We have had a recent visit from Mr. J. H. Green, the "Reformed Gambler," +of whom you have previously spoken favourably in the editorial +department of your paper. Many are highly pleased with the man, and +think he should be sustained by public patronage and the press, inasmuch +as he comes with good credentials of moral and Christian character from +the church. Many think his course calculated to do much good, for this +and coming generations. He appears admirably calculated and accomplished +for exposing the deceptive marks and tricks of this heartless race of +land-pirates, called Gamblers, alias "_Sportsmen_." His description of +their infernal conduct and character cannot fail to put men on their +guard in season to shun them as they would a deadly pestilence that +walketh in darkness, and destruction that wasteth at noonday. + +The grog-shop, the brothel, and the gambling-room, are three of the +blackest fountains of human misery over which the devil presides. From +these he gathers the bitterest waters of hellish destruction, and +spreads them broad-cast over creation: of which eternity can only +measure the full amount. + +The Temperance Cause has attacked one of those sinks of Satan; the Moral +Reform enterprise has commenced upon another, and Mr. Green has now +taken the third "bull by the horns." Money and talent, and the press, +are enlisted against the two former, and shall we stand aloof, and leave +Mr. Green to combat the dragon single-handed and alone? It is high time +the whole community was aroused to the desolating evils of Gambling; and +the press, too, in thunder-tones, should be made to speak out upon this, +as upon other soul-destroying vices of the land. + +Mr. Green has given five Lectures in our village: two in the Town Hall, +two in the Methodist Church, and one in the State Prison. On Sabbath, +sixth instant, at four o'clock, P.M., he addressed the children of the +several Sabbath-schools of the town, in the Methodist Episcopal Church, +to good effect; and in the evening, the same house was filled to a +perfect jam. Here Mr. Green was listened to with the best possible +attention; and I believe the great bulk of that immense throng, not only +believed him a reformed man, but also that he was doing a good and +necessary work in this country. + +At nine o'clock, Sabbath morning, Mr. Green spoke to the unfortunate +inmates of this prison, numbering some eight hundred convicts, besides a +large concourse of citizens, who flocked to hear him at the same place. +His discourse was listened to in breathless silence by those men, and +hundreds of them wept freely, while listening to a recital of the +horrors of Gambling, as experienced during twelve wretched years of his +own gambling life, and of his reformation and salvation by grace in +Christ. A deep and powerful impression pervaded the vast concourse, +while all was graced by beautiful strains of vocal music by the "Boston +Quartet Club," and all passed off finely. + +After Chapel service, Mr. Green and myself visited the cell of Henry +Wyatt, the murderer of James Gordon, of which the papers have spoken. +They readily recognised each other, as having been members of the same +gambling fraternity in the south and west. More than fifty gamblers were +named by them, whose doleful history was equally familiar to both. + +Previous to this visit by Mr. Green, Wyatt had told me that gambling was +the cause of his ruin. At the close of our visit of some two hours, Mr. +Green gave Wyatt a pathetic exhortation to read his Bible, and pray +much, to repent of sin, and believe in Christ, and to seek religion as +the only thing which could prepare him for his approaching doom. Tears +flowed freely, and Wyatt exclaimed, "What a pity it is that you had not +come out in this way four years ago; then I should not have been here +in _chains_, as you see me now." We wept together, and left his cell in +silence. + +Respectfully yours, &c., + O.E. MORRILL, _Chaplain_. + + +No. 2. + From the Christian Advocate and Journal. + +GREEN'S FIRST VISIT TO AUBURN STATE PRISON. + +Doctor Bond:-- + +_Dear Sir_,--I shall be happy to contribute to your valuable sheet the +following communication: + +I visited the Auburn State Prison, upon the morning of the 4th instant, +accompanied by the Boston Quartet Club, better known in New York city +than in this region for their valuable services in calling out so many +thousands to hear the eloquence of John B. Gough, in behalf of +temperance. We passed through the different workshops of the prison, +where many hundreds are doing the different labours allotted to them by +their agents. The health of the prisoners is as good, and spirits better +than any institution I have ever visited. Though the gloom of the +prisoner was not made manifest by his haggard countenance, yet I could +not prevent the melancholy reflection, that every heart knew its own +sorrow. I have seen much of human depravity in this wicked world--I have +felt the sensitive nerve made like an ice-drop by the cold finger of +scorn--I know how to sympathize with the child of circumstances--with +the heart-broken parent, whose pale, care-worn cheek but too plainly +speaks, "We feel trouble, but ye know it not." How many friends and +relatives are now bemoaning the loss of that boy who was once the pride +of all that knew him in the days of his affluence! Rising eight hundred +souls are now confined in the Auburn State Prison; and as my thoughts +expanded in their melancholy train, I asked myself, Who are to blame for +all the crimes committed, and which have incarcerated so many human +beings? I answered by referring to my own sad experience. By the +carelessness of the parent or guardian, the bud is nipped before the +blossom puts forth, and should it not scatter its leaves to the four +winds, it cannot fail to produce evil fruit. With these sad feelings, I +wended my way through the prison, which speaks well to the praise of the +different agents placed there to conduct the working departments. + +On my return to the prison office, I was introduced to the chaplain, +Rev. O.E. Morrill, which reverend gentleman informed me that a man by +the name of Wyatt, then confined in one of the cells for the murder of +Gordon, on the 16th of March, in the Auburn State Prison, had confessed +to him that he had lived a gambler several years in the south and west, +and he would like I should call upon him. I accompanied him to the cell +of the murderer. The door was thrown open upon its grating hinges, when +the reverend gentleman introduced me as an acquaintance of his who had +travelled south several years, and thought that he (Wyatt) would be glad +to converse with him. He said he was happy to see me, and asked me to be +seated. After a short discourse, relative to the different classes of +men then in confinement, I asked him what he followed in his travels +through the south. He told me gambling. I asked him how long he had been +engaged in that nefarious business. He said twelve or thirteen years. I +asked him if he knew many gamblers? He said he did. I asked him if he +ever knew one by the name of Green? He said he did. I asked his name? He +answered, "John;" said he knew him in 1832, 1833, 1834, and 1835, and +saw him in 1842 in St. Louis. I asked him if he was intimate with Green? +He said he knew him as one gambler knew another. I asked if I favoured +him? He said if I would stand in the light he would tell me. I did so. +He said I looked like the man. I told him I was the man, but that I +never knew him by the name of Wyatt. He said I did not; that Wyatt was +not his real name. He then told me another, which was not his real name, +and asked me if I did not hear of a man being murdered near St. Louis in +the year 1841, and of two men being arrested, both tried and convicted, +one having a new trial granted him, the other being hung. I told him +that I thought I had. He said he was the man that had the new trial +granted, and was acquitted; "and," said he, "they hung the wrong man; he +was innocent; I am the guilty man; but they hung him and cleared me." +"But," says I, "you were under a different name still, at that time." He +said, "Yes, by none of those names do you know me, but my real name you +are familiar with. Your name," said he, "I knew in the year 1832; the +gamblers called you John, but Jonathan is your real name." My curiosity +was highly excited at the strange management of the murderer. But you +may imagine the increase of it when he told me his real name. I looked +at the murderer, and could scarcely believe my own eyes; yet he stood +before me a living marvel. I have pledged secresy as to his real name +until after his execution. I interrogated him on his first steps in +vice, and how he became so hardened. He told me to remember the +treatment he had received from the Lynchers' lash at Vicksburg. I did, +but my eyes could scarcely credit reality. I had known him in 1832, +1833, 1834, and in the early part of 1835, as a bar-keeper in Vicksburg. +He was never a shrewd card-player, but at that time was considered an +inoffensive youth. The coffee-house he kept was owned by North, who, +with four others, were executed on the 5th of July, 1835, by Lynch law. +Wyatt and three others were taken on the morning of the 7th, stripped, +and one thousand lashes given to the four, tarred and feathered, and put +into a canoe and set adrift on the Mississippi river. It makes my blood +curdle and my flesh quiver to think of the suffering condition of these +unfortunate men, set adrift on the morning of the 7th of July, with the +broiling sun upon their mangled bodies. Two died in about two hours +after they were set afloat. Wyatt and another remained with their hands +and feet bound forty hours, suffering more than tongue can tell or pen +describe, when they were picked up by some slave negroes, who started +with the two survivors to their quarters. His companion died before they +arrived. Wyatt survives to tell the horrors of the Lyncher's lash. He +told me seven murders had been occasioned by their unmerciful treatment +to him, and one innocent man hung. I know his statements to be true, for +I had known him before 1835, and his truth in other particulars cannot +be doubted. He murdered his seventh man, for which crime he will be +executed. I have another communication for your paper concerning the +murderer, and his prospects in the world to come. + +Yours, truly, + J. H. GREEN. + +Auburn, April 10, 1845. + + +No. 3. + From the Christian Advocate and Journal. + +GREEN'S SECOND VISIT TO AUBURN STATE PRISON. + +Doctor Bond: + +_Dear Sir_,--I made my second visit to the prison on Sabbath morning, +the 6th instant, accompanied by the Boston Quartet Club. As we were +winding our way through the halls and passing the gloomy cells, I felt +sad and melancholy upon reflecting on the purpose of so large a prison. +Is it possible, thought I, that our heaven-favoured land of freedom +requires institutions of so extensive a character as this to keep down +the vices of a people who boast of their morality? Yet, horrible as it +appeared to me, I thought, if many of the foreign travellers, who are +ever ready to criticise and condemn our institutions, were conducted +through the Auburn State Prison, without any intimation of its design, +they would put it down in their journals of travel as an institution to +diffuse literary science and useful knowledge; and from what we have +learned of institutions of the latter kind, under monarchical +governments, we have little hesitation in saying, that they would not +compare well with this prison. Nor would they be willing that some of +their plans for the diffusion of useful knowledge, in the way of +charity, should be compared, in respect to health and religious +principles, with this institution, intended only for the punishment and +prevention of crime, and the reformation of criminals. And if it be the +fact, that our state's prison is better calculated than some foreign +institutions designed to educate the poor of the land for this same +purpose, it certainly will stand good that our land of liberty is +comparatively the land of morality. + +We entered the chapel, where were seated nearly eight hundred convicts, +and something like one hundred citizens, who had been admitted for the +purpose of hearing the sweet melody of the Boston Quartet Club, and to +hear the reformed gambler speak upon a vice which had brought over one +hundred within the gloomy walls of a state's prison. Service commenced +with prayer by the chaplain, Rev. O.E. Morrill. The Boston Quartet Club +then sung the beautiful sacred piece, "Hear my Prayer," during which +breathless silence made manifest that the music was enjoyed. I was then +introduced as the reformed gambler, Mr. J. H. Green. When I arose, there +was profound silence throughout the chapel, to hear my sad experience. I +felt perfectly incompetent to give satisfaction to an audience, partly +composed of the most hardened wretches that infest our land--men who are +steeped to the very lips in degradation, many of whom are men of talent, +well-educated, and well acquainted with most of the leading topics of +the day, knowing, too, as I did, that an error might be construed into +an insult; and to such men an insult is unpardonable. I commenced by +relating my sad experience, and in a few minutes there could scarcely be +seen a dry cheek in that vast assembly of depraved men. My address being +closed, the prisoners were marched in order to their dining-room. + +The chaplain and myself visited the cell of Wyatt, the murderer. We +found him sitting upon the straw which covered the floor. He seemed to +be somewhat indifferent when the chaplain first spoke to him, but upon +his second speech, telling that Mr. Green had again called to see him, +he sprung to his feet and shook hands with me--said he was glad I had +called--that he had been fearful I had left the prison, after giving my +address, without seeing him, and added, "Mr. Green, I would love to hear +you give your experience." I told him of the attention the prisoners had +given me, and the advice I had given them, about signing the +anti-gambling pledge, so soon as they were released--to come out with +their sad experience, and they would find the good and generous-hearted +ever ready to receive them. He turned round to the chaplain and said, +"How much good such a society as that would have done, had it been +formed before I became a gambler!--How many men it would have saved from +the dagger of the midnight murderer! But it is too late to save me." I +changed the subject, by asking him about different gamblers of our +country. We talked about many with whom we both had been intimate. Some, +he tells me, now live in your empire city, and were leading men among +the politicians in the last presidential contest. I knew them to be +leading men. I knew them to be gamblers and swaggering bullies; and I +knew them to be at one time connected with Wyatt, but did not know them +to be murderers; yet they certainly are. + +Wyatt asked me if they permitted such men to vote? I told him they did. +Said he, "A gambler should not be entitled to a vote, nor to his oath." +He spoke correctly; and said he, "The day is not far distant when the +man, who is known to the world as a gambler, will not be countenanced." +Neither his vote nor his oath would be taken at the present day, if the +citizens, who are the bone and sinew of the country, would take into +consideration his real principles. He said, "No man who bets upon +elections should be entitled to his vote, nor to his oath; for a man who +can be excited to bet upon an election, can be excited when upon oath to +stretch the blanket; or, in plainer language, to swear to a lie. Such I +believe to be facts." "And lotteries are another species of villany," +said he; "the money goes to the vendor, and makes his victim poor and +dishonest. Such I know to be facts." Pleased to hear a man, situated as +Wyatt, the murderer, is, reason so candidly, I changed the subject, in +order to learn more about the murders he had committed. I knew that a +man, in the year 1839, was missing from Natchez, by the name of Tucker, +and by the run of Wyatt's discourse, I found he was in that part about +the same time. + +I told Wyatt that a man by the name of Tucker was supposed to have been +murdered about that date between Natchez and New Orleans. He laughed, +and said he knew something about it. "Myself and three others," said he, +"went to Natchez as produce speculators. Tucker owned a boat load of +produce. We contracted for it, advanced him money sufficient to pay off +his hands, telling him we had sufficient help; that he could go with us +to New Orleans, and that on our arrival there, we would pay him the +balance due. He did so. We paid him in a Mississippi bath. We murdered +him, and then threw him overboard." I asked him if he ever was +suspected. He said, not that he knew of. I asked him if he was not +afraid, when he was committing such a murder, that the body might rise +upon the water and be the means of their being suspected. "We cut their +entrails out," said he, "then they never rise until resurrection-day." I +felt heart-sick at his dreadful description of the murder of Tucker. I +knew him. He was a good, honest man. I arose from my seat, took him by +the hand, and bade him good day, promising him to call again. I will, in +my next, inform you of the particulars of my third visit, which will +lead you further into his dreadful history. I will in my next also speak +of his views on the subject of religion. + +Yours, truly, + J. H. GREEN. + +Auburn, April 17, 1845. + + +No. 4. + +The following letter was written and published by the unanimous consent +of every honest citizen of Cleveland, Ohio, of which place I can only +speak in the language of commendation. It is one of the most virtuous +cities in the state, according to its population; and from the interest +two of the principal organs took in behalf of the anti-gambling cause, I +am certain that no filthy sheet can ever pollute its moral principles. + +_To the Editor of the Cleveland Plaindealer:_ + +Mr. Gray, Sir--The Herald of last evening contained a letter over the +signature of O.E. Morrill, dated July 25th, 1845, charging J. H. Green, +"the Reformed Gambler," with misrepresenting the confessions made to him +by "Wyatt, the murderer." The Anti-Gambling Society of this city have +requested me, as its President, to publish the following letter, in +justice to Mr. Green, and in answer to Mr. Morrill. It was written on +the 12th of July last, in reply to Mr. Morrill's "private note," +referred to in his letter published last evening. A true copy was made, +and the original forwarded to Mr. O.E. Morrill on the day of its date, +by Dr. Cowles, of this city. Deeming this letter a complete refutation +of the charges against Mr. Green, the Society have taken the liberty, +without his knowledge, of requesting you to place it before the public. + +Your obedient servant, + John E. Cary. + Cleveland, August 5, 1845. + +[This letter was written in reply to a letter addressed me by the Rev. +O.E. Morrill, requesting my return to Auburn, fifteen days previous to +his publishing my statements as false, and letter No. 7 will show in +what manner I replied.] + + +No. 5. + Cleveland, July 12, 1845. + +_Mr. O.E. Morrill:_ + +Dear sir,--I have just received yours of the 10th. Speaking in regard to +Wyatt's case, you state that you was very much surprised at my letters. +Why did you not tell me so before they were published? You also heard +both the first and second letter before I left your section. Why did you +not object to them before? + +Again, you say, some parts are my own representations. This I deny. I +will not say that I have given them verbatim, but this I do say, and +will maintain, that I have not exaggerated in my statements. + +Yet I do not wish to injure that poor doomed man. God forbid. I do not +think as you do about Wyatt. I know him better than you do, or can. I +know that he has been the child of circumstances. I know that he is not +a man who will strictly confine himself to the truth; and fear of death +will make him do any thing that he is told to do. His denying what he +told me, I care nothing for. In my statements, if they were not correct +from him to me, I am not accountable; I believe them to be facts. + +Now for a few questions to brighten your memory. When we entered his +cell for the first time, you introduced me as a man who had lived in the +south. I interrogated him on his past life. Did I not commence at +Huntsville, in the year 1832, and trace him to November, 1835, at the +mouth of the Ohio, with the Texas troops? When he told me that he had +known me up to that date, that he also saw me at St. Louis, do you not +recollect his asking me if I had not heard of a man being murdered in, +or near St. Louis, one man hung, and the other acquitted? And do you not +recollect I told him I thought I did; also, that at the same time I was +informed, that the people thought that the guilty man was cleared, and +the innocent one hung. He laughed, and said he was the guilty one, or +something amounting to the same? Do you recollect, in your own letter to +the Tribune, you stated that over fifty gamblers were recognised, with +whose doleful history we were both familiar? Also, do you not recollect +his telling about their lynching him; about the cords cutting his arms? +Do you not recollect when I talked about the Tucker, or flat-boat +murder, he told how they cut out the entrails, to prevent the body from +rising? Do you not recollect that you and myself talked the same over at +your house? You certainly cannot forget. He told me so much, I can think +of but little, which I thought most essential to remember. I am willing +to say nothing more about his case, until his execution; if I am +satisfied it will be beneficial to the community, as well as Wyatt. But +to retract one syllable, I cannot, unless I find myself mistaken, in +which case I will make any acknowledgment necessary. + +You ask, or say, that, if I come back, something may be done +satisfactorily. I presume it can be done without my coming. You can +write to me at this city; I shall remain here two weeks. I suppose the +change of officers has made some in relation to the confession, of which +I know nothing about, but there is no fabrication, as far as I am +concerned, and the fact of a newspaper quarrel between you and I cannot +fail to injure, or at least excite the people more against him. You say +you will be forced into it. Do not be hasty. I do not fear any +inconvenience from any act of mine, but, of course, if you contradict my +statements, I have the same chance to support them; and, perhaps, there +are some facts, which, when revealed, will make you better satisfied +that the confession you have of Wyatt is not more than one-fourth true. +His dates are almost every one incorrect. His crimes are enlarged in +some places, diminished in others. You have the best right to his +confessions, if he alters it, and you have the most truthful history. I +told you when we parted, that I knew things relative to Wyatt, which he +would never tell you, with which you should be benefited after the +trial. They are in my possession, and I will not reveal them until he +has been tried, unless it should be necessary to show the fact of his +(Wyatt's) horrible character. + +What has been said by me, cannot so far injure Wyatt, unless it is +perverted. But what I have said are facts, which I will not retract, +and they are of that nature which need no retractation. My memory is as +good as yours. I am striving to do right, the same as yourself, and will +contend that you are as liable to be mistaken as I am, especially when I +knew him in different circumstances. I blame you not for doing every +thing that is right to make Wyatt as happy as he can be, under his +present circumstances, but be careful that you are right. + +I leave this matter for your consideration, believing that you will do +what is correct, so far as you are able. You can rest assured, that I +will do any thing in my power to assist. You will find, however, that I +am correct in my statements. Write me, and your letter shall have +immediate attention. + +Yours, with respect, + J. H. GREEN. + + +No. 6. + From the Auburn Journal, July 30th. + +State Prison, Auburn, N.Y., July 25, 1845. + +Mr. Oliphant:-- + +_Sir_,--In justice to an unfortunate prisoner, now in chains awaiting +his trial at the next sitting of the court in this place, I feel in duty +bound to say to the public, that whatever Wyatt's character or conduct +may have been, or however many murders he may have committed, and may +ultimately be revealed to the public through the proper channels--yet +all Mr. Green has said about Wyatt's having confided to him, that he, +with three others, were whipped a thousand lashes at Vicksburg, which +had been the cause of seven murders, and that Gordon was the seventh man +that he (Wyatt) had killed, and that he (Wyatt) positively killed the +man at St. Louis, for which an innocent man was hung--and that he +(Wyatt) said _he_ killed Tucker in 1839, between Natchez and New +Orleans, is _untrue_ to my _certain_ knowledge. + +Mr. Green's visits were all made in my presence, while Wyatt was +confined in his cell, a room some four by seven feet in size; hence, all +that passed between them could be distinctly heard and known by all +three of us. + +I have no disposition to injure Mr. Green, but I should do violence to +every principle of justice and humanity, were I to remain silent, and +see a fellow-being tried for his life in the midst of that prejudice +which has already condemned the criminal to a thousand deaths, by Mr. +Green's published declarations of Wyatt's own confessions of bloody +deeds and horrid murders, when, in reality, the prisoner has made no +such confessions to him, to my certain knowledge. + +To avoid this unpleasant task, I addressed a private note to Mr. Green, +calling for a satisfactory explanation; but, in his reply, he utterly +refuses a single retraction, and the only alternative left me is to let +the prisoner suffer this great injustice, or disabuse the public mind +from the wrong impressions made by fabrications of Mr. Green. + +I hope to be spared the disagreeable necessity of resorting to the +newspapers of the day to correct any further improprieties of Mr. Green +on this subject. If I am not, I will give a specific catalogue of them +in my next. + +All editors of newspapers, whether political or religious, are requested +to give the above an insertion in their columns, as an act of justice to +an injured man, and very much oblige. + +Your obedient servant, + O.E. MORRILL, _Chaplain._ + + +No. 7. + Toledo, August 5, 1845. + +_To the Editor of the New York Tribune:_ + +Dear sir,--I beg leave to introduce to your columns the following +article, written for the purpose of satisfying the honest part of the +community, that a letter written by the Rev. O.E. Morrill, on the 25th +of July last, is an unprincipled misrepresentation of my purpose, in +bringing to light the horrid deeds of murder committed by Wyatt, now in +the Auburn State Prison. + +I visited Wyatt four times, in company with Mr. Morrill, Chaplain of the +Prison. The time I spent with him in all these visits was about five +hours, during which we conversed about his former course of life. It is +impossible for me to state in one article all that he revealed to me, +but what I do remember, I published in my letters, relative to my visits +to the cell of Wyatt. The second of these letters was dated April 7th, +and the first about the 1st of April. I read both these letters to the +reverend gentleman; the first before it went to press, and the second as +soon as published, we being at both times together, with some officers +of the institution, in the State Prison office. + +I now call the attention of the reader to a letter, from the reverend +gentleman, to the editor of the New York Tribune, of the date of April +7th, in which he speaks in the highest terms of my conduct. The reader +will notice that this is after my first letter was published, and after +he had heard them both read, and after he knew that I had given Wyatt's +confessions, which he now, in his letter of July 25th, declares to be +nothing more than "fabrications" of mine. If my statement of Wyatt's +confession were known to Mr. Morrill to be false, why did he recommend +me so highly in his letter of April 7th, and why has he not contradicted +me before this? The reverend gentleman says, that he did not wish to +injure me, and so addressed me a private note. If I could be so base as +to put forth to the world such falsehoods as he accuses me of, in regard +to a fellow-being, so soon to be launched into eternity, no fear of +injury to me can excuse the gentleman for his not exposing me +immediately to public scorn and detestation. + +When at Auburn, after my visits to the cell, I spoke several times, in +the presence of Mr. Morrill, and other gentlemen, of Wyatt's confessions +to me; and yet Mr. Morrill, though present, never disputed one relation. +I also lectured some fifty times, within fifty miles of Auburn, and, in +nearly all, gave the same statements which he now contradicts. Why has +not Mr. Morrill published, together with his contradiction, my reply to +his note of July 10th? If he had, the community would have seen my +reasons for not retracting my former statements. + +I am truly sorry to have any difficulty with the reverend gentleman, on +this subject or any other, but my duty in regard to this malicious +slander, (the motives of which I am unable to fathom,) compels me to +reply, and for no other purpose than to satisfy the community, that I +could have no personal object in view, in casting a stigma upon the +character of this unfortunate convict, by any statement he made to me, +for I certainly could not be benefited in any manner by publishing +falsehoods in relation to him. + +I repeat again to the world, and ever will, that the unfortunate Wyatt +did to me confess all I stated he did, and much more, which it is +impossible for me to remember. If he stated falsehoods to me, I am not +responsible. He told me that he was one of _four_ that had received a +thousand lashes at Vicksburg, in July, 1835; and I knew a young man, by +the name of Henry North, to be about Vicksburg, and to be in the +employment of North, the gambler, who was hung at Vicksburg, by the +_lynchers_, in July, 1835. Henry, though of the same name, was not +related to the other, as I understood. When I went to the south in the +fall of 1835, I inquired about the gamblers of Vicksburg, and was told +that Henry North, alias Wyatt, or Newell, was, with four others, +whipped, tarred and feathered, hands bound, and set afloat, and the +supposition was that he, and the others with him, existed no more. When +Wyatt told me his real name, I was surprised at beholding him. He told +me that he had set fire twice to Vicksburg, and once to Natchez, and +that, during the conflagration, he murdered _three_ men. He told me he +killed Tucker in 1839. I talked with Mr. Morrill before several officers +of the prison, in regard to what Wyatt said about cutting the entrails +out of Tucker, and the confession which Mr. Morrill now has from Wyatt +will show the main circumstances of this murder, perhaps not giving +Tucker's name, but he speaks about the flat-boat murder, between Natchez +and New Orleans, and I claim it, in justice to me, that the reverend +gentleman should produce the confession Wyatt made, when he speaks of +"speculation on the Mississippi." + +I also call on Mr. Morrill, in justice to myself and the public, to +answer the following questions. 1st. Did not Wyatt confess in his +presence the murder of individuals besides Tucker, on the Mississippi? +2d. Did he not say he cut the entrails out to prevent their rising? 3d. +Did he not say he was tried at St. Louis under another name, (I think it +was North,) and did I not turn to Mr. Morrill, and say, I knew some men +had been tried at St. Louis, but knew none of the parties; and did not +Wyatt then say that he was tried for murder at St. Louis, that he was +convicted on his first trial, but acquitted on a new trial, and that an +innocent man was hung? 4th. Did I not tell Mr. Morrill, that Wyatt +informed me that he had been a convict in the Ohio Penitentiary; and +does not Mr. Morrill recollect that upon my third visit to Wyatt's cell, +I said to Wyatt, that it was reported he had been in the Ohio +Penitentiary, at which Wyatt frowned, and I changed the tenor of my +question by stating, that Gordon said he (Wyatt) had been there, and +that Wyatt laughed, and said it was such d----d lies which occasioned +Gordon's death; and did not Mr. Morrill say to me, he knew many of +Wyatt's _misfortunes_, which he kept secret from the agent of the +prison; and will Mr. Merrill deny that when we went into the office, +after my last visit, that the clerk again repeated that Wyatt had been +in the Ohio Prison, and did not I then decide with the clerk, the +probability of such being the fact, and did not Mr. Morrill still +_insist_ that it was a false report? + +In conclusion I will say, that whatever may be the reverend gentleman's +intentions towards me, and in his own behalf the motives for which I am +not able to penetrate; yet, although he brands my statements as false, +and although the cell was but four by seven feet in size, I leave it to +the community to decide, whether two men, who can speak the "flash +language," in which one word can convey sentences, may not hold a +conversation not easily understood by a third person, ignorant of its +meaning--and can Mr. Morrill assert what meaning was conveyed by such +language between Wyatt and myself? if so, he is the first man I ever +knew that could interpret a language or tongue he never studied. At +least one-fourth of the conversation between Wyatt and myself before Mr. +Morrill, was of this kind. I do not think Mr. Morrill understood all he +heard, yet the greater part of what I published in my letters was spoken +in plain English, and Mr. Morrill, at the time, gave vent to his +feelings over the dreadful disclosures. + +I ask the papers of the day to publish this statement in justice to both +parties, as well as the public at large. + + J. H. GREEN. + +No. 8. + Correspondence of the New York Tribune. + +Perrysburgh, Ohio, August 16, 1845. + +_Mr. Greeley_,--I wish to introduce to the columns of your valuable +paper the following. Though it may seem mysterious and out of date, it +will be read with much interest by many, and may have a tendency to cast +a light upon one of the most horrible murders ever committed in this or +any other Christian land. There is not one shade of doubt remaining in +my mind but that the murderers, as well as their victim or victims, long +before the date of this article, might have been discovered, had there +been sufficient effort made. True, efforts have at last been made, and +the skeleton of one murdered victim found, and much search made for the +other. The particulars which led to the but small effort which has +already been made, are collected from circumstances as follows:--As near +as we can learn, in September, 1844, a gentleman, by the name of +Stephens, from the state of New York, made his appearance in +Perrysburgh, remained in and near some days, left, sometime after +returned. About the time of his departure from the second visit, he made +known his business, that he had kept secret until the time near his +departure. He then told that two men had been murdered, and their bodies +concealed in the woods about one-half mile from the last turnpike gate, +which is about four miles from Perrysburgh. His statements corroborating +some previous signs of murder, induced the citizens to turn out and +scout the swamp in search, knowing as they did that certain packages of +clothes had been found in the Maumee river by a fisherman, on the 17th +April, 1844. The clothes found were done up in parcels, coat, +pantaloons, and vest, with a stone tied round each, with strips of +handkerchiefs cut or torn for the purpose. Upon examination, the clothes +were cut in a way to show they had been ripped off from the body. The +pantaloon's legs cut open; the coat cut open from the back and sleeves; +the vest also cut open from the back. The coat had many cuts in the left +sleeve, also a hole about the lower button on the right side, which hole +was in the pantaloons, cutting the lower suspender in two. The vest had +several cuts in it, immediately back of the neck, through the collar, +and two knife holes. The vest is a figured worsted piece of goods, of +lilac colour, about half-worn. The coat is a black cloth frock, or +surtout, but little worn, no velvet upon it, lined inside of the skirts +with black silk or serge, the sleeve lining twilled linen. Inside of +the left sleeve is a mark of the merchant, which is one cipher--nothing +more. From the looks, I should have taken the coat to have cost twenty +dollars. The pantaloons are rather of a blue colour, striped casinet, +and have never been worn much. The suspender, which has been cut in two, +is a common striped web. The two handkerchiefs are figured silk, +half-worn. When they were found, it was evident they had not been long +in the water. I have a piece of each garment, and persons who have +missed any of their friends mysteriously perhaps might find, upon +examination, that which would lead them to know their friend had +suffered death from the hands of a murderer. A sample of each I will +keep to exhibit through the country, hoping to solve the mystery. + +Now for the mysterious visits of Mr. Stephens. About his departure from +the second visit, he disclosed certain things, which I will give +according to my information. He said he had been informed by certain +convicts, then in the New York State Prison at Auburn, that they had +murdered two men in the said swamp, and had concealed their bodies. One +they had stripped; the other, left his clothing upon him. They stated +that the murdered men were travelling in a buggy, and that they (the +murderers) stopped the buggy, presented their pistols, forced them into +the woods, where they shot one, and stabbed and butchered the other. Not +far from the same place, a hat was found with a bullet-hole in it, but +no sign was left upon the body found which would indicate that he had +been brought to his death by a ball, which also goes farther to prove +the probability of the murder of two men. They buried them, as they +state, about one-half mile apart, strip ping the clothes off from one, +which they took along with them in the buggy, and made their way to the +Maumee river. Not thinking it politic to cross at the toll-bridge, they +went up to the ford, near Fort Meigs, and found the river not in a +fording state. They tied stones to the clothes and threw them in the +river, where they were afterward found, and crossed the bridge to the +north side of the river, went below Toledo, took the buggy to pieces, +sank it and the harness in the river, and took the horse out back of +Manhattan and killed it. In the early part of the summer following two +men were arrested near Geneseo, New York, for committing burglary. +Apprehension of another attack almost forbids me giving their names, +while duty doubly nerves me to speak and let the public know that +_Wyatt_, alias Newell, or North, and Head, his accomplice in the +burglary at Geneseo, are the two murderers who gave Mr. Stephens his +information, and caused his visit to ascertain the truth of such horrid +deeds. Other circumstances leave no doubt resting with the people of +this part that the same two men, Wyatt and Head, murdered John Parish, +of Hancock county, while attempting to arrest them for horse-stealing. A +small explanation of this fact I will make. It will be remembered by +many that Wyatt attempted to make his escape from the Auburn prison, and +when Gordon, the man he afterward murdered, told the keepers, he was +searched, and upon his person a letter was found, which letter contained +no names of men or places, nor was it directed; but from the purport, it +was evidently written for the purpose of sending to Ohio, for it stated +that he dare not venture back, as the people would recognise him as the +murderer of a certain officer who had made an attempt to arrest him. The +reader will also recollect that Wyatt, under the name of Newell, +resided in Toledo in the commencement of 1844 until April 1st, 1844, +when he left Toledo, and was not heard of until Mr. Stephens' +revelation. I would say, in conclusion, so far as this statement may +have a tendency to excite the citizens to their duties, relative to +those mysterious murders, that I hope those concerned in ferreting out +the particulars hereafter will not have a malignant feeling for any +stranger who may come among them to assist, not for honour or profit, +as, undoubtedly, so far as this mysterious affair is concerned, some of +the principal workers have made the two latter-mentioned their object. I +believe this, so far, to be the most correct account of those mysterious +murders, and if it is thought by any concerned that a more able report +can be given, come out and do your duty. + + J. H. GREEN. + + +This article is introduced for several purposes--all of which we +consider of importance to substantiate the facts we have laid before +them. Those murders, near Perrysburgh, were committed by Wyatt and Head, +his colleague, who is now in the State Prison at Auburn, New York. After +the controversy had taken place, I availed myself of the opportunity to +search into facts concerning Wyatt, and found, in addition to those set +forth in the preceding letter, the following:--Wyatt, alias Robert Henry +North, was hired as a stage-driver near Chillicothe, Ohio, in the latter +part of 1838, but decamped in a short time afterwards with a horse +belonging to another man, and made his way to Portsmouth, Ohio; where he +was taken and carried back to Chillicothe, tried, and convicted to serve +three years in the Ohio Penitentiary. In 1841 he was released. He then +left for Missouri, where he again got into difficulty, which detained +him until 1843. He told me he was tried for his life in St. Louis, +convicted, got a new trial, and was acquitted. If he was, it was under a +different name from any above mentioned, and the murder he was tried for +must have been Major Floyd. But I do not believe he was one of those +tried, and acquitted, as he professed to be. He then made his way across +the country to Louisville, Kentucky. From there to a town called Mount +Gilead, in Ashland county, Ohio, where he went to work at the business +of tailoring, a trade he had learned in the Ohio State Prison. In a +short time after he arrived there, he married a very respectable lady, +with whom, for the short period they lived together, he led a very +disagreeable life. In the latter part of 1843, or the beginning of 1844, +he left for Toledo, Ohio, where he hired out, and lived up to the time +spoken of in the preceding letter, and where he committed the crimes +referred to in the same. After which, he made his escape to the state of +New York, in company with the notorious villain, Head, where they +committed a burglary, and were sentenced to the Auburn State Prison from +Geneseo. When Wyatt arrived at the penitentiary, he was recognised by an +old companion who had served in the Ohio Penitentiary, by the name of +Gordon. Gordon gave information to the keepers, of Wyatt's having served +a time in the penitentiary in Ohio. Wyatt became enraged, and despairing +of any chance of a pardon, being sentenced, I think, for fourteen years, +he tried to effect his escape, but was detected and severely punished. +He then swore vengeance against Gordon, whose time was nearly expired; +and on Saturday, the 15th of March, 1845, he secreted about his person +one-half of a pair of shears, given him to work with in the tailor's +shop, which he reserved until the next day, (Sabbath, the 16th,) and as +the prisoners were marching to their cells from their dinners, stabbed +Gordon in the right side, immediately below the ribs. The instrument +passed towards his spine, through one of the main arteries, killing him +almost instantly, and for this last deed he was hanged. + +Finally, let me say to those who may be anxious to know more of the +history of this unfortunate man, and of his crimes, that I have looked +with great anxiety for the third letter, spoken of in my second to the +Christian Advocate and Journal. That the mystery of their not appearing +has been no fault of mine. I wrote four letters, and but two appeared. +Whether they were detained by the false and garbled statements which +have been set forth by the Rev. O.E. Morrill, or whether they have ever +been received, I am unable to say. However, I have written twice to Dr. +Bond, and, as yet, I have not been able to learn by what authority they +have been detained. But should I have them returned, the public may be +welcome to them for their worth. + +Since the execution, we learned from those present, that Wyatt was taken +from his cell, faint from the loss of blood he had shed a few days +before, in his attempt to commit suicide. When seated in his chair, +under the gallows, he made remarks like the following: "I have lived +like a man, I will die like a man. I am not afraid to die. I am about to +enter eternity, and appear before my God. My conduct has been +misrepresented--men have sworn falsely against me--I cannot and will not +forgive them--I am not the man I have been represented to be--I did not +commit the murder charged upon me in Ohio. I am thankful to the sheriff +and his family for their kindness." He manifested no religious penitence +to the last. He died an unbeliever. + + * * * * * + +In conclusion, I would say to those who have perused this work, so full +of strange and startling incidents, let not their mysterious and dark +character cause you to doubt of their truth. Recollect that there are +strange events in the life of every man, many of which he cannot fathom; +and were the whole circumstances of your own life disclosed, it is not +impossible that many of them would exceed belief. Horrible as is the +picture of depravity here exhibited, the half has not been told, nor +would I reveal one iota more than I deemed necessary to awaken the +public attention to a sense of their danger, and a corresponding sense +of their duty. Reader, you may be standing upon the edge of a precipice, +though you know it not. Fathers, your sons may frequent these haunts of +vice, and be entangled in the snares of the destroyer. Wives, mothers, +sisters, daughters, lend us your aid to save those you love from +destruction. You need not be ignorant, that around you are hundreds of +individuals who live in affluence upon the spoils of their industry. It +is not gamblers that support gaming. If the merchant, and lawyer, and +tradesman, and the man of fortune did not supply them with the material, +their profession would die. In all my works I have shown how gambling +lends to, and is connected with, all other crimes; and I beseech you, as +you love your families, yourselves, and our common country, that you +lend your aid and influence to abate this evil. This vast conspiracy +against your lives and fortunes, which I have here developed, is no +chimera. Its workings are everywhere felt, though the machinery is +unseen. I have no object but your good in making this disclosure; and +should it meet the eye, as I have no doubt it will, of some one not a +stranger to its crimes, I beseech him to consider his ways. Why should +he live a curse to the earth--a destroyer of his kind--a blot upon +creation--a dishonour to his Maker? Heaven and earth are equally ready +to receive the returning prodigal. The only danger--the only disgrace is +to continue where you are. In behalf of our Maker, in behalf of +humanity, in behalf of all that is noble and virtuous, I beseech you to +TURN, _why will ye die_? + + + + +DEBATE ON GAMBLING, + +BETWEEN + +MR. FREEMAN THE AVOWED GAMBLER, AND MR. GREEN, THE REFORMED GAMBLER; +BEFORE THE CITIZENS OF PHILADELPHIA, IN THE LECTURE-ROOM OF THE CHINESE +MUSEUM, ON THE EVENINGS OF THE 10TH, 13TH, AND 15TH OF MAY, 1847. + +_Mr. Freeman's challenge, and Mr. Green's acceptance, as published in +the papers of the city of Philadelphia._ + + + From the Inquirer. + +It is well known that Mr. Green, the Reformed Gambler, gave a Lecture at +the Museum on Monday night last, in which he exposed the arts and +devices of the Gambling Fraternity of the Union. His audience was quite +large, and his illustrations were listened to with no little interest. +It seems from the following article, which we copy from the Sun of +yesterday, that a professional Gambler was present. His Card or +Challenge is quite a curiosity: + +Mr. Editor:--Having attended the Lecture of J. H. Green, last evening, at +the Chinese Museum, on the popular vice of Gambling, and differing from +him in each and in every view which he took, and which he is in the +habit of taking upon that subject, I beg leave respectfully to say to +him through the medium of your columns, that I have made up my mind to +confront him in debate, in regard to the right and wrong of the subject +in question. I say, I am willing so to do, provided it meets his +views, and those of the community. If he, and those who admire his +theory, are the friends of truth, surely they will not shrink from +investigation?--and if I cannot sustain myself in debate, why, his +triumph will add strength to his cause. + +With regard to _who_ I am, I will say in a single word that I am a +professional Gambler. I shall set out, if we meet, to prove to the +audience, among other things, that in his illustrations of the cheatery +which he says the gambler practices upon his victim, he is actually at +that very moment practising a palpable cheat upon the very audience +which he is proposing to enlighten. As regards any profits that may +arise from such a meeting, I want none, although perhaps as needy as Mr. +Green. + +As regards experience in debate, Mr. G. has decidedly the advantage of +me in that respect. I have had the honour of addressing public audiences +four times in my whole life, and but four--two of these were in favour +of Old Tip, in 1840, and the other two upon the subject of temperance. I +am well aware that there are many persons who would look upon it as a +sort of inconsistency that a man, occupying my position, should be the +honest advocate of temperance--but they so reason because they are +uninformed in regard to the higher order of gambling! + +Should Mr. Green accede to my proposition, he only has to name his time +and place--or if he prefers to have a personal interview, he can do so. +I am willing to wait on him at his boarding-house, but would like to +have at least one respectable person present to hear all that passes +between us. + + J.G. FREEMAN. + +N.B.--I am a native of South Carolina; I am known from Virginia to +Orleans. Mr. Green I have seen in that city, and he no doubt recollects +me, though I never had any intimacy with him. + +We publish below another communication from Mr. Freeman, in which he +announces that Mr. Green has accepted his challenge to debate, and lays +down his points for argument. We are glad of this, and have no doubt the +public will share in our curiosity to know what kind of a defence can be +made by a gambler, even so _polished_ as Mr. Freeman, for a vice fitly +characterized by Mr. Green as "fifty per cent. worse than stealing." +Expectation is on tiptoe. + + + Communicated for the Sun. + +Mr. Editor--I return to you my sincere thanks for having kindly +published my letter to Mr. J. H. Green, the reformed gambler; and beg +leave now to state to you, that I have had an interview with him, and +that he fully consents to go into the debate. It now devolves upon me, +since I have assumed the character of _plaintiff_ in the action, to +define minutely the exact points to be discussed. + +The first position, then, that I shall assume, is that all those states +in this Union that have enacted very severe laws against gambling, such +as making it a penitentiary offence, &c., have acted both tyrannically +and unwisely--_tyrannically_, because they are an infringement upon +those sacred reserved rights that never were yielded in what law +commentators call the "social compact"--and _unwise_, because their +tendency is to generate immorality rather than stop it. + +The second ground that I shall take, is that the character of that class +of beings called "gamblers" is less understood by the community at +large, and especially by that portion of it that have had no intercourse +with them, than any class of men in the world. That it has ever been the +misfortune of the gambler to be misrepresented, not only of late by Mr. +Green, but generally by those that have attempted to portray his +character in the prints. + +I shall undertake to show him up in his true character, making it +neither better nor worse than it really is--"_Let justice be done if the +heavens fall._" + +In the third place, I shall propose to prove beyond question, that +cheating at cards is decidedly the most unfortunate thing for the cause +of gambling and gamblers, that possibly could exist. And on the other +hand, that it is the very saviour of that portion of mankind who have a +sneaking fondness for play. + +In the fourth place, I will attempt to prove that those tricks that Mr. +Green is in the habit of illustrating with cards, are entirely +worthless; that they can _not_ be reduced to practice; that if they can, +it must be on persons wholly destitute of common sense; that an opinion +that he can tell any cards by the back, is entirely untrue; that neither +he nor any other man can do any such thing, unless the cards have been +marked either by himself or some other person. + +In the course of those proceedings, I shall take upon myself, for the +benefit of the young and inexperienced who may be present, to make such +developments as will be of lasting importance to them in their sojourn +through this mazy world; for, as Mr. Calhoun once said of the +Constitution of the United States, if there be any one man that loves +innocent youth better than all others, I claim to be that man. To seduce +one into _any_ vicious habit when uncontaminated, is a thing I would +_scorn_ to do. And the pleasure which I feel, when I reflect upon it, of +having actually saved some half dozen from ruin, is to me unspeakable. +But for this I know I am never to be credited; for Mr. Green has +informed us that the gambler is _hardened_, for he never goes to church, +and if you reach him at all it must be with a penitentiary act. + +But, pardon me, Messrs. Editors, this is not the time nor the place for +the argument. + + Yours, respectfully, J.G. FREEMAN. + +Mr. Green says he will inform me on to-morrow when it will suit to have +the meeting. + +Mr. Green, it will be seen by the following letter, has consented to +meet his challenger in debate on the subject of gambling. We are glad of +this, inasmuch as Mr. Freeman is said to be quite an intelligent +gentleman, and stands at the head of his _profession_. The discussion, +if conducted in a proper spirit, will be attended by good results.--ED. + + + For the Daily Sun. + +Philadelphia, April 29, 1847. + +_Messrs. Barrett & Jones_:--In the "Sun" of the 28th and 29th inst. are +two communications, over the signature of J.G. Freeman, proposing to +controvert my positions relative to the gamblers, and challenging me to +a public discussion. + +This individual called upon me after the publication of his first +letter, and seemed to be honest in his intentions to defend his system +of untold enormities. If the public, therefore, can be benefited, and my +reformatory purpose in this particular promoted, as I suspect it will, I +would rather court than avoid such an interview. + +I have long wished for, but certainly never expected such a discussion. + +I see the shoe begins to pinch. I am glad to perceive that those for +whom it was made are beginning to feel and cry aloud. Just as I +anticipated, the _law_ seems to be the part which binds most. Men who +are most without conscience are generally most restive in view of a +threatening penitentiary. + +I will accept the challenge to meet him on the several points proposed +in his communications. Indeed I am happy that he has chosen his own +grounds; for the best which such opposition could select is likely in +all conscience to be bad enough. + +Suffer me therefore to say to your correspondent that I intend lecturing +on the evenings of the 10th, 13th, and 15th of the coming month, (May,) +at the Lecture-room of the Chinese Museum, on George street; at which +times I will be very happy if he will attend and defend such positions +as are assumed in the two communications alluded to. + +I shall require, however, that a committee of gentlemen be chosen to +control the discussion. + + J. H. GREEN. + +The Lecture-room of the Museum will, we think, be found much too small +to accommodate the audience, who desire to be present on these +interesting occasions. Would it not be better to take the upper part of +the Museum building? It would certainly be filled.--ED. + +Messrs. Editors:--There is a feature in Mr. Green's acceptance to my +challenge to meet him in debate upon the subject of gambling, with which +I frankly confess I am not at all pleased. Upon looking over it, you +will discover that he uses the following language: "Suffer me, +therefore, to say to your correspondent, that I intend lecturing on the +evenings of the 10th, 13th, and 15th of the coming month, (May,) at the +lecture-room of the Chinese Museum, on George street; at which time I +will be very happy if he will attend and defend such positions as are +assumed in the two communications alluded to." Now, I should like to +know Mr. Green's motive for calling a _debate_ a _lecture_? Why not call +things by their right names? + +You will, therefore, Messrs. Editors, be pleased to inform your +correspondent, Mr. Green, that I cordially consent to meet him at the +time and place designated by him, for the purpose of _debating_ the +gambling question; and the cash which may be taken at the door to be +divided between us, if any, after all the expenses are paid, or to be +disposed of in such a manner as the committee may deem just and proper. +'Tis true, I did say in my first communication that I did not care to +have any of the money, and I so felt and so thought at that time; but +since, I have employed some reflection upon the subject, and, like some +of our modern politicians, I have _changed_. 'Tis true that money is no +part of the motive, but then, as Mr. Polk once expressed himself in +regard to the tariff and protection, I am willing that it should come in +_incidentally_. + +Now, it falls to my lot to know much more of the history of Mr. Green +than any of those who know it only from his own statements and +publications. About four or five years ago, in the city of New York, I +became acquainted with a gentleman by the name of Ball, a dealer in +ivory; this Mr. B. exhibited a large quantity of Mr. Green's cheating +cards, and said that Mr. Green was largely in his debt, and that his +only way to make the debt was to sell those cards, and asked me to buy. +He then took me into another room and exhibited to me some very costly +machinery, and certainly the strangest I had ever seen;--it had been +invented by Mr. Green to put a sign on white-back cards, so as to know +them by the backs. He also showed me other stamps invented by Mr. Green. +Now the consummation of this work had cost Mr. Green not only much +valuable time, but all the money he could possibly borrow; but, after +all, the thing ends in disaster--the cards don't sell. Desperation +seizes upon him. Like Arnold, he now throws his eye over to the other +camp, and thinks what might be done in the way of a reward. He consoles +himself with the reflection that he will, at least, be upon the side of +virtue: "I will tell the public that my only motive is to benefit the +rising generation, (a profitable thought with Mr. Green, 'the rising +generation'); but in order to begin right, I will publish to the world a +full history of my life, in which it will devolve upon me to make a +confession of my sins. All, I will disclose to the world; but as to that +ponderous machinery at Mr. Ball's in New York--I rather think I will +skip that." + +Now when poverty pinched the prodigal son, as it did Mr. Green in New +York, what was the language of that truly penitent. Alluding to his old +father, he says: "I will go and tell _all_ I ever done, &c." But when +Mr. Green resolves to put on a mask of penitence, what is his course? I +will go and tell those good ministers of the gospel, and others, _half_ +I ever done, &c., and then take good care to run my hand as deep into +their purses as possible. + +Now in Mr. Green's crusade against gambling and gamblers, if he had +shown signs of purity of motive, and had not wantonly and knowingly +misrepresented the men, and disguised the facts in regard to the +profession, I would be the last man living to impugn him. But the +motive, I consider, was _corrupt_--'twas spoils;--and in the mode of +attack, the established principle in morals has _not_ been regarded, +which is, that the means in the accomplishment of any public good must +always be as honest as the ends; and for these reasons I do feel +sanguine in the belief, when the trial comes off at the Chinese Museum +next week, that if I do not get the verdict, I shall do more--I shall +deserve it. + + Yours, &c. J.G. FREEMAN. + +N.B.--If the gentlemen, editors generally, of this city, will give the +above communication a place in their columns, with such comments as they +may think fit to make, they will confer a favour upon one of the +proscribed, but one who suffers no man to stand in front of him as a +lover of truth. + + J.G.F. + + + Communicated for the Sun. + +_Messrs. Barrett & Jones_:--I had supposed that my consent to Mr. +Freeman's request to be heard in defence of his fraternity, had fixed +that issue. I did not intend by the announcement of my lecturing on the +evenings alluded to by Mr. F., that they were to be any thing more than +a fair discussion of the character and tendencies of gambling, if Mr. F. +should think proper to participate. I wish it now to be so understood. I +want a committee of gentlemen to arrange this matter. But why Mr. F. +should suppose that he should have half the proceeds of the meeting, I +am unable to conjecture. He seeks an opportunity to defend his business +against attacks which it seems has excited no small share of alarm on +his part, or those whom he represents, and yet he demands remuneration! +The fraternity must be in a rather forlorn condition at present, if they +are unable to pay their attorney, in so philanthropic a cause. When we +consider the source, this demand sits with ill grace upon such a +champion. I have laboured now for four years, having commenced my reform +without a dollar, to expose this damnable vice. If I am not supported by +the public which my labours are designed to benefit, those labours must +necessarily cease. + +Were Mr. F. similarly engaged, I would share with him not only the +profits of my meetings, but my heart's best feelings also. + +I shall be very happy if I am met, as I was led to believe, am no +speaker, but somewhat skilful with cards, _and their_ use by me before +an intelligent audience is my argument; I want no better for my purpose. + + J. H. GREEN. + +Messrs. Editors:--It appears from Mr. Green's last communication that he +and I are at issue in regard to the preliminary arrangements of the +debate that is to come off next week, upon the gambling question. He +thinks that he ought to have all the proceeds of the meeting; and I +think it should be equally divided, or else given to some charitable +institution, or else have it free. Mr. Green's argument for supposing +that he should have _all_, is, that because he has been labouring four +years, he ought to be rewarded: and in rather a threatening tone gives +the public to understand that if they do not reward him he will quit. +"If I am not," he says, "supported by the public, which my labours are +designed to benefit, those labours must necessarily cease." Now, _my_ +argument for supposing that the proceeds should be equally divided is, +that I claim to be the _real_ reformer; that it will be seen by those +who may attend the discussion, that it is _I_ that am the true +moralist--I shall go with the New Testament in one hand, and Dr. Paley's +Moral Philosophy in the other, and upon that battery, and no other, will +I plant my artillery. He that is _green_ enough to suppose that I am +green-_horn_ enough to get up before a large audience, in the +enlightened city of Philadelphia, to defend an absurdity, must be +verdant indeed I go not to defend gamblers, but to defend truth, and to +show that Mr. Green, like a corrupt witness, in his eagerness to procure +a verdict for his party, goes beyond the facts; and that too when there +is no necessity for it, for the gambler has real sins enough without +heaping others upon him which he never committed. Now then, to end all +this difficulty at a blow, I make to Mr. Green the proposition--That the +honourable Mayor of the city, if he will do it, be the person to appoint +the committee that is to conduct the debate, and to the decision of the +committee, as to the funds, will I cordially submit, but not to Mr. +_Green's ipse dixit_. And here I will further suggest, that the +committee be composed wholly of lawyers. This will be proper, because it +is a question of law that is to be discussed; and further, it is +presumed that they understand better than any other class of men what is +called parliamentary usage. + +Should this proposition not be acceded to, which I _know_ is fair, my +course will be to debate the question on "my own hook," and in that case +take all the money and give Mr. Green not a dollar of it, but invite him +to come to _my_ quarters, and defend himself, for I shall certainly be +down upon him--and so let him go to his house the next night and take +what may be offered at his door, and allow me to answer him in what he +may have to say. + +When Mr. Green, in his acceptance of my challenge, _would_ call the +debate a _lecture_, I saw that old habits, that of cheating, had not yet +left him. Why it looks as though he has the unblushing impudence to +attempt to turn a Jack from the bottom, upon me, in the very blaze of +day, the very first deal; but the gentleman ought to know that he is now +in contact with one who knows how little things are done. Yes, he would +have it that the _debate_ was a lecture, and _Mr. Green's_ lecture, not +mine, and why? Why because if it be his lecture, all the cash would, as +a matter of course, be his. Also, is this not, I ask, the trick of a +perfect black-leg? + + J.G. FREEMAN. + + + First Night, from the Times. + +On Monday evening, at the Lecture-room of the Chinese Museum, the debate +between Mr. Green, the Reformed gambler, and Mr. J.G. Freeman of the +opposite side took place, in the presence of a very large and highly +respectable audience, partly composed of ladies. + +Dr. Elder, at the appointed time, announced that the disputants were +upon the ground, and prepared to enter into the discussion of the +subject of gambling. He then introduced Mr. Freeman to the meeting. + +Mr. F. said his antagonist and himself had settled the preliminaries, +and in regard to the proceeds of the debates, it had been agreed that +Mr. Green should receive those of the two first meetings, and that Mr. +Freeman should receive the returns of the third meeting, provided, on +motion, a large majority of those present were in favour of it. + +He would not attempt to disguise his real feelings from his hearers, and +the gratification he experienced in having the opportunity of speaking, +for once in his life, to an audience composed of men of intelligence and +integrity. He well knew the difficulties under which he laboured, being +unused to speaking in public, and surrounded as he was in the community +by the reverend gentlemen and the press, who were avowedly opposed to +him, and who had thrown their bomb-shells and Congreve rockets liberally +at the gambling fraternity, without mercy, but he regarded these weapons +as harmless, for they had fallen at his feet without inflicting a single +wound. + +Mr. F. then turned to the consideration of the laws making gambling a +penal offence, and particularly referred to the act of Assembly passed +by the last legislature, which he denounced as unjust and impolitic. He +did not appear for the purpose of defending gambling, but to speak a +word in favour of those who had been represented to be the worst +members of society, and against whom the voice of proscription had been +raised. He contended that a man had a constitutional right to do what he +pleased with that which was legally his own property, and all laws +passed to abridge that right ought to receive public reprehension. + +He was at a loss to understand why Mr. Green should have taken so active +a part in the passage of the law at Harrisburg. It had been said that +gambling must be checked, and in order to put it down, you must make it +a penitentiary offence. He regarded this as an egregious error. +Gambling, he was convinced, ought to be treated in the same manner as +Intemperance--by moral suasion--and not by passing a law that puts a man +in the penitentiary for exercising a legal right. But there were fewer +gamblers than drunkards, and the former had no influence at the +ballot-box. + +He denied the statements of Mr. Green, that young men had been enticed +to gambling-houses. They invariably went there of their own accord, and +he related instances in which the relatives and friends of young men +were called upon by gamblers, to exercise proper authority in +restraining them from visiting such places. + +He alluded to the excessive penalty attached to the law, and argued that +it would never be enforced, there being no inducement for the police to +detect the offenders; and that from the face of the law is shown, that +it was not made for the punishment of wealthy gamblers, but the poor +itinerant wretches who had no local habitation. These being birds of +passage, he questioned whether they would remain long enough in one +place to be caught, while the rich operator and speculator would be +permitted to go on unmolested, in his gilded career of depredations +upon his fellow man. + +Mr. Green then arose and expressed his surprise that any individual +could have the effrontery to stand up before an intelligent body of +citizens, a part of that constituency, from whom the legislature of the +state had derived its authority, and denounce a law which had not only +been passed with entire unanimity of the members of that body, but which +had met with general favour from the people. He then referred to the act +of Assembly, and made some explanatory remarks upon it. He ably defended +the law from the remarks of his opponent, in regard to its vagueness and +insufficiency. On the whole, he regarded it as a good one. It could be +effectively put in force, and was calculated to crush the evil of +gambling. + +He said he had no wish to conceal from the people his former habits and +mode of getting a livelihood, but on the contrary, had repeatedly, in +public, represented himself as being a wary gambler, and acknowledged +that he had done, perhaps, as much with cards in a professional way as +any man claiming the same amount of information in regard to them. + +He then passed to a review of the terrible consequences of gambling, and +showed that those who became addicted to it, acquired a passion for +play, that predominated over every other feeling, and closed up the +springs of affection and sympathy in the human heart. + +These facts he forcibly and eloquently illustrated by relating some +painful occurrence, which came under his observation. On one occasion he +was playing with a party, one of whom was losing his money very +rapidly. In the height of a game, his family physician entered the +room, and saying that it was with much difficulty that he found his +whereabouts, informed him that his daughter had been seized with extreme +illness. The gambler replied, that he would return to his home very +soon. + +The doctor left, but not long after returned with the gambler's wife, +who implored him to come home, as the girl was dying. He desired the +doctor to lead his wife from the room, with the solemn promise to follow +them; which promise he seemed to have forgotten the next instant, so +deeply was he interested in the play, and he remained at the +gaming-table. In a little while after, the doctor returned and told him +his daughter was dead. For the moment, he appeared to be greatly +affected, but he still sat at the faro table of that h----l, and when he +arose from it he was a ruined man. + +The man has since reformed, and Mr. Green said that when he last saw +him, in Baltimore, he attempted to describe the feelings which rent his +breast, after he had realized the sad events of that night. His first +desire was to commit suicide, but the hand of Providence stayed his arm, +and by His interposition he was enabled to turn from the vice, and shun +the society of those who practise it. + +Mr. Green re-asserted that all he had stated about plans being laid to +catch the unwary, by gamblers, was strictly true. He had been cognisant +of plottings of the fraternity, and in speaking of some individual who +was about to be plucked, the common expression among them was, "that he +was not ripe yet." The remarks of Mr Green were listened to with great +attention by the audience. + +Mr. Freeman followed, and after briefly replying to the points of the +previous speaker, said that it was his intention, at the next meeting, +to prove that all species of speculation is, properly speaking, +gambling. + +The Rev. John Chambers concluded. He confessed his disappointment. He +expected to find a man here who would attempt to defend gambling, but he +congratulated the audience that no such thing had been attempted, Mr. +Freeman having acknowledged gambling to be an evil. + +The Reverend gentleman's remarks were of a general character, and in the +course of their delivery he upheld the law of the state, and unsparingly +denounced those for whose detection and punishment it was passed. + + + First Night, from the Saturday Evening Post. + +The discussion on gambling, between Mr. Green the Reformed gambler, and +Mr. Freeman, of the "Profession," which has been looked forward to with +so much interest, opened upon Monday evening. The audience generally, +however, were rather disappointed, inasmuch as Mr. Freeman stated that +he did not come there to defend gambling, but only to prove the folly +and injustice of attempting to put it down by making its practice, _by +professional gamblers_, an offence punishable by imprisonment in the +penitentiary. But although Mr. Freeman made this avowal, he evidently +did attempt in various parts of the discussion to defend gambling--not, +however, as a thing good in itself, but as being no worse than many +other practices which society tolerates, and which no man loses his +reputation, or is in danger of imprisonment, for engaging in. + +We have no scruple in confessing, that we were much interested in Mr. +Freeman. He appears to be one of a singular class of men, some one of +whom may be found in nearly every pursuit, however dishonourable--men of +keen and subtle minds, and of as much goodness and honesty of purpose as +is possible in the life which they have chosen, or into which perhaps +they have been in a degree forced. In the course of his remarks, he made +one allusion to his own history, which while it told as much as any +thing that was said in the course of the debate against gambling, opened +unto us, in a degree, the secret of his present position. He said that +when he was a young man, he had lost his all at the gaming table, and +that from that blow he had never recovered--"_it had broken his heart_." +And yet, strange anomaly, he now not only makes his living by gambling, +but stands up before the world as its defender. + +But let us look a little further into Mr. Freeman's arguments. He did +not state them very plainly, being evidently unaccustomed to public +speaking, and, as the English say, to "thinking on his legs," but if we +are not mistaken, he reasons to his own heart as follows. Gambling in +cards is not right _abstractly_, but it is the same in principle as +gambling in stocks, in breadstuffs, in merchandise, in land, or in any +thing else. None of these are right, but they are necessary fruits of +the folly and wickedness of men, and inevitable in the present condition +of society. "I make my living, I know," he probably says, "from the +weakness and wickedness of my fellow men; but so do the physician, the +judge, the lawyer, the jailer, and the hangman." If we are not mistaken, +in this way does Mr. Freeman make out a clear case to his own +conscience; and to some small extent he is right in what he asserts. To +gamble with cards is the same principle as to gamble with stocks, or any +thing else--the difference is only one of degree; but although the +gambler and the judge both live, in a certain sense, off of the vices of +their fellow men, the difference is very evident between him whose +business conduces to increase those vices, and his whose noble office it +is to lessen them. + +But Mr. Freeman complains that, while the gambler with cards is +proscribed by society, and branded with all marks of shame, and laws +passed to imprison him if found practising his art, the gambler in +stocks is neither reviled nor imprisoned. At the rank injustice, as he, +in our opinion, honestly believes it, of this course on the part of +society, he can hardly contain his indignation. Those "uncouth +gestures," as one of our contemporaries designates them, were not in our +opinion intended for effect, but were the natural language of +uncontrollable indignation at what he believes to be the rank in justice +of society, which he could not adequately express in words. The audience +laughed, but the speaker was far from laughing--a perfect tempest of +conflicting emotions, it seemed to us, was agitating his bosom. Strange +as it may sound to our readers, he evidently thought that his cause was +just, and wanted to make it appear so, not to the gamblers and their +friends, hundreds of whom were present, and ready at any moment with +their applause, but to the crowd of intelligent, virtuous men and women, +in whose audience he stood. We saw the breaking out of this feeling in +the half-contemptuous manner in which he alluded to the tastes of +gamblers in general, as contrasted with his own--"he did not keep the +company of gamblers; he had nothing to say against them, but his tastes +were different." + +But is it unjust to punish the gambler with cards by imprisonment and +public proscription, while the gambler in stocks, &c., whose crime is +the same in principle, though not in degree, goes unwhipt of justice? +Undoubtedly it is, for it is no reason that one vice should go +unpunished, because another is able to escape for the present. Mr. +Freeman's argument is very good, so far as it applies to inflicting upon +the gambler in stocks the same penalty as on himself; but the law of +Progress, and the best interests of society, demand that these things +should never be allowed to work backwards. For the way society advances, +is simply this--the worst manifestations of vice are first proscribed, +and then their proscription is made a stepping-stone to demolish others. +For instance--we attack gambling with cards, the worst manifestation of +the gambling principle; we make it abhorrent to the moral sense of the +world; we so confound it, and justly too, with robbery, that future +generations shall grow up in that faith, and all the efforts of +interested sophistry never be able henceforward to separate them to the +popular apprehension. Having done this, in the course of some fifty or +one hundred years, certain dealings in stocks, for instance, are called +in question. If they can be proved to be rightly described by the phrase +"GAMBLING in Stocks," the battle is half-won. For the proscription of +the worst kind of gambling has given a vantage ground from which to +attack the principle of gambling wherever found. And this, we say, is +the only law of progress. + +Another ground taken by Mr. Freeman was, that "a man has a right to do +what he chooses with his own, if in so doing he does not injure anybody +else." In a limited sense, this is true, doubtless--but he does injure +somebody else if he fails to perform his duties to his family or to his +country. For instance, he has no right to commit suicide. But gambling +cannot be done without injuring somebody else, as it takes two to play +at it--leaving out of view the injury done to society at large, as Mr. +Green has shown in his various works on the subject. But there is no +necessity in dwelling upon this point--it cannot be defended for a +moment. + +As to Mr. Green's part in the discussion, it is not necessary to say +much. He has our confidence and sympathy. We consider his present course +a most noble one, and wish him all success in his efforts to overthrow +the abominable vice from whose clutches he has come forth a reformed +man. + +We have taken up considerable room with this subject, because we feel +great interest in both parties engaged in the discussion. Did Mr. +Freeman appear to be only a bold, bad man, we should hardly have wasted +a single paragraph upon him or his arguments. But he is evidently a man +of considerable information and talent, and to all appearance, strange +as it may sound, of much sincerity and cross-grained honesty. That he +may be led to forsake his present pursuits, before his gray hairs shall +have gone down to a dishonoured grave, is our fervent wish and prayer. + + + From Scott's Weekly. + +The interesting question between Mr. J. H. Green, the Reformed Gambler, +and Mr. J.G. Freeman, as to the rights of gambling, was discussed in the +Lecture-room of the Museum Building, on Monday evening last. A large +audience attended, and notwithstanding the zeal of Mr. Freeman more than +once carried him a little beyond the limits of propriety, the whole +passed off pleasantly. + +The announcement in the papers was not adhered to, which created some +dissatisfaction; but then the speeches of Mr. Freeman were of themselves +well worth the price of admission. He did not defend gambling--he could +not, he said, pretend to defend it--he only meant to deny the sweeping +aspersions of its foes. He spoke at great length, and sometimes his +logic was quite ingenious. + +Mr. Green confined himself to a few facts, leaving the more minute part +of the discussion for a subsequent evening. + +The Rev. John Chambers closed the proceedings by a few timely remarks, +in which he reviewed what he considered lawful and unlawful +pursuits--among these latter, he hoped to see the time that every vender +of intoxicating liquors would be placed in the same catalogue that +gamblers are by the recent law--imprisonment. He then referred to the +decorum of the audience, and expressed a hope that all the future +discussions would be listened to in the same spirit--that all the truth +possible may be elicited in reference to that terrible vice--gambling. + + + From the Inquirer. + +The long-talked-of debate upon gambling and its tendencies, was +commenced last evening in the Lecture-room of the Chinese Museum. The +audience was large, and deep interest was manifested in the discussion. +Aboard of highly respectable gentlemen presided as Moderators, and Dr. +Elder officiated as chairman. + +Mr. Freeman, the challenger, opened the debate, and proposed that the +question be met in a categorical form, thus:--Were the laws of the +different states which make gambling a Penitentiary offence unjust and +impolitic? Were they formed in good policy or not? + +Mr. Freeman considered himself as honoured in being permitted to speak +before the meeting on the question. Fearful odds were against him; all +the ranks of battle were on the other side. The clergy, who were +accustomed to public speaking, were against him--as well as the editors +and the press. In the war now raging, the climate--the sickly climate, +was more dangerous than the shells and shot of the enemy--and in this +case, the sickly climate was the prejudice, the prejudice of opinion, +which was against the cause he espoused, or rather defended. Mr. F. also +referred to other influences against him. Mr. F. contended that even, if +the states in which such laws were passed, disliked the vice of +gambling--it was no reason why they should pass laws that were unjust +and impolitic. + +Mr. F. contended, in opposition to such laws, that a man had a perfect +right to do what he pleased with his own things. Any legislation to the +contrary was tyranny. More mischief and immorality would result from +such laws than from the vice itself--for it was a violation of one of +the rights of man on the mere score of expediency. He contended, +therefore, that men had a perfect right to do what they pleased with +their own things, so long as they did not interfere with the rights of +others. A drunkard could not drink without disturbing other people--why +not make his a Penitentiary offence? Yet a gambler was considered a +Penitentiary offender, though he did not interfere with the rights of +others. + +What were speculators in railroads, &c. &c.?--Why many of them gamblers +on the largest scale! + +In noticing the temptations of gambling, Mr. F. said that he and other +gamblers had often warned youths against entering upon that dangerous +course, and had thus saved them from ruin. + +Mr. F. argued against the law recently enacted at Harrisburg against +gambling, on the ground that it was partial and unjust. + +One of the strangest things was, that a man who had been imprisoned, had +been an outcast himself, should be the first to betray, and to place +others in the same situation, and send them to the Penitentiary. Yet +such was the case with the gentleman who had come from Ohio to +Harrisburg to assist in obtaining the passage of the law against +gambling. + +Mr. Green replied, and defended the law in question, as it was passed in +Pennsylvania; and read a section, in which gamblers, without a fixed +residence, were, upon conviction, to be imprisoned, &c.; and Mr. G. said +that although no games were mentioned, yet all gambling games were +included. Mr. G. admitted that he had been a gambler for many years, and +had done much evil to the community--as much as most evil men--but he +was now, he hoped, reformed. Mr. G. then contended that several +gambling-houses and tables had been closed under this law--and surely +this was a great advantage to the public--surely such closing of +gaming-houses had saved many persons from ruin. + +Mr. Green gave much experience of his gambling life, and contended that +principles of honour were not common among gamblers. Gambling was a +principle of robbery--of robbery from beginning to end. If gambling was +right--why, Mr. Green would ask--did the former speaker persuade young +men not to come into gambling-houses? Mr. Green described a splendid +gambling-house in Calvert street, Baltimore, and the snares of robbery +laid for the unwary--and the method adopted to entrap a rich and unwary +citizen. The revelations were truly startling, and displayed a painful +instance of the _"facilis descensus averni"_--a father whose feelings +were blunted, and hardly to be re-awakened even by the death of a +beloved daughter. And this was but one instance out of thousands, in +which the sum of $1200, $1500, and $2000 had been lost at various times, +and a fatal, fascinating infatuation contracted. + +Mr. Freeman resumed, and again contended for the right of any man to +gamble--that he had a right to do what he would with his own--and that a +law was unfair which punished this one vice, and let other and greater +vices alone. It was cowardly legislation. A gambler was said to have no +home, and would not be missed, if he were sent to prison; but send a man +of property, of standing to prison for some one of _his_ vices, and +there would soon be a fuss in the wigwam. Mr. F. was very severe upon +the great body of editors, for following servilely public opinion, +without courage or independence to express a manly opinion of their own. + +Mr. F. said that all ministers were not good men--there were a few +exceptions--neither should all gamblers, in fairness, be considered as +scoundrels. He, Mr. F. as a gambler, never would admit his inferiority +to those individuals who, without labour, gained money and circumvented +others by extensive and fraudulent schemes of speculation. + +The Rev. John Chambers summed up with great eloquence and ability, and +said that he was disappointed--he had expected a defence and vindication +of gambling as an _honourable_ profession--but he was glad to find that +the gentleman who had spoken, Mr. Freeman, had not even attempted to +advocate gambling as truthful or honest. + +Mr. Chambers considered all dealing fair, in which a man received a +_quid pro quo_--but whether a man cheat at cards or in the sale of a +bale of dry goods, he was equally a scoundrel. If Mr. Freeman would make +it appear that gambling was a fair business, he (Mr. C.) would not wish +it to be a Penitentiary offence; but if gambling was, as Mr. Green had +shown, a system of robbery--why then, it ought to be a Penitentiary +offence. Mr. C. said that Mr. Freeman had behaved honourably--for he had +said to young men--"Do not come into this place!" And why? Because it +was the road to ruin. + +Mr. C. regretted that Mr. Freeman should have made several scriptural +allusions. No virtuous man would ever support gambling--for it gave no +equivalent either in money or reputation for the losses sustained. As +such was the case, gambling should be a Penitentiary offence--but if Mr. +Freeman could prove that it was an upright and honourable calling, why +then, perhaps, he might induce us to apprentice our children to it. + +After Mr. Green had spoken for a few minutes, the debate was adjourned +to Thursday evening next. + + + From the Evening Bulletin. + +The great discussion on the subject of gambling came off last night at +the Chinese Museum, between Mr. Green, the celebrated Reformed Gambler, +and Mr. Freeman, the individual who acknowledges himself one of the +"sporting" band. The audience was very large and respectable. A board of +worthy gentlemen were appointed a governing committee, of which Dr. +Elder acted as chairman. The whole proceedings were marked with the +greatest decorum. + +Mr. Freeman spoke first. He is a man somewhat advanced in years, and +possesses abilities, which we could wish were better applied than in the +defence, or even palliation, of such a corrupting habit as gambling. He +directed his batteries mainly against the late gambling laws in this +state. + +He did not like the application to professional and not private +gambling. He denounced editors and ministers by wholesale; in regard to +the former, declaring that there was only one in the country who was +really independent, and that one, Bennett of the New York Herald! He +quoted Scripture, but that is not surprising, for we are told by the +poet, "the devil may cite Scripture." His manner was violent, and his +allusions to his opponent, Mr. Green, the very essence of bitterness. +He tried to slide his repugnance to that gentleman into the small corner +of contempt; but the whole audience could see that he, in reality, +entertained no such trifling feelings towards his opponent. + +Mr. Green spoke in reply to Freeman, not only like a gentleman, but like +a Christian. He treated the sneers of his opponent with kindness, +seeming to be sorry, if one might judge from his manner, that he should +have boldly placed himself in the point which he occupies before the +community. There was a plain, straightforward honesty, as well as a +gentleness in the tone and manner of Green, which, though he did not +indulge in such a flow of language as his opponent, spoke volumes in +favour of his sincerity, and won for him new friends and admirers. His +opponent had intimated both by word and act, that he was not to be +trusted; he did not seem to feel it necessary to go into a defence of +his motives in reply, but appeared to say, "Here I am,--I come to +denounce a habit of pestiferous corrupting influence, of which I have +practical knowledge; I will stand or fall by the position which I have +taken,--leaving the future to show the world whether or not I am +honest." Freeman spoke again after Green concluded, and very much in the +same style as in the early part of the evening. + +After he had concluded, the Rev. John Chambers made an address, which +was marked with strong argument and a fine Christian-like tone. Mr. +Green then said a few words, and the meeting adjourned to Thursday +evening, at the same place, when the discussion is to be resumed. There +doubtless will be a large attendance. No subject could be more +interesting to the public, and the agitation of none can exercise a +better moral influence. + + + From the North American. + +A good-humoured illustration of the right of every one to say what he +pleases, took place at the Lecture-room of the Museum last evening. Mr. +Freeman, an uncouth man, who gesticulates as if he was mending shoes, +but who has naturally no inconsiderable endowment of brain and nerve, +delivered himself of a tirade against everybody in general, and against +the press and clergy in particular. He complained that everybody was +against him--compared the clergy to Gen. Scott and his regulars; the +editors to bomb-shells and Congreve rockets, and what else we know not; +himself individually to Gen. Taylor, and the race of the poor persecuted +gamblers to our Saviour--who, he said, like them, had not where to lay +his head! + +The impious jumble of fustian and blasphemy was accompanied in the +delivery by every species of grimace and buffoonery, and a fierceness of +dramatic action and posture far more ludicrously affecting than the +classic attitudes of Gen. Tom Thumb, who was defying the lightning, as +Ajax, dying like the Gladiator, and taking snuff like Napoleon, in the +room overhead. At the bottom of all this ridiculous exhibition, which +drew repeated shouts of laughter from the very large and respectable +audience, lay two principles upon which Mr. Freeman might have erected +an imposing argumentative structure. These were, that every man has a +right to do what he pleases with his own, so that he does not disturb +others; and that laws punishing professional gamblers and letting +citizens go free, are unjust. + +Mr. Green, without going into the metaphysics of the question, showed by +some very plain and straightforward remarks the fraud and villany of +professional gambling, and proved that it was throughout a _system_ of +deliberate robbery. This being the case, it follows, of course, that the +general good of the community, which has ever been acknowledged +paramount, requires it to be put down. Thus satisfactorily stood the +question when we left, and we do not see how it can fairly be removed +from this broad ground. It is evident that Mr. Green is a sincere man, +and we firmly believe that he is engaged in a good work. + + +SECOND NIGHT. + + + From the Inquirer. + +The discussion between Mr. Green, the Reformed gambler, and Mr. Freeman +in opposition, was continued yesterday evening, in the Lecture-room of +the Chinese Museum, Leonard Jewell, Esq. in the chair. + +Mr. Freeman contended that not one of his arguments, on the previous +evening, had been answered by Mr. Green, but anecdotes and doleful +stories had been told instead. Mr. F. defended his allusions from +Scripture, and said that they had been misconstrued; that he only meant +to say that the Saviour of mankind had recommended us to do good, and to +return good for evil; but some of the clergy had not followed the golden +rule in this matter, for punishment and the Penitentiary had been +recommended by them as a cure for gambling. As it was known that he (the +speaker) played, he came only to defend gambling as far as truth went, +but no farther--there he would stop. + +Mr. Freeman complained that Mr. Green had classed _all_ gamblers as men +of the worst character--as if they were thieves or counterfeiters, +whereas Mr. G. knew that he could mention many who were incapable of +doing any thing mean--men who would denounce a counterfeiter as soon as +any one in that room. Mr. Freeman related a story of a fraudulent trick, +by which a large sum of money had been fraudulently obtained, and its +recovery prevented by force--one individual, who was named, menacing +with a bowie-knife; and Mr. F. said of the getter-up of the +plan--pointing to Mr. Green--"as Nathan said unto David, there sits the +man!" + +Mr. Green admitted that it might be so--that it was so. + +Mr. Freeman said that he knew Mr. Green's friends had a reply to cover +all such things--because he was a reformed man--Mr. F. hoped it was so, +but he really had some little doubt. + +Mr. F. distinguished between deep play, which he likened to the +_strategie_ of generals in the field, the one to mislead the other, and +open, undisguised cheating, which he denounced. Mr. F. referred to +several distinguished men who gambled--and to several well-known +gamblers--and he defied Mr. Green to say that any one he had named would +or could be guilty of a mean action. + +There was in the world a certain amount of wealth--the many of mankind +were (the industrious) producers--but he held that all men, speculators, +who circumvented others by their wits, living without work, were in +point of fact--_gamblers_. If a man were to go into the street and gain +$3000 in a morning by a stock or other speculation--why, as surely as we +lived, somebody lost that money--aye, and by gambling on the largest +scale. Men who lost their money at a gaming-table went there to win +money of the gamblers--but generally lost their own. Their object was to +put the gambler's money in their own pockets; and when they were +disappointed, they exclaimed against gamblers. Gamblers lived on the +depravity of men; if men were not depraved, gamblers would have no +chance; but they were encouraged by the depravity of others. Mr. F. +condemned and would punish cheating, whether by gamblers or other +speculators. + +Mr. Green did not wish to say any thing personally against any of the +men or gamblers who had been named by Mr. F. Some were benevolent +men--but one or two he had named were men without heart. He (Mr. G.) +knew several gamblers, amateurs and professional men, who were +straightforward in their gambling transactions. He did not desire to +hurt the feelings of any of these individuals--he attacked not men but +vice--and he contended that gambling was a system of robbery, from +beginning to end. That it was that he contended for--and that, he hoped, +he had already shown. Mr. Green admitted that Mr. Freeman's story of the +scheme gotten up, bowie-knife, &c., was in the main correct. If meeting +contracts was honest--why then, many gamblers might be called honest. He +did not mean to say that such HONEST gamblers would put their hands in a +man's pocket and steal money--no--they would not do that. + +But he would say what they would do;--they would sit up all night, have +suppers, wine and spirits set out to tempt men, and they would play with +any that came; and though some such customers were known or suspected to +have obtained the money they played with by robbery, yet he never knew +that the gamblers had ever refused to allow such men to play, so long as +they had money. Mr. Green described several snares that were practised +by gamblers, particularly one at New Orleans, called the "broker." He +hoped some of the gamblers of this city would reform as soon as the new +law went into effect. He had already heard of some having turned +collectors, policemen, &c.--but he doubted their reform if they were +turned over to the police--for though there were some very good +policemen in this city, he could confidently say also there were some +spotted ones. + +Mr. Green considered the bowling-alleys and billiard rooms as the very +bane of the city--leading men on step by step to the vices of gambling +and drunkenness. Mr. Green stated that he had never met with a gambler +in his life, who played honestly, and got his living by playing cards +honestly--for all he had ever known would take advantage, +sometimes--which perhaps the world might call cheating. Mr. Green +practically illustrated with a pack of cards the modes of taking +advantage, (cheating in plain English,) that were truly surprising. Mr. +G. said that such things were done by gamblers, called _honourable_, and +if any one had charged such men with dishonesty, why a duel, or worse, +might have been the consequence. + +On one occasion, he (Mr. Green) had been cheated out of several hundred +dollars by a brother gambler. He knew it, but lost his money and said +nothing--at length, he found out the method of cheating--and went home +and set up all night by way of studying a cheat that would recover his +money and more. He succeeded at last, and went and won all the money of +his antagonist and party--in fact, he won enough to break the whole +party. Mr. Green then showed by cards how he had been engaged in winning +(by tricks) money from a planter in Louisiana. + +Mr. Freeman replied, and contended that Mr. Green had referred to only a +few mean gamblers--and by his inference charged their practices upon the +whole body. But our limited space warns us to be brief. Mr. Freeman only +contended that a gambler was honest in a relative point of view--as +honest as other men who in trade or otherwise, or in speculation, did +things as bad or worse than gamblers. Mr. F. related anecdotes to show +that persons charged with faults and crimes were almost always condemned +by public opinion, and their faults and crimes exaggerated. Mr. F. +stated that in former times, the keepers of gaming-houses in New Orleans +paid heavy licenses, and were subject to ruinous fines if they cheated +in the smallest degree. + +Mr. F. contended that cheating at cards was decidedly a disadvantage to +the gambler--because, if he lost his character as a fair man, people +would not play with him, and so cheating was to him a loss: on the +principle of a man in England, who said he would give a hundred thousand +dollars for a character. "Why?" asked his friends. "Because," replied +the first, "because I could gain two hundred thousand dollars by it!" + +Mr. F. introduced several anecdotes. Mr. F. had heard several sensible +men in New Orleans say, that if gaming-houses there were licensed, there +would be little or no cheating, because those houses would be under the +police, and people could not then do as they now do in holes and +corners. On the principle of "Vice is a creature of such hateful mien," +&c. &c., Mr. F. thought that Mr. Green, by showing and explaining some +of his tricks, would be likely to tempt some persons to practise such +tricks, if they wanted a little money; and on this point he would quote +Scripture, and say--"Lead us not into temptation!" + +Mr. Freeman exhibited a capital trick on the cards, quite equal to some +of Mr. Green's. But, said Mr. F., all such things were nothing--for, in +gambling, playing on the square with fairness is the best policy. [Mr. +Green admitted Mr. Freeman's trick to be very superior--and it was at +length understood that at the next meeting (on Saturday night) several +of these mysteries would be shown on both sides.] + +Mr. Green declared that he could show the principle of gambling to be a +hundred per cent. worse than stealing. + +The debate was listened to with much interest, and we learn that it will +be closed to-morrow (Saturday) evening. + + From the Evening Bulletin. + +Messrs. Green and Freeman renewed their discussion last night, at the +Chinese Museum, in the presence of a crowded audience, Leonard Jewell, +Esq. in the chair. Mr. Freeman spoke first, and very _modestly_ +contended that none of his arguments of the previous evening had been +answered by his opponent, but that, instead of this, painful anecdotes +and stories had been told. He had quoted Scripture only to show that +making stringent laws to punish gambling was contrary to the spirit of +our Saviour's teaching, viz. to return good for evil. This argument, +will, of course, apply to all laws for the punishment of crime. Freeman +went on to except to Green's wholesale denunciations of all gamblers; it +was well known that some were _honourable_ men. There were a few bad +ones, his opponent knew, and one, in particular, who on a certain +occasion drew a bowie-knife to prevent a sum of money, fraudulently +obtained, being returned to its proper owner. Green acknowledged that he +was the man to whom Freeman alluded. He would not deny that he had been +as guilty as the guiltiest. + +Freeman continued by saying that he supposed his opponent would get over +this by saying he had reformed. Green looked assent. + +Freeman justified gambling by business operations, which were the result +of chance, such as stock-jobbing; but we confess we cannot see where the +parallel begins, the one being a clear matter of chance on both sides, +the other, if Green's stories be true, which we firmly believe, all on +the side of the gambler, who cheats from the beginning to the ending of +his playing, what with tricks of the trade, marked cards, &c. Freeman +took the ground that gamblers were honest, and thus made out a better +case than the facts will sustain. + +Mr. Green's reply was quiet and unaffected. He knew some gamblers who +were straightforward and honourable in their playing. But the majority +of the profession were dishonest, and the community was demoralized and +impoverished by them. He admitted the story about the bowie-knife. He +had never been disposed to conceal any of his wicked acts while one of +the _profession_. There was one point on which all gamblers were +unprincipled; they would play and win money of men they knew were +totally ignorant of the arts of card-playing. This was a fraud--it was +dishonest; a strong argument against the whole band, good or bad. + +Mr. Green denounced bowling-alleys and billiard saloons. He then exposed +the tricks by which gamblers cheated, and in doing so interested the +audience very much. + +Freeman's rejoinder was still to the end that some gamblers were honest +and honourable. He knew that there were rogues among gamblers, who +practised tricks, and he gave an excellent specimen of their adroitness, +in a trick which Mr. Green acknowledged was a capital one. + +The debate was listened to throughout with great attention. It will be +resumed on Saturday evening. + + +THIRD NIGHT + + + From the Daily Sun. + +On Saturday evening, the debate between Messrs. Green and Freeman, on +the subject of gambling, was resumed, in the Lecture-room of the Museum +building. There was a full audience in attendance, and towards the close +of the debate, the proceedings became intensely interesting. + +At the appointed hour, Dr. Elder, the moderator, made a few remarks, by +way of opening the meeting, and introduced + +Mr. Freeman, who, upon advancing to the table, said that he regarded it +as complimentary indeed, that he was permitted to proceed with the +discussion. Under all the circumstances, he considered it a great +compliment, that a highly intelligent audience should listen to one of +the proscribed fraternity. But friends, (said the speaker,) if the scene +of the discussion lay farther South, in the region of the spot where he +was born, he would not consider it so much of a compliment--he would not +make such a concession, even from the great Harry of the West down to my +fallen foe. In looking round the staging he observed new faces, and +missed those who had previously occupied their places--he had heard +those men had consulted their dignity, and any man (in the opinion of +the speaker) who thinks more of his dignity than his duty is not fit to +occupy the sacred desk. The arguments which he had brought forward on +the previous occasions have not been answered. Mr. Green has not even +attempted to do so, but he (the speaker) had found that a worthy +gentleman had entered the field, though not verbally, and endeavoured to +supply the place of his opponent. He would take the liberty to +compliment him--the distinguished editor of the Post--though he did not +know him, nor that such a paper as the Post was printed. That editor, +like many others whose prejudices overbalance their reason, had +misunderstood him. The speaker then indulged in a _critique_ on the +editorial, principally upon the ground which he had taken--that a man +has a right to do with his own things what he pleases, provided, in so +doing, he does not infringe upon the rights of others. On this point, it +appeared that the editor thought and argued differently, and Mr. Freeman +said, that in taking the above ground, he did not claim originality, for +it is a principle of law, as laid down in Blackstone, Paley, and +others--it is the language of great commentators, and upon it he would +stand or fall, and leave the distinguished editor to battle with those +men. + +Some things, continued the speaker, may seem inconsistent at first, +which, upon examination, are not inconsistent. A thing may be legally +right and morally wrong, and whilst he could defend it legally, he could +not morally. For instance, suppose a rich man had two sons, both of whom +acted as sons should act, and the father in making out his will should +devise his whole estate to one son, and cut the other off, as they say +in England, with a shilling. Now, who would deny his right to do so if +it pleased him; who would say that it is not legally right?--no one. But +would it be morally right?--certainly not. What is morality?--love your +God, your neighbour, and yourself. And though he could defend the will +as legal, yet in a moral point of view he could condemn it as unnatural. +The editor of the Post (said the speaker) confounds gambling with +robbery, and what for?--that future generations may grow up in faith. It +is, said he, a settled principle of morality never to hoist false +colours, but to raise the standard of truth and defend it to the last. +(Applause.) + +He remembered an anecdote: a physician was sent to attend a poor sick +boy, and when he arrived at the couch of pain and distress, he found it +necessary to administer a pill--a very nauseous dose. Said the +mother--"Doctor, it would be better to put a little sugar on it, and +then he can take it, and not know it's a pill." "No, madam," replied the +doctor, "it won't do to deceive him. Here, my son," said the +practitioner, "take this medicine and it will cure you," and the little +fellow swallowed it like a man. Thus it is with Mr. Green and the green +editor; they associate the gambler, without distinction, with assassins +and robbers. In doing so they are wrong; they do not speak the truth. +The speaker then proceeded to show how a young man may often be lured +into temptation--by representing gamblers as assassins, who, upon +acquaintance, he finds are apparently gentlemen, and he is induced to +think that he has been hitherto misled and deceived in regard to such +men. He then cultivates their acquaintance, and finally, through his own +depravity, he becomes worse and worse, until he is at last swallowed up +in the vortex of degradation. This is the result of employing +dishonourable measures to prevent him from visiting such places, or to +carry out honourable ends. + +A man has a right to commit suicide, so far as propriety is concerned. +If he does not owe any thing, and feels it in his conscience that he +would like to die, he has a right to do so--but if that man owes five +dollars, he would certainly violate a moral principle by killing +himself, because he ought to live as long as he can to pay his debt. The +speaker once knew a man, in good circumstances, who was weary of +existence, and feeling disposed to take a journey to "that bourne whence +no traveller returns," committed suicide. There may be many who would +call it murder--but the community are murderers--they sometimes murder +in cold blood. But lately a man was taken to the gallows, and they hung +a young man because he had killed somebody else, and yet there are many +persons who believe this is right, and that suicide, such as the speaker +had selected, is wrong. + +The speaker now proceeded to criticize the law relative to gambling, +passed at the recent legislature, in which he said that if a man has a +fixed place of residence and carries on a dry goods business, he might +gamble as much as should please him and the law would not take hold of +him. He would ask anybody to read the law understandingly and then deny +this round assertion. This act, said he, is bugbear--it is a disgrace as +it now stands, for it smacks of cowardice. The legislators, he presumed, +had a little sense, and they knew that some kind of a law must be +passed, and they were ingenious enough to know how to frame it to sound +well, and yet be comparatively powerless. They knew by such a statute +that _nolle prosequis_ could be entered--and solicitors make more +money--they well knew that there were many religious people among their +constituents, and it would not do for them to act singular, or else they +would find so short an account at the next ballot-box that they would +not be sent back. He would spurn such legislators and keep them for ever +in private life. (Applause.) + +In conclusion, he said that he was decidedly an anti-gambler, and he did +not defend the subject morally. In order that he might enlighten the +people on the subject of gambling, he would give one lecture, in which +he would relate his experience, and promised that it should be the +richest and most interesting thing that could be listened to. He did not +want money. He would only ask enough to pay expenses of the room--the +ladies and the reverend clergy may come in gratis--all he wished was +that the truth should be told about gambling. + +Mr. Green now took the stand, and said that it appeared to him that +there was something in the law which seemed to stick to his opponent, +Mr. Freeman. He complains that the Jaw is dull--that it is trash--a +bugbear, and heaps other similar epithets upon it, and yet he appears to +make considerable noise about it, and why should he attempt to ridicule +me, in connection with the law. Every man in this state knows that Mr. +Green himself could not pass the law without the aid of the legislature. +He (Mr. Freeman) goes on to take many other positions which he (the +speaker) could not understand, and therefore would not further allude to +them. He thought that if the young men were warned properly to keep +aloof from the gambling shops, and they should heed the warning, they +would escape a life of infamy. 'Tis true, a young man may go from the +parlour to a gambling-place. He will first find the gamblers +fascinating--rooms handsomely furnished--fine suppers given, and in +fact, every temptation may be set out to catch the unwary novice. The +gambler will tell him this reform is all priestcraft--you can see for +yourself that we (gamblers) are not the assassins which we are +represented to be--these reformers don't speak the truth. The young man +is blinded--he thinks he knows by this time all about the gamblers--but +in fact he knows nothing. He goes on by degrees, until becoming more +hardened, he does not fear to do that which would have made him recoil +with horror, in the outset. He may go to another city--carry letters of +introduction to prominent gamblers--forty other letters may get there +before him, putting the robbers on the look out, getting them to set +their stool-pigeons. The young man is trapped--he is enticed into a +gambling hell--don't call them sporting saloons or gambling-rooms, (said +the speaker,) but call them what they are, _hells_--he loses all his +money--his character is gone--he is ruined, and who then cares for +him--does the gambler? + +Let me relate an instance which came under my immediate notice:--A young +man in Baltimore, sometime after he had been ruined at a gambling hell, +went there, but having no money, was not cared for by the gambler. He +laid down on the floor in a corner of the room, night after night. One +day, in particular, it was asked who he was. "Only a loafer," replied +the gambler. The young man was aroused from his stupor by the one with +whom he had gambled and lost, and was told to go about his business. The +young man replied, "Sir, you should be the last man to treat me so; it +was with you I first played cards, it was under your roof where I tasted +the first glass of wine;" and whilst thus expostulating, the gambler +pushed him out, he reeled down the stairs, fractured his skull on the +curb-stone and fell into the gutter. Mr. Green was present and saw this +base transaction. He raised the young man from the gutter, gave him a +handkerchief to wipe the blood from his forehead. The next day that +young man was found dead under one of the wharves. Now he, Mr. Green, +could not say that the gambler murdered him, but he was dead and held +the handkerchief in his clenched fist. That young man had swallowed the +wrong pill; why did not the gamblers tell him they were robbers and +assassins, why did they not stick to the truth. They dare not do it, and +he (Mr. Green) thought it his duty as a reformed man to speak truly and +act honestly. The present law which so much troubles Mr. Freeman was +passed with due deliberation unanimously, and when it goes into effect +on the first of July he would not wonder if there should be a very great +amount of trouble among more gamblers than Mr. Freeman. (Applause.) + +_Mr. Freeman._ The gentleman wants to know, why this law grieves me +so--why! because it is trash. He (the speaker) did not expect to live in +Pennsylvania but a few days longer, as he intended going South, and if +he should chance to come back again, and choose to play a game of cards, +he did not wish to be placed on a par with incendiaries, robbers and +murderers. All of you, no doubt, have heard of steamboat racing, boilers +blowing up, &c.--everybody is up in arms about it, and cry aloud for a +law to stop this abominable racing. Now he (the speaker) could make the +round statement that there never has been one explosion of a boiler +during the time of a steamboat racing. The reason is plain. When the +race is going on, everybody is wide awake, the water is kept high, and +the boilers prevented from being overheated, and in such a case no +explosion can possibly take place. A law, therefore, passed to stop +steamboats racing in order to prevent boilers from bursting, would be +equivalent to the law passed relative to gambling. In conclusion, he +would say that he knew of but one gambler who had been in prison, and +not one south of Mason and Dixon's line, which was more than could be +said of any other profession. (Great applause.) + +_Mr. Green_ (quickly.) Why is it so?--because the gamblers are eelish, +and not because they don't deserve the penitentiary; Mr. Freeman knows +that. (Roars of laughter and continued applause.) + +_Mr. Elder._ Ladies and gentlemen, it is now proposed that a vote be +taken on the distribution of the proceeds of this evening. Mr. Green has +had the receipts of the two previous evenings, and at the first meeting +it was agreed to let the audience decide as to the third meeting. + +_Voice._ Were not the lectures given by Mr. Green? + +_Many Voices._ Question, question, question. + +_Voice._ I demand an answer to my question, for I wish to vote +understandingly. + +_Voices._ Calling question from all parts of the room. + +_Another Voice._ Mr. Speaker, I wish to know one thing. Mr. Green says, +since his reformation, he has given back over twenty thousand dollars of +property which he won when he was a gambler. Now I wish to know if he +will give the proceeds of the night to the gamblers, if the question is +decided in his favour. + +_Voices._ Question, take the question; loud talking and grumbling. + +_First Voice._ Suppose it is decided in favour of Mr. Freeman, I wish to +know if the debate can be continued or not. + +The question was now taken by rising, and silence being restored, the +Moderator said--"It is the decision of the chair, that the proceeds +belong to Mr. Freeman, by a very large majority." + +_Voice._ Sir, there is a mistake. + +_Moderator._ Are there any gentlemen here who are dissatisfied with the +decision? + +_Voice._ I am. + +Hon. Charles Gibbons, speaker of the Senate, proposed to take the +question by voice. This was agreed upon. + +_Mr. Elder._ All in favour of the proceeds being given to Mr. Freeman, +say I. Here there was a tremendous response. The contrary opinion was +then taken, and the chair decided that the I's were in a large majority. +(Great applause.) + +_Voice._ Mr. President, I demand back my quarter dollar--I can't pay +money to go into the pockets of a gambler. (Hisses.) + +_Mr. Freeman._ The gentleman can have his quarter back with pleasure. +(Applause.) + +The rest of the evening was consumed in the explanation of tricks of +gamblers by Mr. Green, which was intensely interesting, and he was +greeted with rounds of applause, as he successfully performed them. + + + From the City Bulletin. + +A large audience assembled on Saturday night to listen to the last +debate on gambling. Mr. Freeman opened the ball with a great deal of +self-possession, and talked away in defence of a palpable wrong, with as +much coolness and composure as if he was discussing the last news by the +steamer. But his sophistry, as well as all the sneers and jeers of his +brethren in the audience, which betrayed themselves when Green began to +speak, could not keep the truth under. Before the evening closed, he had +every thing his own way, and was complete master of the field. Freeman +battled against the late law passed in this State--and contended that it +was of no avail in crushing the evil of gambling. He added that if it +was effective, it was effective against the wrong persons. He then +slurred over his opponent's position, charged him with insincerity, and +denounced all his tales of horror. He incidentally, however, took +occasion to say, that he could a tale unfold which would harrow up the +soul, a tale of his own personal adventure, as a gambler, and he invited +the audience to its recital to-morrow evening. + +Mr. Green rose with the same pleasant smile which he always has worn +during his debate with Freeman, and met his opponent's positions, not +with smooth, oily, plausible words, but in a plain spoken, substantial, +truth-telling language. He reiterated all that he had charged against +gambling at former meetings. He said gamblers were no better than +thieves, that they cheated always when they could, and that they had +every advantage over those who fell into their clutches. + +The audience were now called upon to vote as to the disposal of the +receipts at the door--Mr. Green having agreed that his opponent should +have them, if it was so decided. The vote was taken, and by a large +majority the receipts were awarded to Freeman. + +The tricks now came on, Freeman having taken the ground that they could +not be done without detection with any cards. He accordingly placed upon +the table a pack of cards which he said he had purchased that evening. +Mr. Green in taking the cards asked that a committee should be appointed +to witness his tricks, and report to the assembly, but Freeman and his +friends put in a decided objection to this. Green at once told the +audience he would gratify them and perform the tricks openly. Here came +his triumph, which was complete. He took the very cards which his +opponent had bought, and with them showed conclusively, that all he had +charged in relation to the expertness and skill of gamblers, and of +course, their immense advantages over their opponents, was true. + +Thus has ended a debate which, we do think, has been productive of good +to the community, while it has vindicated most fully the position which +Green takes in his work of reform. We have no sympathy for Freeman, +while he maintains his present stand, though we freely confess he is a +gentleman of ability, and that we should be most happy to see him a +co-labourer with Green, in crushing the vice of gambling. He says he is +broken down in health and spirits. We know of nothing which can restore +the last, and make him bear the first with greater resignation, than +retire to the path of virtue. + + + From the North American. + +The gambling discussion between Messrs. Green and Freeman was closed on +Saturday evening, before a very large and interested audience. After +some speaking on either side, which was listened to with becoming +patience and attention, the tricks--which were evidently the great point +of interest--were in order, and Mr. Green proceeded to fulfil his +promises to the letter. Mr. Freeman had brought a pack of cards of his +own selection and preparation, and Mr. Green objected that this could +hardly be considered fair, and said that he should prefer the +appointment of a committee to provide cards, and superintend the +experiments. Upon this Mr. Freeman commenced declaiming in a triumphant +tone against his antagonist; but Mr. Green cut him short by stating that +he was willing to proceed with the cards that Mr. Freeman had brought. +Mr. Gibbons then took the pack and marked it with a pencil, so that he +might be sure of recognising it. Mr. Green then took them from him, +shuffled them a moment with his hands under the table, and showed them +to Mr. Gibbons, who pronounced them the same he had marked. Mr. Green +then dealt them in separate heaps, and Mr. Gibbons turned up the faces, +and showed the audience that each of the thirteen heaps contained the +four aces, four kings, four queens, and so on down to the four deuces. +The cards were then shuffled, and Mr. Green ran them off, the backs +being upward, so rapidly that the eye could scarcely follow the motion +of his fingers--naming each card as he threw it off, and making but +_one_ mistake in the whole fifty-two cards. This extraordinary feat was +received by the audience with acclamations, as being most convincing +proof of the power of gamblers to perform the swindling deceptions with +the cards, that Mr. Green has charged upon the nimble-fingered +fraternity. The audience then good-naturedly voted Mr. Freeman the +pecuniary proceeds of the evening, as a remuneration for the zeal he had +displayed in a bad cause. The question was then put to the audience +whether Mr. Green had satisfactorily performed all he had undertaken, +and loudly answered in the affirmative. + + + From the United States Gazette. + +The discussion on this important subject was continued and concluded, on +Saturday evening, by Messrs. Green and Freeman. + +A man who can for a few minutes interest an audience so much in favour +of the vice of gambling, as to make them shut out its horrible +deformity, must possess more than ordinary powers, and we question much +whether, of the whole fraternity of gamblers, one could be found better +adapted for the Herculean task which Mr. Freeman set himself. That which +the mind is accustomed steadily to dwell upon, and upon which action is +had repeatedly, will scarcely want for self-justification--and while the +error of proceeding is reluctantly admitted, whatever may tend to +justify, however slightly, is eagerly seized upon and proclaimed. There +is scarcely an evil practice for which the doer may not raise up or +create reasons in justification, and plausible arguments may be made to +gloss over the most detestable and indefensible crimes. + +A kind of Letheon is administered to the judgment by continual +progression in some improper path, till that which is to all others +palpably and painfully degrading becomes pleasant and eminently proper +in him who labours under the mental oblivion. Such a course Mr. Freeman +has trod, for while he admits that gambling is pernicious, he clamours +for the natural right which all men possess, to do it so long as they do +not meddle with others, and insists that it in no way gives occasion for +the exercise of legal power by the fact that he has played at cards, and +lost or won money. If it could be confined to individuals--if the +penalty of the crime was visited only upon the doer--- if the moral and +pecuniary destruction which gambling visits upon all who offer tribute +at its altar, went no farther than him who made the offering, then Mr. +Freeman would have a proper privilege, and would be right in saying that +a man violated no law by the practice of the nefarious profession. But +there are few, very few, we suppose, who are not connected by the ties +of blood, the bonds of matrimony, or the relation of father to child, +who are all affected by such degradation as the gambler visits upon +himself, and who feel the bitter poignancy of the stroke with greater +force than he whose heart has been gradually but surely abased. While a +man has a single relation or friend, he should not gamble; and if he +stood alone in the world, with no friend, the fear of the eternal +judgment should deter him from the commission of the sin. + +Mr. Freeman is a plausible man; he talks earnestly and fluently, and his +argument is clear and comprehensive, so far as it goes. He thinks +readily and speaks aptly. As a debater, he far excels his opponent Mr. +Green, and with a good cause would be an opponent difficult to conquer. +But few, we think, expected so much of the metaphysics of gambling as he +gave, but after he had constructed his argument, and presented the +justification of the fraternity, it was marvellous how quickly the one +crumbled and the other was turned to condemnation, by the application of +the tests of reason and truth which Mr. Green applied. Facts stood +stubbornly before Mr. Freeman's theories, and bore them down, and the +experiments with the cards which closed the lecture, demonstrated, +beyond a doubt, how far an unscrupulous gambler could carry his villany +against an unsuspecting victim. With a rapidity that defied observation +and detection, Mr. Green performed several tricks, by which he produced +any card or series of cards at will, and even read eighteen cards in +succession by the backs. + +In his argument, Mr. Freeman invariably rose in the estimation of the +audience, but he rose only to fall again. There may have been respect +for his abilities, but there was greater sorrow that so unprofitable and +degrading a direction had been given to them. Every argument that he +used became, upon reflection, an argument against gambling, and the only +thing he really effected, was the proof that the law recently passed +against gamblers by the legislature of this State is not stringent +enough. + +Mr. Freeman announced that on Wednesday next, he would deliver a +lecture, in which he would review his course of life, and offer +arguments against gambling--which he freely confessed to be a vice, even +while he proclaimed his right to practise it. Such an exposition cannot +fail to be of deep interest. + + + From the Inquirer. + +This controversy was continued on Saturday evening, Dr. Elder in the +chair. The Lecture-room at the Chinese Museum was crowded on the +occasion. + +Mr. Freeman commented on the notice taken by the press of the +controversy--in general it was manly and dignified; Mr. Freeman read +from the Post, in which gambling was severely opposed. The ground on +which Mr. Freeman had canvassed this matter was, he contended, in +accordance with Blackstone, Paley, and other great men, who +thought--namely, that a man had a right to do what he liked with his own +things. Mr. Freeman held that a thing might be legally right and morally +wrong. A man had a legal right (he contended) to gamble--but in a moral +light he would not defend it. Suppose a man had two sons, and, from some +trivial cause, he resolved to cut off one of them with a shilling. He +had a legal right so to do--but perhaps he was morally wrong. Mr. +Freeman answered an article that had appeared in the Post. Mr. Freeman +contended that young men who engaged in gambling, did so generally from +a bad system of education. + +The Post had contended, in opposition to Mr. Freeman's maxim that a man +had a right to do what he pleased with his own things, so long as he did +not interfere with others, that gambling did interfere with the rights +of others; for example, it might prevent men from paying their debts, or +it might prompt them to commit suicide, either of which was a wrong to +society. Mr. Freeman contended, nevertheless, that a man had such a +right--certainly he had, if he were not in debt--but if he were, it was +then his duty to live as long as he could, to endeavour to pay his +debts. Mr. Freeman illustrated his points by allusions to Gen. Taylor +and Gen. Jackson--adding, "let the truth be told if the heavens fall." + +Mr. Freeman again opposed the new law passed against gambling--for, he +said, it was so shaped, that if a man of property gambled, he could not +be troubled, but a poor, itinerant gambler could be punished. Mr. +Freeman read the law in proof--wherein a difference certainly appeared +to be made between those who had something to live upon, and a merely +itinerant gambler--the latter liable to imprisonment if he kept a gaming +house, of from one to five years. Indeed, "being without a fixed +residence" is one of the features of the law. Such a law appeared to Mr. +Freeman as if, for example, a man of standing were to go into a store +and steal, he would be let off--- whereas, if an itinerant man were to +steal, he must be punished with years of imprisonment. The cases were +parallel, and yet, it seemed to him that a man of good standing ought to +be punished more severely than the other, because his temptations were +not so great. Such a law, so partial, was a disgrace to the +statute-book. From what he knew of legislators, he thought they had made +such a law, knowing that gambling was a bad vice, as a bugbear, to deter +people from engaging in it--and, in some cases, because they were afraid +of public opinion, and servilely followed the crowd, lest at some future +time they might lose their election. + +Mr. Freeman said that he considered himself as an anti-gambler--but +injustice had been done to gamblers, and he had defended them as far as +he consistently could--and if an audience would meet him on Tuesday +night, he would give them an anti-gambling lecture. He differed with Mr. +Green. + +Mr. Green wished to know why Mr. Freeman should dislike the law so much, +if he considered gambling a bad vice--he (Mr. Green) really did not +understand such a position. Such was the effect of gambling upon the +mind, that he was sure that when Mr. Freeman first lost his money, +(three thousand dollars,) and first became a gambler, he would not have +spoken as he had that night. A young man, in gambling, was driven on by +degrees, by the excitement of cards, of fine wines, society, &c. +Gamblers ridiculed all ideas of reform, and said to the young man, you +know all about us--we are called gamblers--and the young man thinks he +knows all about them, as he finds them fascinating--but he knows nothing +about them. When the young man is ruined, what do the gamblers do for +him? Nothing. Such a young man in Baltimore was thus ruined, and became +a sot--and at length had no place to sleep, unless the gamblers allowed +him. One night, he was awakened by the gambler shaking him, and calling +him a loafer. The poor man said, "I do not deserve this at your hands. +This was the first house I gambled in." The gambler threw him down +stairs, and his head struck the curb-stone, and Mr. Green lent him his +handkerchief to bind up the wound, and prevented further mischief being +done to him. The next day he was found under one of the wharves--_dead!_ +And such was the treatment inflicted on him by the gamblers. Mr. Green +then defended the new law. + +Mr. Freeman said that he opposed the law because he thought it +discreditable to Pennsylvania--that there should be a law to the effect +that, "If I play cards, a man may say to me--there, you have done an act +that, if legally visited, would send you to the Penitentiary." Mr. +Freeman illustrated his views by a reference to the explosion of +steamboats. Mr. Freeman said that there was never but one gambler put +into prison south of Mason & Dixon's line. Mr. Freeman hinted that Mr. +Green at Harrisburg had shown gambling tricks upon cards, with packs +that were known to him--prepared cards, in fact. He thus astonished the +natives. And this was one influence brought in aid of a passage of the +law. + +A vote was then taken on the question--"Shall the proceeds of this night +be given to Mr. Freeman?" It was decided in the affirmative by a large +majority. + +Mr. Freeman did not deny that cheating was practised by the gamblers. +But Mr. Freeman contended that Mr. Green could not perform the tricks, +could not cheat with cards that he was not familiar with. Mr. Freeman +produced a pack which he had just bought, and were otherwise +untouched--and he said that Mr. Green could not operate with that pack. +He defied him. + +Mr. Green said that this was no argument. But if Mr. Freeman would +agree, and the meeting would appoint a committee of twelve citizens, he +would before that committee meet Mr. Freeman, and with those cards +exhibit tricks of gamblers. + +Some discussion ensued, and it was agreed that a committee should be +appointed. Subsequently Mr. Green said he would exhibit before the +audience; but that if Mr. Freeman shuffled the pack, he might of course +disarrange his (Mr. Green's) play. But Mr. Green had contended that any +gambler _in his own play_ could cheat. And Mr. Green displayed several +extraordinary tricks, in which he was remarkably successful, +particularly in illustrating the facility with which two partners in +gambling could win from their opponents with certainty. + +At the conclusion of the meeting, upon Mr. Freeman submitting to the +audience the question--"Have I sustained my position?"--it was decided +in the negative. The question however, was not put until the audience +had risen to depart--but the response was general. + + + From the Daily Sun. + +We have been no inattentive observers of the debate on gambling, between +Mr. Green, and his able and plausible antagonist, Mr. Freeman--who +brought to the defence of a bad cause, an energy, an earnestness, and a +power of illustration, which, on any other subject, must have crowned +him with the laurels of a brilliant victory. But what power of +logic--what force of elocution--- what stretch, of fancy, _can_ defend +gambling?--which, even if right _in itself_, is yet attended by such +baneful consequences--such appalling effects--as to strike terror into +the hearts of the most reckless, and seal the lips of eloquence by the +blood of the unfortunate? This was illustrated in a most striking manner +in the recent debate--where a long tissue of false logic, on the part of +Mr. Freeman, was blown to the winds by the simple recital of a _fact_, +by Mr. Green detailing the death of a ruined gambler by the hands of a +prosperous one! _Blood_ dispelled all the illusions of logic. Argument +evaporated before the _corpse_ of the victim. Applause for ingenious +argument was hushed in a moment, when the dead body of the gambler +appeared in view! What a tribute to the power of _truth_--what a +tremendous triumph of nature, and her sacred laws, over the flimsy +artifices of passion, fiction, and a diseased imagination, fevered by +habitual vice. + +Dr. Johnson says that the gambler is no better than a robber, because he +acquires property without an equivalent. The whole gist of the argument +lies here. You strip a man of fortune, or tear from his hands the +earnings of a long life, and give him in return--_nothing!_ Mr. Freeman +says, in answer to this--yes, you give him the chance of robbing you! +And he goes so far in his sophistry, as to contend that if a man +attempts to rob you on the highway, you have a right to rob him! Such is +the language of the gambler, on the rule of right, who wanting a +principle of virtue, resorts to every extravagant theory, to justify his +violations of the first law of nature. + +Justice is the foundation of all human institutions: and this ordains, +that no man shall take from another, what is his own, without paying him +an equivalent. The gambler pays no equivalent--and hence, he stands on +the same platform with the robber. + +The strong point in the logic of Mr. Freeman was, that _other +professions_ also acquire property without paying an equivalent, and +therefore gamblers were not criminal! We marvelled that a man of his +sagacity should venture on so gross a sophism. He alluded to speculators +and stock-jobbers, who gained their thousands without an exchange of +values, and exulted that the gambler was no worse. But could this make +the gambler an honest man, because other men were rogues? How desperate +the cause that could clutch at so frail a straw for support! Yet Mr. +Freeman appeared perfectly unconscious of the imbecility of his +reasoning. More perfect hallucination we never beheld! + +Every man _feels_, when he gains property without an equivalent, that he +has done a wrong. Every dollar so acquired plants a fang in his heart. +Conscience goads him. He is miserable, restless, tortured, and for +temporary relief flies to the transient oblivion of the bowl. When he +wins, he drinks--and when he loses, he drinks to desperation. He feels +that when he wins, he is a rogue--and that when he loses, he is a +victim--no matter whether gambler, speculator or stock-jobber--he has +violated the _rule of right_, by acquiring property without an +equivalent; and he feels the degradation of the robber, who cries +"stand!" to the passenger on the highway, and extorts his purse, with +the pistol at his breast. + +Of the fascinating charms of gambling, history has left us too many +records to make us insensible of the importance of the safe-guards which +society ought to erect, to defend itself from the poison of so +infectious a contamination. Who would believe, that the great +_Wilberforce_ was once a gambler! That even _Pitt_ once stood on the +brink of a gambler's hell. But Wilberforce was cured by _winning_ L2000 +at _Holland-house_--and such was the pain he felt for those who had lost +their money, that it prevented all "his future triumphs in the infernal +regions." But in those regions, flourished the greatest statesmen and +wits of the age--who fell victims to the prevailing fascination of the +gaming-table. What destroyed _Charles James Fox_, as a statesman? +_Gambling!_ What brought the brilliant _Sheridan_ to the grave? +Intoxication, brought on by the ill-starred luck of the ruined gamester? +"_Holland-house!_" immortalized as the resort of genius, as well as for +its orgies of dissipation, is not less renowned to infamy, as having +been the "hell" of respectable gamesters. + +There is a kind of democracy of crime, contended for by Mr. Freeman, +that has its charms to the ears of the groundlings. He is opposed to a +law that punishes _one_ class of gamblers only, instead of bringing +_all_, within the focus of its penalties! There is much truth in this. +Laws ought to be equal in their operation--but if they cannot be equal, +this is no reason why there ought to be no laws at all. This conclusion +is not warranted by any rule in logic or in government. + +No man has a right to dispose of his property to the corruption of the +public morals. Mr. Freeman adduced the instance of a father having a +right to disinherit one son and prefer the other. This is not a parallel +case. The parallel would be a rich man leaving his fortune to found an +Institution of demoralizing tendency--say to teach you the art of +cheating! The laws would annul such a bequest. Society has an original, +inherent right to defend itself from all evil--and that gaming is an +evil, whether played with cards, lotteries, dice, stocks, or betting, +not even Mr. Freeman could seriously deny. + +In the late debate between these celebrated speculators,--one reformed, +the other confirmed in his vicious career--it was observed, what a tower +of strength _truth_ gives to the man who espouses the _just_ cause. Mr. +Green stood self-vindicated by his very position--while the labour of +_Sisiphus_ devolved on Mr. Freeman. But the stone would not stay rolled +up hill. It was no sooner at midway from the summit, but back it rolled +upon its unfortunate and panting labourer. + +The fostering power which _intemperance_ derives from the excitements of +the gaming-table, would itself prove an effectual argument against this +monstrous infatuation, if no other existed. But when we find +intoxication, only one of a legion of vices that attend on it--and that +fraud, cheating, forgery, swindling, robbery, murder, and suicide, are +its unfailing companions--we may well marvel that it should find any man +so reckless of public opinion, as to venture its championship. Mr. +Freeman went so far in this mad advocacy of his darling pursuit, as to +justify _suicide_! In this, however, he was perfectly consistent--for if +gaming of any kind is right, so is murder, robbery, and suicide. In +this, Mr. Freeman over-reached himself--and by attempting too much, +exposed the futility and weakness of his case. + +One fact, of a highly useful import, was established by this debate--and +having received the concurrent attestation of Mr. Freeman, must now be +considered as no longer open to doubt--that _cheating_ is a necessary +part of gaming, from which even _honourable_ gamblers--(what a +revolting solecism!)--do not shrink! But this is not the worst of the +admissions made, in the course of this debate--which we here enumerate: + +1. The winner is always in danger of murder--and runs for his life. + +2. The loser becomes a cheat, a murderer, a suicide, or a drunkard. + +3. The tortures of the damned are common to all gamblers, winners and +losers. + +4. Deception and lying are their common attributes. + +5. Outlawed by public opinion--they wage implacable war against the +morals, peace, and happiness of society. + + * * * * * + +So many allusions have been made to the Laws of Ohio and Pennsylvania +against gambling, that it is thought necessary to append them here, that +the reader may judge for himself how far the charges of impolicy, +partiality, and non-efficiency are justified by these instruments. + + +[_Law of Pennsylvania for the Suppression of Gambling, drafted by_ +J. H. GREEN.] + +SECTION 1. _Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of +the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in General Assembly met, and it is +hereby enacted by the authority of the same_, That if any person shall +keep a room, building, arbour, booth, shed, or tenement, to be used or +occupied for gambling, or shall, knowingly, permit the same to be used +or occupied for gambling; or if any person, being the owner of any +room, building, arbour, booth, shed, or tenement, shall rent the same to +be used or occupied for gambling, the persons so offending shall, on +conviction thereof, be fined in any sum not less than fifty nor more +than five hundred dollars; and if the owner of any room, building, +arbour, booth, shed, or tenement, shall know that any gaming-tables, +apparatus, or establishment is kept or used in such room, building, +arbour, booth, shed, or tenement, for gambling, and winning, betting, or +gaining money, or other property, and shall not forthwith cause +complaint to be made against the person so keeping or using such room, +building, arbour, booth, shed, or tenement, he shall be taken, held, and +considered to have knowingly permitted the same to be used and occupied +for gambling. + +SECT. 2. If any person shall keep or exhibit any gaming-table, +establishment, device, or apparatus to win or gain money, or other +property of value, or to aid, assist, or permit others to do the same; +or if any person shall engage in gambling for a livelihood, or shall be +without any fixed residence, and in the habit or practice of gambling, +he shall be deemed and taken to be a common gambler, and upon conviction +thereof, shall be imprisoned and kept at hard labour in the penitentiary +not less than one, nor more than five years, and be fined five hundred +dollars, to be paid into the treasury of the county where such +conviction shall take place, for the use of common schools therein, to +be divided among the accepting school districts in such county, in +proportion to the number of taxable inhabitants in each district. + +SECT. 3. If an affidavit shall be filed with the magistrate before whom +complaint shall be made of an offence against any provision of this +act, stating that the affiant has reason to believe, and does believe, +that the person charged in such complaint has upon his person, or at any +other place named in such affidavit, any specified articles of personal +property, or any gaming-table, device, or apparatus, the discovery of +which might lead to establish the truth of such charge, the said +magistrate shall, by his warrant, command the officer, who is authorized +to arrest the person so charged, to make diligent search for such +property and table, device, or apparatus; and if found, to bring the +same before such magistrate, and the officer so seizing shall deliver +the same to the magistrate before whom he takes the same, who shall +retain possession, and be responsible therefor until the discharge, or +commitment, or letting to bail of the person charged; and in case of +such commitment, or letting to bail of the person so charged, such +officer shall retain such property, subject to the order of the court +before which such offender may be required to appear, until his +discharge or conviction. And in case of the conviction of such person, +the gaming-table, device, or apparatus shall be destroyed, and the +property shall be liable to pay any judgment which may be rendered +against such person; and after the payment of such judgment and costs, +the surplus, if any, shall be paid to the use of the common schools +aforesaid, and in case of the discharge of such person by the +magistrate, or court, the officer having such property in his custody +shall, on demand, deliver it to such person. + +SECT. 4. If any person called to testify on behalf of the state before +any justice of the peace, grand-jury, or court, upon any complaint, +information, or indictment, for any offence made punishable by this act, +shall disclose any fact tending to criminate himself in any manner made +punishable by this act, he shall thereafter be discharged of and from +all liability to prosecution or punishment for such matter or offence. + +SECT. 5. It shall be lawful for any justice of the peace, chief +magistrate of any municipal incorporation, or judge of any court of +Common Pleas, upon complaint upon an oath, that any gaming-table, +establishment, apparatus, or device is kept by any person for the +purpose of being used to win or gain money or other property, by the +owner thereof, or any other person, to issue his warrant, commanding any +sheriff, or constable, to whom the same shall be directed, within the +proper jurisdiction, after demanding entrance to break open and enter +any house or other place wherein such gaming establishment, apparatus, +or device shall be kept, and to seize and safely keep the same, to be +dealt with as hereinafter provided. + +SECT. 6. Upon return of said warrant executed, the authority issuing the +same shall proceed to examine and inquire touching the said complaint, +and if satisfied that the same is true, he shall order the officer so +seizing such gaming establishment, apparatus, or device, forthwith to +destroy the same; which order the said officer shall proceed to execute +in the presence of said authority, unless the person charged as keeper +of said gaming establishment, apparatus, or device, shall, without +delay, enter into a recognisance in the sum of six hundred dollars, with +sufficient sureties, to be approved by said authority, for the appeal of +said complaint to the Court of Common Pleas, next to be held in the +proper county, conditioned that the defendant will appear at the next +term of the court to which he appeals, and abide the order of said +court, and for the payment of the full amount of the fine and all costs, +in case he shall be found guilty of the offence charged, and judgment be +rendered against him in said court. + +SECT. 7. The officer taking such recognisance shall return the same to +the clerk of the court to which said appeal is taken forthwith, and such +clerk shall file the same in his office, and the complaint shall be +prosecuted in such court, by indictment, as in other criminal cases; and +upon conviction thereof, the appellant shall be fined not more than +fifty dollars, and shall pay the costs of prosecution; and such gaming +establishment, apparatus, or device shall be destroyed. + +SECT. 8. If any person or persons shall, through invitation or device, +persuade or prevail on any person or persons to visit any room, +building, arbour, booth, shed, or tenement, kept for the use of +gambling, he or they shall, upon conviction thereof, be held responsible +for the money or properties lost by such invitation or device, and fined +in a sum not less than fifty, and not more than five hundred dollars. + +SECT. 9. It shall be the duty of all sheriffs, constables, and all +prosecuting attorneys to inform and prosecute all offenders against this +act, and upon refusal thereof, they shall pay a fine of not less than +fifty, nor more than five hundred dollars. + +SECT. 10. This act shall be given in charge to the Grand Jury, by the +President Judge of the Court of Quarter Sessions in the respective +counties. + +SECT. 11. This act shall take effect on the first day of July next. + + +[_Law of Ohio for the suppression of Gambling, drafted by_ +J. H. GREEN.] + +SECTION 1. _Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio_, +That if any person shall keep a room, building, or arbour, booth, shed, +or tenement, to be used or occupied for gambling, or shall, knowingly, +permit the same to be used or occupied for gambling; or if any person, +being the owner of such room, building, arbour, booth, shed, or +tenement, shall rent the same to be used or occupied for gambling, the +persons so offending shall, on conviction thereof, be fined in any sum +not less than fifty dollars, nor more than five hundred dollars; and if +any owner of any room, building, arbour, booth, shed, or tenement, shall +know that any gambling-tables, apparatus, or establishment, is kept or +used in such room, building, arbour, booth, shed, or tenement, for +gambling, and winning, betting, or gaining money, or other property, and +shall not forthwith cause complaint to be made against the person so +keeping or using the room, building, arbour, booth, shed, or tenement, +he shall be taken, held, and considered to have knowingly permitted the +same to be used and occupied for gambling. + +SECT. 2. If any person shall keep or exhibit any gaming-table, +establishment, device, or apparatus to win or gain money, or other +property of value, or to aid or assist, or permit others to do the same; +or if any person shall engage in gambling for a livelihood, or shall be +without any fixed residence, and in the habit or practice of gambling, +he shall be deemed and taken to be a common gambler, and upon conviction +thereof, shall be imprisoned and kept at hard labour in the +penitentiary not less than one, nor more than five years, and be fined +five hundred dollars, to be paid into the treasury of the county where +such conviction shall take place, for the use of common schools therein. + +SECT. 3. If an affidavit shall be filed with the magistrate before whom +complaint shall be made of an offence against any provisions of this +act, stating that the affiant has reason to believe, and does believe, +that the person charged in such complaint has upon his person, or at any +other place named in such affidavit, any money, or any specified +articles of personal property, or any gaming-table, device, apparatus, +the discovery of which might tend to establish the truth of such charge, +the said magistrate shall, by his warrant, command the officer, who is +authorized to arrest the person so charged, to make diligent search for +such money or property, and table, device, or apparatus; and if found, +to bring the same before such magistrate--and the officer seizing the +same, shall retain possession thereof, subject to the order of the +magistrate before whom he takes the same, until the discharge, or +commitment, or letting to bail of the person charged; and in case of +such commitment, or letting to bail of the person so charged, such +officer shall retain such property, subject to the order of the court +before which such offender may be required to appear, until his +discharge or conviction. And in case of the conviction of such person, +the gaming-table, device, or apparatus shall be destroyed, and the money +and other property shall be liable to pay any judgment which may be +rendered against such person; and in case of the discharge of such +person by the magistrate, or court, the officer having such property in +his custody, shall, on demand, deliver it to such person. + +SECT. 4. If any person called to testify on behalf of the state before +any justice of the peace, grand-jury, or court, upon any complaint, +information, or indictment, for any offence made punishable by this act, +shall disclose any fact tending to criminate himself in any matter made +punishable by this act, he shall thereafter be discharged of and from +all liability to prosecution or punishment for such matter of offence. + +SECT. 5. It shall be lawful for any justice of the peace, chief +magistrate of the municipal incorporation, or judge of any court of +common pleas, upon complaint on oath, that any gaming-table, +establishment, apparatus, or device is kept for the purpose of being +used to win or gain money or other property, by the owner thereof, or +any other person, to issue his warrant, commanding any sheriff, +constable, or marshal of any municipal corporation to whom the same may +be directed, within the proper jurisdiction, after demanding entrance, +to break open and enter any house or other place where such gaming +establishment, apparatus, or device shall be kept, and to seize and +safely keep the same, to be dealt with as hereafter provided. + +SECT. 6. Upon the return of said warrant executed, the authority issuing +the same shall proceed to examine and inquire touching the said +complaint, and if satisfied the same is true, he shall order the officer +so seizing such gaming establishment, apparatus, or device, forthwith to +destroy the same; which order the said officer shall proceed to execute +in the presence of said authority, unless the person charged as keeper +of said gaming establishment, apparatus, or device, shall, without +delay, enter into a recognisance in the sum of two hundred dollars, with +sufficient sureties, to be approved by said authority, for the appeal of +said complaint to the Court of Common Pleas, next to be held in the +proper county, conditioned that the defendant will appear at the next +term of the court to which he appeals, and abide the order of such +court, and for the payment of the full amount of the fine and all costs, +in case he shall be found guilty of the offences charged, and judgment +be rendered against him in said court. + +SECT. 7. The officer taking such recognisance shall return the same to +the clerk of the court to which said appeal is taken forthwith, and such +clerk shall file the same in his office, and complaint shall be +prosecuted in such court, by indictment, as in other criminal cases; and +upon conviction, the appellant shall be fined not more than fifty +dollars, and shall pay the costs of prosecution; and such gaming +establishment, apparatus, or device shall be destroyed. + +SECT. 8. It shall be the duty of all sheriffs, constables, marshals of +incorporated cities, towns, and boroughs, and of all prosecuting +attorneys, to inform and prosecute all offences against this act. + +SECT. 9. This act shall be given in charge to the Grand Jury, by the +President Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in the respective counties. + +SECT. 10. This act shall take effect on the first day of March next. + + ELIAS F. DRAKE, +_Speaker of the House of Representatives._ + + SEABURY FORD, +_Speaker of the Senate._ + +Jan 17, 1846. + +During the three evenings of the debate the Lecture-room of the Museum +was crowded with a most respectable audience; and thousands must have +read the reports given by the different Newspapers on the following +mornings. Throughout the community there was considerable excitement, +and we have no doubt that good has already resulted. The evils of +gambling are now familiar to many who never previously thought upon the +subject; and the excuses and defences urged for participating in the +vice have been stripped of their fallacious guises. For this work we owe +many thanks to the conductors of the public press who have come forth +ably and willingly to our assistance. + +But we trust that the immediate advantages from the discussion are not +the only ones. It will be perceived from the reports given, that we met +with no common opponent. Mr. Freeman is perhaps not excelled, if he has +an equal, among gamblers, for talent, learning, and, what is more rare, +candour and honesty of character. From a lecture which he has since +delivered, we learn that he was on a professional visit to Philadelphia, +where he had bought some implements for gambling and was about to return +to the South, when his attention was arrested by a notice in a paper +that Mr. Green was to give a lecture in the Museum on the following +evening. For some years he had formed a resolution that if ever he had +an opportunity of hearing him, he would embrace it, and he now concluded +that he would stay another day for that purpose. He did so, attended his +lecture, and from antipathy to himself and the course he was pursuing, +was induced to send the challenge to the Sun newspaper which led to the +debate in the preceding pages. It is not improbable that while thinking +on the points he proposed to defend, his naturally acute mind perceived +their fallacy, as there was a gradual shifting of his position from the +subject of the original challenge, till on the last evening of the +debate he ended with the astonishing announcement that on the Tuesday +following he would deliver a lecture _against gambling_ in the same +place. Since then, he has delivered several lectures on the same +subject, has taken the temperance pledge, been admitted into one of the +divisions of the Sons of Temperance, and promises fair to be an +efficient labourer in the cause of truth and virtue. Like Paul, he seems +to have been arrested midway in his career, and by the power of +conscience compelled to build up what he once exerted himself to +destroy. May God prosper him in his labours, and give him grace to +continue unto the end. + + + [_Recommendation._] + +Cincinnati, _July_, 1843. + +We, the undersigned, believing that Mr. J. H. Green's proposed +publication ["The ARTS AND MISERIES OF GAMBLING"] will be eminently +useful in counteracting one of the most pernicious and demoralizing +vices of the age, take great pleasure in recommending it to the +patronage of the public. + +Rev. CHARLES ELLIOTT, +_Editor of the Western Christian Advocate_. + +Rev. L.L. HAMLINE, +_Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church_. + +D.K. ESTE, +_Judge of the Superior Court, Cin. Ham. Co_. + +Rev. JAMES P. KILBRETH. + +SAMUEL WILLIAMS. + +JOHN McLEAN, +_Judge of the United States Court._ + +Rev. W.H. RAPER. + +THOMAS J. BIGGS, +_President of the Cincinnati College._ + +SAMUEL W. LYND, D.D. +_Pastor of the Ninth Street Baptist Church._ + +Hon. JACOB BURNET. + +Rev. JOHN F. WRIGHT. + +H.E. SPENCER, +_Mayor of Cincinnati._ + + + + +LOTTERIES. + + +This is as deceptive, and as base a business, as was ever introduced +into any country. The apparent respectability of it, and of the men who +carry it on, is calculated to remove the scruples many might otherwise +have to patronizing it. The facility with which it can be patronized, +without the liability of exposure, and the promises of sudden gain so +artfully held out, are inducements not easily resisted by a money-loving +people, totally ignorant of the odds against them in the game they play. + +All other games generally require the personal attention of the players +who patronize them; but this is a game at which any one can play, and +need never be seen, even by those against whom he may be playing. +Thousands of persons, who stand high in the estimation of their +neighbors for good conduct; men who would not, on any account, be found +at a gambling-table, will patronize lotteries. The ease with which it +can be done, without exposure, enables them to gratify, to the full +extent of their means, their passion for this base species of swindling. +In many of our large cities, numerous well-dressed young men are +constantly engaged in vending tickets through the streets, or from house +to house, and they can be bought as privately as the buyer may wish, or +he may send his servant for them. Thus it is that a man may gamble as +extensively as he pleases in lotteries, without his proceedings being at +all likely to become public. + +In my description of lotteries, I shall confine myself to the lottery +scheme before us; because it will serve as an example of all others, and +because the reader will be better able to comprehend explanations of +this system than if I were to write of some scheme not here inserted. + +By a reference to the tables of tickets, it will be seen that there are +fifteen packages of whole tickets, as many of halves, and thirty +packages of quarter tickets. Each package contains all the numbers, from +one up to seventy-eight, without a repetition of any one of them. The +tickets found in these tables are all that are intended for any one +drawing; and every successive drawing is but another edition of the same +tickets, all arranged in the same order, and with the same combination +numbers; but they have a different class number on them. The proprietors +of a lottery furnish the printer with a copy of these tables, arranged +in a blank book, and this book is called the _scheme-book_, from which +as many as may be ordered from time to time are printed. + +The arranging of the class numbers is a matter of fancy, as to what they +shall be; their only use being to determine to what particular drawing +any particular ticket belongs, in order that a ticket which proves to be +a blank may not, at some future drawing, be handed in for a premium, on +account of containing some of the numbers then drawn. + +[Illustration: _Drawing of Lottery Tickets._] + +THE DRAWING. There are several methods of conducting the drawing; but +that which is most commonly used is as follows:-- + +There is a hollow wheel, as represented in the plate; then there are +seventy-eight small tin tubes, scarcely half an inch in diameter, and +about three inches in length; these are for holding the numbers, from +one to seventy-eight; each number is on a separate piece of paper, which +is rolled up and put into a tube; these tubes, when the numbers have +been placed in them, are all put into the wheel, and a person is +selected to draw out one at a time from the wheel, which is opened, and +cried aloud, for the information of those present who may be interested. +The number is registered, for the future guidance of the lottery-dealer, +in determining what he shall pay those who may hold one or more of the +numbers so drawn. After this, the wheel is again turned, so as to mix +well the numbers contained in it, and a second is drawn; and the same +proceedings are gone over with, until twelve numbers are drawn, and +registered in the order in which they are drawn. Sometimes thirteen will +be drawn, it being customary, on many occasions, to draw one number for +every six contained in the wheel; but I cannot give this as a universal +rule, because I have often found it deviated from. Sometimes little boys +are selected to draw the numbers from the wheel--to give the impression +that every possible step has been taken to render the management as fair +as possible; but in this there is also much deception. + +Swarms of domestic servants, day labourers, and the most poor and needy +persons daily visit these worse than gambling shops, where they risk +their little all, and get nothing in return but the delightful +anticipation of being rich when the "drawing" takes place. + +True it has been the case that prizes have been drawn, and trumpeted +forth to the world, as inducements for others to buy. Having known how +some of these prizes have sometimes been obtained, will it be too much +to suppose that others are obtained in like manner? that is by the +proprietors of lotteries being swindled through the unfaithfulness of +their agents. A case came to my knowledge of a man who drew a capital +prize; and the mode of operation, by which it was effected, was as +follows: An agent, who was stationed in a town some distance from the +principal establishment, made two confidants, who, doubtless, readily +acted with him from hope of gain. One of these was the post-master of +the town, and the other an acquaintance, a patron of the lottery. The +duty of the agent was to transmit to the principal office all unsold +tickets, by the first mail that left after the known hour of drawing. +This mail also conveyed the lists of the drawing; but, in a regular +manner of proceeding, they would not have been accessible to the agent +before the departure of the stage with his unsold tickets. By making a +confidant of the post-master, however, he received the lists as quick as +possible after the mail arrived, and before it had been assorted. He +then examined his unsold tickets, and if any considerable prize +remained, he would take it from among the unsold tickets, and despatch +the remainder to the principal office, and give the prize to his other +confidant; each one giving out that the ticket had been sold to him; and +accordingly the prize would be claimed and paid, although fraudulently +obtained. In this particular case, the capital prize was drawn, and it +appeared that the ticket-holder appropriated all the money to his own +use, as he was known to buy much property shortly afterwards. It is +believed also, by those who were acquainted with the incident, that he +never divided with the rascally agent; and thus was the cheater cheated, +who, in his wrath, let out some of the secrets of the manner in which +the prize was obtained. + +This same man has since met with reverses of fortune, and would now, I +believe, find it difficult to raise money sufficient to purchase a +ticket even of a low price. + +Among the many cases of lottery swindling, every body has heard of the +great Louisiana real estate lottery, in which the prizes were to have +been the St. Charles Hotel, the Verandah, the St. Charles Theatre, the +Bank, the Arcade, and other magnificent buildings in New Orleans. It is +quite needless to say any thing of this, as the public has been pretty +well enlightened in regard to it, through the public journals of the +day. + +The following is a copy of a handbill issued by the proprietors of the +lottery immediately after a drawing, for the information of +ticket-holders, and all others interested:-- + + DRAWING OF THE LOTTERY. + + The following are the numbers which were this day drawn from the + seventy-eight placed in the wheel, viz.:-- + + 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 + ------------------------------------ + 20 51 61 24 74 77 46 36 69 29 26 3 + + and that the said tickets were drawn in the order in which they + stand: that is to say, No. 20 was the first that was drawn; No. 51 + was the 2d; No. 61 was the 3d; No. 24 was the 4th; No. 74 was the + 5th; No. 77 was the 6th; No. 46 was the 7th; No. 36 was the 8th; + No. 69 was the 9th; No. 29 was the 10th; No. 26 was the 11th; No. 3 + was the 12th, and last. + + Those tickets entitled to the 110 highest prizes were drawn in the + following order:-- + + 1 2 3 $30,000 | 7 8 9 $5,000 + 4 5 6 10,000 | 10 11 12 2,367 20 + + Those 6 tickets having on them the + + 2 3 4 | 3 4 5 | 5 6 7 | 6 7 8 | 8 9 10 | 9 10 11 > each 1,500 + + Those 100 tickets having on them the + + 1 2 4 | 1 4 7 | 1 7 9 | 2 3 11 | 2 6 10 \ + 1 2 5 | 1 4 8 | 1 7 10 | 2 3 12 | 2 6 11 | + 1 2 6 | 1 4 9 | 1 7 11 | 2 4 5 | 2 6 12 | + 1 2 7 | 1 4 10 | 1 7 12 | 2 4 6 | 2 7 8 | + 1 2 8 | 1 4 11 | 1 8 9 | 2 4 7 | 2 7 9 | + 1 2 9 | 1 4 12 | 1 8 10 | 2 4 8 | 2 7 10 | + 1 2 10 | 1 5 6 | 1 8 11 | 2 4 9 | 2 7 11 | + 1 2 11 | 1 5 7 | 1 8 12 | 2 4 10 | 2 7 12 | + 1 2 12 | 1 5 8 | 1 9 10 | 2 4 11 | 2 8 9 | + 1 3 4 | 1 5 9 | 1 9 11 | 2 4 12 | 2 8 10 | + 1 3 5 | 1 5 10 | 1 9 12 | 2 5 6 | 2 8 11 > each 1,000 + 1 3 6 | 1 5 11 | 1 10 11 | 2 5 7 | 2 8 12 | + 1 3 7 | 1 5 12 | 1 10 12 | 2 5 8 | 2 9 10 | + 1 3 8 | 1 6 7 | 1 11 12 | 2 5 9 | 2 9 11 | + 1 3 9 | 1 6 8 | 2 3 5 | 2 5 10 | 2 9 12 | + 1 3 10 | 1 6 9 | 2 3 6 | 2 5 11 | 2 10 11 | + 1 3 11 | 1 6 10 | 2 3 7 | 2 5 12 | 2 10 12 | + 1 3 12 | 1 6 11 | 2 3 8 | 2 6 7 | 2 11 12 | + 1 4 5 | 1 6 12 | 2 3 9 | 2 6 8 | 3 4 6 | + 1 4 6 | 1 7 8 | 2 3 10 | 2 6 9 | 3 4 7 / + +All others with three of the drawn numbers on, (being 110) each 300 +Those 66 tickets having on them the 1st and 2d drawn numbers, each 100 +Those 66 tickets having on them the 2d and 3d, each 80 +Those 66 tickets having on them the 3d and 4th, each 50 +Those 66 tickets having on them the 4th and 5th, each 40 +Those 132 tickets having on them the 5th and 6th, or 6th and 7th, each 30 +All others with two of the drawn numbers on, (being 3960,) each 20 +And all tickets having one, only, of the drawn numbers on, each, + (being 25,740,) 10 + +Now, let us spend a few moments in examining this bill, and we shall see +how much truth there is in it. It says, that the ticket having on it the +three first drawn numbers will be entitled to the capital prize of +$30,000. Now, in the whole scheme before us, there is no such ticket. +The combination, 20, 51, 61, is not to be found in this arrangement. +Consequently, there was no ticket whose numbers entitled it to this +prize. Next, the bill says, the ticket having the fourth, fifth, and +sixth drawn numbers, which would have been 24, 74, 77, would be entitled +to a prize of $10,000. There is no such ticket in the combination. +Consequently this also is false. Now, it is evident that the dealers, in +publishing this bill, mean to impress the public with the idea, that +tickets, containing the necessary numbers to draw these prizes, are in +the lottery, and that somebody must, of course, draw them; but it is all +false, and a very little investigation will convince any one, that a +greater system of deception can hardly exist. Bear in mind, that the +bill says these prizes were drawn. The third prize was $5,000, and the +ticket which contained the seventh, eighth, and ninth numbers was to +draw this prize. These numbers are 36, 46, 69. There is no such +combination in the scheme-book--no such ticket was printed or sold. +Consequently, here is another falsehood. The same can be said of the +fourth prize--the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth numbers--being 3, 26, 29. +There is no such combination in the book, and no such prize could be +drawn. Of the next six prizes, of $1,500 each, said to have been drawn, +there was not a single ticket in the whole scheme which contained the +necessary numbers to draw any one of these six prizes! + +It is next asserted, that there were in the lottery one hundred tickets, +having three drawn numbers, and entitled each to a prize of $1,000. This +I have examined, and I find that, instead of being one hundred, there +are but two--the first in magnitude being one from package number six, +of half tickets, bearing the numbers 20, 36, 51,--these being the first, +second, and eighth of the drawn numbers, and would entitle the holder to +one half of the $1,000, subject to a deduction of fifteen per cent. The +other is a quarter ticket, bearing the numbers 46, 51, 74--from the +twenty-seventh package, of quarters--being the second, fifth, and +seventh of the drawn numbers, and would entitle the holder of it to one +quarter of the $1,000, after deducting the fifteen per cent. But it is +well known that, frequently, scarce one half of the tickets of any one +class, intended for a particular drawing, are ever disposed of, and are +consequently returned to the manager's office, to be destroyed. Then, +what guaranty have we that the numbers entitled to the above pitiful +prizes were sold? They are as likely to be among the tickets returned +unsold, as among those sold. Next, the bill states that there were one +hundred and ten others, each having three drawn numbers, and were +entitled to a prize of $300 each. By a close investigation, I find but +one single ticket of this kind in the whole scheme. This is the ticket +in the twelfth package of quarters, bearing the numbers 61, 69, 77; and +if it had been sold, it would have entitled the holder to one fourth of +the $300, deducting 15 per cent. Next, the bill says, those sixty-six +tickets having the first and second drawn numbers, will each be entitled +to a prize of $100. In searching for these in the scheme-book, I find +but one that bears the first and second numbers; that is, in package +fourteen. The ticket having the numbers 20, 51, 66, is the only one +having the two first numbers; and if sold, the holder was entitled to +one half of the $100, it being a half ticket. Now, the reader may +perceive that I have examined and laid open, so that he too may examine, +this masterpiece of villany. I find that of the two hundred and +eighty-six highest prizes, which, their own handbill states, existed in +their lottery, and which, by their own figures, amounted to the enormous +sum of $195,967, and, in order to be drawn, only required that the +tickets should be bought,--I find, allowing every ticket to have been +sold, and afterwards every holder presented his ticket for the sum to +which it might be entitled, that of the two hundred and eighty-six said +to be in the scheme, there are but five, and these very inconsiderable; +and that the greatest amount of these five prizes, without deducting the +fifteen per cent, is only $875, instead of the enormous sum of $195,967. +Can it be possible that any person will be found to patronize lotteries, +after considering these facts? + +I pass over those small prizes named after the first sixty-six having +the first and second drawn numbers on them, and will prove the balance +to be falsehoods, as the greater portion of the first part of the bill +is. + +In the first place, let us see how many prizes are represented to exist, +not to say any thing of the blanks. In counting up the prizes named on +this bill, we find them to be 30,316; and I do not think they would +pretend to say that more than one half of their tickets were prizes. +Then we will say that they had an equal number of blanks. This would +carry their scheme up to over sixty thousand tickets; and even if they +were all prizes, and no blanks, (which they do not pretend,) who cannot +see the extreme improbability of their disposing of 30,316 tickets in +one week? for it must be remembered that these were all of one class, +and for one particular week's drawing. But the last witness, whose +overwhelming testimony will settle the question, is their own +scheme-book, of which an accurate copy is here given, and which shows +the number of tickets, for any one drawing, to be but 1,560, the half of +which, by great exertion, they might succeed in selling; each successive +drawing being another edition of these same combinations, with a +different class number on them. Now, let me ask, where are their 30,316 +prizes to come from? What a scheme of deception do we here behold! and +one, too, that has been so long submitted to and patronized by the +public of this and other countries. + +Another method of still further swindling the buyers of tickets, is much +practised in some parts of the country. The agents who sell the tickets +are authorized to insure them. When a man buys one, the price, perhaps, +might be ten dollars. The seller, if he has been authorized, will say, +"Now, sir, for ten dollars, I will insure your ticket to draw a prize." +This is enough for the buyer to have his ticket insured to draw a prize, +and possibly the capital prize: he pays an additional fee, and the agent +forwards the numbers of all the tickets, so insured, to the office where +the drawing is to be held; and there they manage to have these tickets +contain one (seldom more) of the drawn numbers. This entitles the buyer +to receive back the price of his ticket, after taking out 15 per cent.; +and as it was not a total blank, the insurer is safe, and retains the +sum paid for insurance. The buyer remains swindled out of the insurance, +and 15 per cent, of the cost. These swindling shops are numerous, and +are sometimes called _policy offices_. + +We sincerely hope that our readers will examine with some attention the +developments we have made in relation to the deceptive schemes of the +lottery managers; for we feel that they cannot fail to convince every +man of common sense, who has a particle of moral principle and moral +honesty left, that he who encourages this basest of all swindling, by +purchasing tickets, is not alone an enemy to himself and family, but he +countenances a species of gambling that is extensively mischievous and +ruinous, and has for its victims many of our best citizens, young and +old; while, at the same time, he unintentionally throws a veil over the +villanous deeds of the lottery gambler and his unprincipled, as well as +his inexperienced supporters. We once more invite our readers to examine +our statements with attention. + +The following tables represent, completely, the entire contents of a +lottery dealer's scheme-book, made for the guidance of the printer, in +printing tickets. At the close of the tables is represented a ticket, +with its class and combination numbers. + ++--------+----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ +| #1# | #2# | #3# | #4# | #5# | #6# | ++--------+----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ +| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | ++--------+----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ +| 1 27 53| 1 28 55 | 1 29 54| 1 30 56| 1 31 57| 1 32 58| +| 2 28 54| 2 29 56 | 2 30 55| 2 31 57| 2 32 58| 2 33 59| +| 3 29 55| 3 30 57 | 3 31 56| 3 32 58| 3 33 59| 3 34 60| +| 4 30 56| 4 31 58 | 4 32 57| 4 33 59| 4 34 60| 4 35 78| +| 5 31 57| 5 32 59 | 5 33 58| 5 34 60| 5 35 61| 5 36 77| +| 6 32 58| 6 33 60 | 6 34 59| 6 35 61| 6 36 62| 6 42 71| +| 7 33 59| 7 34 61 | 7 35 60| 7 36 62| 7 37 63| 7 43 70| +| 8 34 60| 8 35 62 | 8 36 61| 8 37 63| 8 38 64| 8 44 69| +| 9 35 61| 9 36 63 | 9 37 62| 9 38 64| 9 39 65| 9 45 68| +|10 36 62| 10 37 64 | 10 38 63| 10 39 65| 10 40 66| 10 46 67| +|11 37 63| 11 38 65 | 11 39 64| 11 40 66| 11 41 67| 11 37 76| +|12 38 64| 12 39 66 | 12 40 65| 12 41 67| 12 42 68| 12 38 75| +|13 39 65| 13 40 67 | 13 41 66| 13 42 68| 13 43 69| 13 39 74| +|14 40 66| 14 41 68 | 14 42 67| 14 43 69| 14 44 70| 14 40 73| +|15 41 67| 15 42 69 | 15 43 68| 15 44 70| 15 45 71| 15 41 72| +|16 42 68| 16 43 70 | 16 44 69| 16 45 71| 16 46 72| 16 27 57| +|17 43 69| 17 44 71 | 17 45 70| 17 46 72| 17 47 73| 17 28 56| +|18 44 70| 18 45 72 | 18 46 71| 18 47 73| 18 48 74| 18 29 55| +|19 45 71| 19 46 73 | 19 47 72| 19 48 74| 19 49 75| 19 30 54| +|20 46 72| 20 47 74 | 20 48 73| 20 49 75| 20 50 76| 20 31 53| +|21 47 73| 21 48 75 | 21 49 74| 21 50 76| 21 51 77| 21 47 65| +|22 48 74| 22 49 76 | 22 50 75| 22 51 77| 22 52 78| 22 48 66| +|23 49 75| 23 50 77 | 23 51 76| 23 52 78| 23 30 53| 23 49 64| +|24 50 76| 24 51 78 | 24 52 77| 24 27 53| 24 29 54| 24 50 63| +|25 51 77| 25 52 53 | 25 27 78| 25 28 54| 25 28 55| 25 51 62| +|26 52 78| 26 27 54 | 26 28 53| 26 29 55| 26 27 56| 26 52 61| ++--------+----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ + +The above lottery schemes were accurately copied from the scheme-book of +a lottery dealer in Vicksburg, Mississippi, and may be considered a fair +specimen of lottery combinations generally. The tables are for a 78 +numbered lottery, every three perpendicular lines of figures containing +a package, and each package all the numbers, from 1 to 78, inclusive; +and there are also 26 tickets in each package. + ++--------+----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ +| #7# | #8# | #9# | #10# | #96# | #97# | ++--------+----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ +| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | ++--------+----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ +| 1 34 59| 1 60 78| 1 61 64| 1 35 36| 1 38 39 | 1 41 43| +| 2 36 60| 2 61 77| 2 62 65| 2 37 38| 2 40 49 | 2 42 45| +| 3 35 61| 3 62 76| 3 63 66| 3 39 40| 3 41 50 | 3 44 47| +| 4 37 62| 4 63 75| 4 29 78| 4 41 42| 4 42 51 | 4 46 49| +| 5 38 63| 5 64 74| 5 28 77| 5 43 44| 5 43 52 | 5 48 51| +| 6 49 74| 6 65 73| 6 27 76| 6 45 46| 6 44 53 | 6 50 53| +| 7 50 75| 7 66 72| 7 30 50| 7 47 48| 7 45 54 | 7 52 55| +| 8 51 76| 8 67 71| 8 31 51| 8 49 50| 8 46 55 | 8 54 57| +| 9 52 77| 9 68 70| 9 32 52| 9 51 52| 9 47 56 | 9 56 59| +|10 27 78| 10 53 69| 10 33 53| 10 53 54| 10 48 57 | 10 58 61| +|11 28 53| 11 27 52| 11 34 54| 11 55 56| 11 58 67 | 11 60 63| +|12 29 54| 12 28 51| 12 35 55| 12 57 58| 12 59 68 | 12 62 65| +|13 30 55| 13 29 50| 13 36 56| 13 59 60| 13 60 69 | 13 64 67| +|14 31 56| 14 30 49| 14 37 57| 14 61 62| 14 61 70 | 14 66 69| +|15 32 57| 15 31 48| 15 38 58| 15 63 64| 15 62 71 | 15 68 71| +|16 33 58| 16 32 47| 16 39 59| 16 65 66| 16 63 72 | 16 70 73| +|17 48 73| 17 33 46| 17 40 60| 17 67 68| 17 64 73 | 17 72 75| +|18 47 72| 18 34 45| 18 41 67| 18 69 70| 18 65 74 | 18 74 77| +|19 46 71| 19 35 44| 19 42 68| 19 71 72| 19 66 75 | 19 76 78| +|20 45 70| 20 36 43| 20 43 69| 20 73 74| 20 27 76 | 20 35 40| +|21 44 69| 21 37 59| 21 44 70| 21 75 76| 21 28 77 | 21 34 39| +|22 43 68| 22 38 58| 22 45 71| 22 77 78| 22 29 78 | 22 33 38| +|23 42 67| 23 39 57| 23 46 72| 23 27 28| 23 30 34 | 23 32 37| +|24 41 66| 24 40 56| 24 47 73| 24 29 30| 24 31 35 | 24 31 36| +|25 40 65| 25 41 55| 25 48 74| 25 31 32| 25 32 36 | 25 27 29| +|26 39 64| 26 42 54| 26 49 75| 26 33 34| 26 33 37 | 26 28 30| ++--------+----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ + +At the beginning of the first package you will see the numbers 1, 27, +53; they are placed on one ticket; and so with each succeeding three +numbers through the whole scheme. + ++--------+----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ +| #98# | #99# | #100# | | #101# | #101# | ++--------+----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ +| 13 | 14 | 15 | 00 | 1 | 1 | ++--------+----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ +| 1 45 44| 1 62 70| 1 27 78| | 1 2 53 | 1 2 60| +| 2 46 47| 2 63 71| 2 28 77| | 3 4 54 | 3 6 61| +| 3 48 49| 3 64 72| 3 29 76| | 5 29 55 | 4 7 62| +| 4 50 51| 4 65 73| 4 30 75| | 6 30 56 | 5 52 63| +| 5 52 53| 5 66 74| 5 31 74| | 7 31 57 | 8 51 64| +| 6 54 55| 6 52 75| 6 32 73| | 8 32 58 | 9 50 65| +| 7 56 57| 7 53 76| 7 33 72| | 9 33 59 | 10 49 66| +| 8 58 59| 8 54 77| 8 34 71| | 10 34 60 | 11 48 67| +| 9 60 61| 9 55 78| 9 35 70| | 11 35 61 | 12 47 68| +|10 62 63| 10 56 67| 10 36 69|Here ends| 12 36 62 | 13 46 69| +|11 64 65| 11 57 68| 11 37 68| Fifteen | 13 37 63 | 14 45 70| +|12 66 67| 12 58 69| 12 38 67|Packages | 14 38 64 | 15 44 71| +|13 68 69| 13 59 61| 13 39 66|of Whole | 15 39 65 | 16 43 72| +|14 70 71| 14 51 60| 14 40 65| Tickets | 16 40 66 | 17 42 73| +|15 72 73| 15 27 39| 15 41 64| | 17 41 67 | 18 41 74| +|16 74 75| 16 28 40| 16 42 63| | 18 42 68 | 19 40 75| +|17 76 77| 17 29 41| 17 43 62| | 19 43 69 | 20 39 76| +|18 43 78| 18 30 42| 18 44 61| | 20 44 70 | 21 38 77| +|19 27 42| 19 31 43| 19 45 60| | 21 45 71 | 22 37 78| +|20 28 41| 20 32 44| 20 46 59| | 22 46 72 | 23 36 53| +|21 29 40| 21 33 45| 21 47 58| | 23 47 73 | 24 35 54| +|22 30 39| 22 34 46| 22 48 57| | 24 48 74 | 25 34 55| +|23 31 38| 23 35 47| 23 49 56| | 25 49 75 | 26 33 56| +|24 32 37| 24 36 48| 24 50 55| | 26 50 76 | 27 32 57| +|25 33 36| 25 37 49| 25 51 54| | 27 51 77 | 28 31 58| +|26 34 35| 26 38 50| 26 52 53| | 28 52 78 | 29 30 59| ++--------+----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ + +There are, in these schemes, 15 packages of whole tickets, each +containing 26, which make an aggregate of 390, and the same number of +halves, which, if added to the former, will make 780; also, 30 packages +of quarters, making, in all, 1560. These comprise the whole of the +combinations here given, and are intended for one particular drawing, +constituting one class. For each successive drawing, another edition of +the same combinations are offered for sale, only with different class +numbers. + ++--------+----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ +| #103# | #104# | #105# | #106# | #107# | #108# | ++--------+----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ +| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | ++--------+----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ +| 1 3 61| 1 3 65| 1 4 66| 1 4 67| 1 5 68| 1 5 69| +| 2 4 62| 2 41 66| 2 42 67| 2 5 68| 2 6 69| 2 6 70| +| 5 6 63| 4 42 67| 3 43 68| 3 45 69| 3 7 70| 3 7 71| +| 7 8 64| 5 43 68| 5 44 69| 6 46 70| 4 45 71| 4 8 72| +| 9 31 65| 6 44 69| 6 45 70| 7 47 71| 8 46 72| 9 48 75| +|10 32 66| 7 45 70| 7 46 71| 8 48 72| 9 47 73| 10 49 76| +|11 33 67| 8 40 71| 8 47 72| 9 49 73| 10 48 74| 11 50 73| +|12 34 68| 9 39 72| 9 48 73| 10 50 74| 11 49 75| 12 51 74| +|13 35 69| 10 38 73| 10 49 74| 11 51 75| 12 50 76| 13 52 78| +|14 36 71| 11 37 74| 11 50 75| 12 52 76| 13 51 77| 14 31 77| +|15 37 70| 12 36 75| 12 51 76| 13 29 77| 14 52 78| 15 32 68| +|16 38 72| 13 35 76| 13 52 77| 14 30 78| 15 30 67| 16 33 67| +|17 39 73| 14 34 77| 14 41 78| 15 31 66| 16 31 66| 17 34 66| +|18 40 74| 15 33 78| 15 40 65| 16 32 65| 17 32 65| 18 35 65| +|19 41 75| 16 32 53| 16 28 64| 17 33 64| 18 33 64| 19 36 64| +|20 42 76| 17 31 54| 17 29 63| 18 34 63| 19 34 63| 20 37 63| +|21 43 77| 18 30 55| 18 30 62| 19 35 62| 20 35 62| 21 38 62| +|22 44 78| 19 29 56| 19 31 61| 20 36 61| 21 36 61| 22 39 61| +|23 45 53| 20 28 57| 20 32 60| 21 37 60| 22 37 60| 23 40 60| +|24 46 54| 21 52 58| 21 33 59| 22 38 59| 23 38 59| 24 41 59| +|25 47 55| 22 51 59| 22 34 58| 23 39 58| 24 39 58| 25 42 58| +|26 48 56| 23 50 60| 23 35 57| 24 40 57| 25 40 57| 26 43 57| +|27 49 57| 24 49 61| 24 36 56| 25 41 56| 26 41 56| 27 44 56| +|28 50 58| 25 48 62| 25 37 55| 26 42 55| 27 42 55| 28 45 55| +|29 51 59| 26 47 63| 26 38 54| 27 43 54| 28 43 54| 29 46 54| +|30 52 60| 27 46 64| 27 39 53| 28 44 53| 29 44 53| 30 47 53| ++--------+----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ + +The venders of lottery tickets possess an immense advantage over the +buyer, which is mostly in the extreme improbability of a prize of any +considerable amount being drawn. The numbers 1 to 78 are capable of +making 76076 combinations on what I may term the increasing ratio--that +is, the second larger than the first, and the third larger than the +second, in arithmetical progression; as, 5, 10, 15, &c. + ++--------+----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ +| #109# | #110# | #196# | #197# | #198# | #199# | ++--------+----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ +| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | ++--------+----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ +| 1 6 70| 1 6 71| 1 7 72| 1 7 73| 1 8 74 | 1 8 75| +| 2 7 71| 2 7 72| 2 8 73| 2 8 74| 2 9 75 | 2 9 76| +| 3 8 72| 3 8 73| 3 9 74| 3 9 75| 3 10 76 | 3 10 77| +| 4 9 73| 4 9 74| 4 10 75| 4 10 76| 4 11 77 | 4 11 78| +| 5 10 74| 5 10 75| 5 11 76| 5 11 77| 5 12 78 | 5 12 74| +|11 32 75| 11 33 76| 6 12 77| 6 12 78| 6 13 73 | 6 13 72| +|12 33 76| 12 34 77| 13 33 78| 13 52 72| 7 14 72 | 7 14 73| +|13 34 77| 13 35 78| 14 34 53| 14 51 71| 15 45 70 | 15 46 71| +|14 35 78| 14 36 70| 15 35 54| 15 50 70| 16 46 71 | 16 47 70| +|15 36 69| 15 37 69| 16 36 55| 16 49 69| 17 47 69 | 17 48 69| +|16 37 68| 16 38 68| 17 37 56| 17 48 68| 18 48 68 | 18 49 68| +|17 38 67| 17 39 67| 18 38 57| 18 47 67| 19 49 67 | 19 50 67| +|18 39 66| 18 40 66| 19 39 58| 19 46 66| 20 50 66 | 20 51 66| +|19 40 65| 19 41 65| 20 40 59| 20 45 65| 21 51 65 | 21 52 65| +|20 41 64| 20 42 64| 21 41 60| 21 44 64| 22 52 64 | 22 45 64| +|21 42 62| 21 43 63| 22 42 61| 22 43 61| 23 44 63 | 23 44 61| +|22 43 63| 22 44 62| 23 43 62| 23 42 62| 24 43 62 | 24 43 60| +|23 44 60| 23 45 61| 24 44 63| 24 41 63| 25 42 61 | 25 42 63| +|24 45 61| 24 46 60| 25 45 64| 25 40 60| 26 41 60 | 26 41 62| +|25 46 59| 25 47 59| 26 46 65| 26 39 59| 27 40 59 | 27 40 58| +|26 47 58| 26 48 58| 27 47 66| 27 38 58| 28 39 58 | 28 39 59| +|27 48 57| 27 49 56| 28 48 67| 28 37 57| 29 38 57 | 29 38 56| +|28 49 56| 28 50 57| 29 49 68| 29 36 56| 30 37 56 | 30 37 57| +|29 50 55| 29 51 55| 30 50 69| 30 35 55| 31 36 55 | 31 36 54| +|30 51 54| 30 52 54| 31 51 70| 31 34 54| 32 35 53 | 32 35 55| +|31 52 53| 31 32 53| 32 52 71| 32 33 53| 33 34 54 | 33 34 53| ++--------+----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ + +In the following combinations there are but 1560, where there might be +76076; and if this latter number were printed and sold, some one must +hold the three first drawn numbers, every ticket-holder having one +chance out of 76076 of drawing the capital prize. But, in this +combination, if a man were to purchase the whole of the tickets, being +1560, there would still be 49 chances against his holding the three +first numbers, to one for it. As there are no two tickets holding the +same three numbers, of course but one can hold the three first, which is +the prize. + ++--------+----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ +| #200# | #206# | #201# | #202# | #203# | #204# | ++--------+----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ +| 15 | 00 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ++--------+----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ +| 1 9 76| | 1 9 77 | 1 10 77| 1 10 78 | 1 11 21| +| 2 10 77| | 2 10 78 | 2 11 78| 2 11 77 | 2 12 22| +| 3 11 78| | 3 11 76 | 3 12 53| 3 12 76 | 3 13 23| +| 4 12 75| | 4 12 74 | 4 13 54| 4 13 75 | 4 14 24| +| 5 13 74| | 5 13 75 | 5 14 55| 5 14 74 | 5 15 25| +| 6 14 73|Here ends | 6 14 72 | 6 15 56| 6 15 72 | 6 16 26| +| 7 15 72| Fifteen | 7 15 73 | 7 16 57| 7 16 71 | 7 17 27| +| 8 16 71| Packages | 8 16 70 | 8 17 58| 8 17 70 | 8 18 28| +|17 52 70| of Half | 17 51 71 | 9 18 59| 9 18 69 | 9 19 29| +|18 51 69| Tickets. | 18 50 69 | 19 52 60| 19 36 68 | 10 20 30| +|19 50 68| The | 19 49 68 | 20 40 72| 20 37 67 | 31 41 51| +|20 49 67|following | 20 48 67 | 21 50 62| 21 38 66 | 32 42 52| +|21 48 66| Packages | 21 47 66 | 22 49 63| 22 39 65 | 33 43 53| +|22 47 65| are | 22 46 65 | 23 48 64| 23 40 64 | 34 44 54| +|23 46 64|Quarters. | 23 45 64 | 24 47 65| 24 41 62 | 35 45 55| +|24 45 63| | 24 44 61 | 25 46 66| 25 45 63 | 36 46 56| +|25 44 62| | 25 43 62 | 26 45 67| 26 43 60 | 37 47 57| +|26 43 61| | 26 42 63 | 27 44 68| 27 44 61 | 38 48 58| +|27 42 60| | 27 41 60 | 28 43 69| 28 42 59 | 39 49 59| +|28 41 59| | 28 40 59 | 29 42 70| 29 46 58 | 40 50 60| +|29 40 58| | 29 39 58 | 30 41 71| 30 47 57 | 61 67 73| +|30 39 57| | 30 38 57 | 31 51 61| 31 48 56 | 62 68 74| +|31 38 56| | 31 37 56 | 32 39 73| 32 49 55 | 63 69 75| +|32 37 55| | 32 36 55 | 33 38 74| 33 50 54 | 64 70 76| +|33 36 54| | 33 35 53 | 34 37 75| 34 51 53 | 65 71 77| +|34 35 53| | 34 52 54 | 35 36 76| 35 52 73 | 66 72 78| ++--------+----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ + +By a little investigation, any one may discover that his chance for +drawing a prize, even of a trifling amount, is extremely small. By the +following method any one may ascertain the number of combinations which +any given number will produce, as in the present case, 78 x 77 x 76 = +456456 / 6 = 76076, the number of combinations of three numbers each; +the 78 multiplied by 77, and the product by 76, and that product divided +by 6 gives the number of combinations of three numbers each, which the +numbers from 1 to 78 will produce, no two combinations containing the +same three numbers. + ++--------+----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ +| #205# | #206# | #207# | #208# | #209# | #210# | ++--------+----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ +| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | ++--------+----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ +| 1 12 23| 1 13 25 | 1 14 27 | 1 15 29| 1 16 31 | 1 17 33| +| 2 13 24| 2 14 26 | 2 15 28 | 2 16 39| 2 17 32 | 2 18 34| +| 3 14 25| 3 15 27 | 3 16 29 | 3 17 31| 3 18 33 | 3 19 35| +| 4 15 26| 4 16 28 | 4 17 30 | 4 18 32| 4 19 34 | 4 20 36| +| 5 16 27| 5 17 29 | 5 18 31 | 5 19 33| 5 20 35 | 5 21 37| +| 6 17 28| 6 18 30 | 6 19 32 | 6 20 34| 6 21 36 | 6 22 38| +| 7 18 29| 7 19 31 | 7 20 34 | 7 21 35| 7 22 37 | 7 23 39| +| 8 19 30| 8 20 32 | 8 21 33 | 8 22 36| 8 23 38 | 8 24 40| +| 9 20 31| 9 21 33 | 9 22 35 | 9 23 37| 9 24 39 | 9 25 41| +|10 21 32| 10 22 34 | 10 23 36 | 10 24 38| 10 25 40 | 10 26 42| +|11 22 33| 11 23 35 | 11 24 37 | 11 25 39| 11 26 41 | 11 27 43| +|34 45 56| 12 24 36 | 12 25 38 | 12 26 40| 12 27 42 | 12 28 44| +|35 46 57| 37 49 61 | 13 26 39 | 13 27 41| 13 28 43 | 13 29 45| +|36 47 58| 38 50 62 | 40 53 66 | 14 28 42| 14 29 44 | 14 30 46| +|37 48 59| 39 51 63 | 41 54 67 | 43 55 67| 15 30 45 | 15 31 47| +|38 49 60| 40 52 64 | 42 55 68 | 44 56 68| 46 57 68 | 16 32 48| +|39 50 61| 41 53 65 | 43 56 69 | 45 57 69| 47 58 69 | 49 59 69| +|40 51 62| 42 54 66 | 44 57 70 | 46 58 70| 48 59 70 | 50 60 70| +|41 52 63| 43 55 67 | 45 58 71 | 47 59 71| 49 60 71 | 51 61 71| +|42 53 64| 44 56 68 | 46 59 72 | 48 60 72| 50 61 72 | 52 62 72| +|43 54 65| 44 55 66 | 45 47 73 | 49 61 73| 51 62 73 | 53 63 73| +|44 55 66| 46 58 70 | 48 61 74 | 50 62 74| 52 63 74 | 54 64 74| +|67 71 76| 47 59 72 | 49 62 75 | 51 63 75| 53 64 75 | 55 65 75| +|68 72 75| 48 60 71 | 50 63 76 | 52 64 76| 54 65 76 | 56 66 76| +|69 73 78| 73 75 77 | 51 64 77 | 53 65 77| 55 66 77 | 57 67 77| +|70 74 77| 74 76 78 | 52 65 78 | 54 66 78| 66 67 78 | 58 68 78| ++--------+----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ + ++--------+----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ +| #296# | #297# | #298# | #299# | #300# | #301# | ++--------+----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ +| 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 22 | ++--------+----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ +| 1 18 35| 1 19 37| 1 20 39| 1 21 41| 1 22 43| 1 23 45| +| 2 19 36| 2 20 38| 2 21 40| 2 22 42| 2 23 44| 2 24 46| +| 3 20 37| 3 21 39| 3 22 41| 3 23 43| 3 24 45| 3 25 47| +| 4 21 38| 4 22 40| 4 23 42| 4 24 44| 4 25 46| 4 26 48| +| 5 22 39| 5 23 41| 5 24 43| 5 25 45| 5 26 47| 5 27 49| +| 6 23 40| 6 24 42| 6 25 44| 6 26 46| 6 27 48| 6 28 50| +| 7 24 41| 7 25 43| 7 26 45| 7 27 47| 7 28 49| 7 29 51| +| 8 25 42| 8 26 44| 8 27 46| 8 28 48| 8 29 50| 8 30 52| +| 9 26 43| 9 27 45| 9 28 47| 9 29 49| 9 30 51| 9 31 53| +|10 27 44| 10 28 46| 10 29 48| 10 30 50| 10 31 52| 10 32 54| +|11 28 45| 11 29 47| 11 30 49| 11 31 51| 11 32 53| 11 33 55| +|12 29 46| 12 30 48| 12 31 50| 12 32 52| 12 33 54| 12 34 56| +|13 30 47| 13 31 49| 13 32 51| 13 33 53| 13 34 55| 13 35 57| +|14 31 48| 14 32 50| 14 33 52| 14 34 54| 14 35 56| 14 36 58| +|15 32 49| 15 33 51| 15 34 53| 15 35 55| 15 36 57| 15 37 59| +|16 33 50| 16 34 52| 16 35 54| 16 36 56| 16 37 58| 16 38 60| +|17 34 51| 17 35 53| 17 36 55| 17 37 57| 17 38 59| 17 39 61| +|52 61 70| 18 36 54| 18 37 56| 18 38 58| 18 39 60| 18 40 62| +|53 62 71| 55 63 71| 19 38 57| 19 39 59| 19 40 61| 19 41 63| +|54 63 72| 56 64 72| 58 65 72| 20 40 60| 20 41 62| 20 42 64| +|55 64 73| 57 65 73| 59 66 73| 61 67 74| 21 42 63| 21 43 66| +|56 65 74| 58 66 74| 60 67 74| 62 68 73| 64 69 74| 22 44 65| +|57 66 75| 59 67 75| 61 68 75| 63 69 76| 65 70 75| 67 71 75| +|58 67 76| 60 68 76| 62 69 76| 64 70 75| 66 71 76| 68 72 76| +|59 68 77| 61 69 77| 63 70 77| 65 71 78| 67 72 77| 69 73 77| +|60 69 78| 62 70 78| 64 71 78| 66 72 77| 68 73 78| 70 74 78| ++--------+----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ + +Lottery-dealers are aware of the great odds against the buyers, and are +very cautious in keeping all the secrets of a fraud to themselves, by +which they are robbing the public continually. But it shall not be the +fault of the writer of these pages if their swindling machinations are +longer concealed from the community. Thousands upon thousands of +dollars are expended annually in lottery tickets in this country; and +how very seldom is it that you hear of a capital prize having been +drawn! If there should chance to be a prize of any magnitude awarded to +a ticket-holder, it is trumpeted from one end of the Union to the other, +by those most interested in lottery speculations, stimulating others to +try their luck, and by that means making their very losses minister to +their gain; for, in all likelihood, months and years may elapse before +another large prize will be drawn from the same lottery. + ++--------+----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ +| #302# | #303# | #304# | #305# | #306# | #307# | ++--------+----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ +| 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | ++--------+----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ +| 1 24 47| 1 25 49 | 1 26 51 | 1 12 24| 1 13 27 | 1 14 39| +| 2 25 48| 2 26 50 | 2 27 52 | 2 13 25| 2 14 28 | 2 15 38| +| 3 26 49| 3 27 51 | 3 28 53 | 3 14 26| 3 15 29 | 3 16 37| +| 4 27 50| 4 28 52 | 4 29 54 | 4 15 27| 4 16 30 | 4 17 36| +| 5 28 51| 5 29 53 | 5 30 55 | 5 16 28| 5 17 31 | 5 18 35| +| 6 29 52| 6 30 54 | 6 31 56 | 6 17 29| 6 18 32 | 6 19 34| +| 7 30 53| 7 31 55 | 7 32 57 | 7 18 30| 7 19 33 | 7 20 33| +| 8 31 54| 8 32 56 | 8 33 58 | 8 19 31| 8 20 34 | 8 21 32| +| 9 32 55| 9 33 57 | 9 34 59 | 9 20 32| 9 21 35 | 9 22 31| +|10 33 56| 10 34 58 | 10 35 60 | 10 21 33| 10 22 36 | 10 23 30| +|11 34 57| 11 35 59 | 11 36 61 | 11 22 34| 11 23 26 | 11 24 29| +|12 35 58| 12 36 60 | 12 37 62 | 23 49 66| 12 24 25 | 12 25 28| +|13 36 59| 13 37 61 | 13 38 63 | 35 50 65| 37 51 65 | 13 26 27| +|14 37 60| 14 38 62 | 14 39 64 | 36 51 64| 38 52 66 | 40 53 78| +|15 38 61| 15 39 63 | 15 40 66 | 37 52 67| 39 53 67 | 41 54 77| +|16 39 62| 16 40 64 | 16 41 65 | 38 53 69| 40 54 68 | 42 55 76| +|17 40 63| 17 41 65 | 17 42 67 | 39 54 68| 41 55 69 | 43 56 75| +|18 41 64| 18 42 66 | 18 43 68 | 40 55 70| 42 56 70 | 44 57 74| +|19 42 65| 19 43 67 | 19 44 69 | 41 56 71| 43 57 71 | 45 58 73| +|20 43 66| 20 44 68 | 20 45 71 | 42 57 72| 44 58 72 | 46 59 71| +|21 44 67| 21 45 69 | 21 46 70 | 43 58 73| 45 59 73 | 47 60 72| +|22 45 68| 22 46 70 | 22 47 72 | 44 59 74| 46 60 74 | 48 61 70| +|23 46 69| 23 47 71 | 23 48 73 | 45 60 75| 47 61 75 | 49 62 69| +|70 73 76| 24 48 72 | 24 49 74 | 46 61 76| 48 62 76 | 50 63 68| +|71 74 77| 73 76 77 | 25 50 75 | 47 62 77| 49 63 77 | 51 64 67| +|72 75 78| 74 75 78 | 76 77 78 | 48 63 78| 50 64 78 | 52 65 66| ++--------+----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ + +It will be seen by the lottery combinations we present, how infinitely +disproportionate are the chances in this species of gambling--how vastly +the odds bear against the purchaser of tickets, and what mischievous +results must of necessity spring from a vile system of frauds, +perpetrated, as it is, by the sanction of law, and the tolerance of +custom. + ++--------+-----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ +| #308# | #309# | #310# | #396# | #397# | #398# | ++--------+-----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ +| 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | ++--------+-----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ +| 1 18 53| 1 19 53 | 1 20 53 | 1 21 53| 1 22 45 | 1 23 46| +| 2 19 54| 2 20 54 | 2 21 54 | 2 22 54| 2 23 43 | 2 24 45| +| 3 20 55| 3 21 55 | 3 22 55 | 3 23 55| 3 24 44 | 3 25 55| +| 4 21 56| 4 22 56 | 4 23 56 | 4 24 56| 4 25 56 | 4 26 56| +| 5 22 57| 5 23 57 | 5 24 57 | 5 25 57| 5 26 57 | 5 27 57| +| 6 23 58| 6 24 58 | 6 25 58 | 6 26 58| 6 27 58 | 6 28 58| +| 7 24 59| 7 25 59 | 7 26 59 | 7 27 59| 7 28 59 | 7 29 59| +| 8 25 60| 8 26 60 | 8 27 60 | 8 28 60| 8 29 60 | 8 30 78| +| 9 26 61| 9 27 61 | 9 28 61 | 9 29 61| 9 30 61 | 9 31 77| +|10 27 62| 10 28 62 | 10 29 62 | 10 30 62| 10 31 62 | 10 32 76| +|11 28 63| 11 29 63 | 11 30 63 | 11 31 63| 11 32 63 | 11 33 75| +|12 29 64| 12 30 64 | 12 31 64 | 12 32 64| 12 33 64 | 12 34 74| +|13 30 65| 13 31 65 | 13 32 65 | 13 33 65| 13 34 65 | 13 35 73| +|14 31 66| 14 32 66 | 14 33 66 | 14 34 66| 14 35 66 | 14 36 72| +|15 32 67| 15 33 67 | 15 34 67 | 15 35 67| 15 36 67 | 15 37 71| +|16 33 68| 16 34 68 | 16 35 68 | 16 36 68| 16 38 71 | 16 38 70| +|17 34 69| 17 35 69 | 17 36 69 | 17 37 69| 17 37 70 | 17 39 69| +|35 44 70| 18 36 70 | 18 37 70 | 18 38 70| 18 39 69 | 18 40 68| +|36 45 71| 37 45 71 | 19 38 71 | 19 39 71| 19 40 68 | 19 41 67| +|37 46 72| 38 46 72 | 39 46 72 | 20 40 72| 20 41 72 | 20 42 66| +|38 47 73| 39 47 73 | 40 47 73 | 41 47 73| 21 42 73 | 21 43 65| +|39 48 74| 40 48 74 | 41 48 74 | 42 48 74| 46 51 74 | 22 44 64| +|40 49 75| 41 49 75 | 42 49 75 | 43 49 75| 47 52 75 | 47 51 63| +|41 50 76| 42 50 76 | 43 50 76 | 44 50 76| 48 53 76 | 48 52 62| +|42 51 77| 43 51 77 | 44 51 77 | 45 51 77| 49 54 77 | 49 53 61| +|43 52 78| 44 52 78 | 45 52 78 | 46 52 78| 50 55 78 | 50 54 60| ++--------+-----------+----------+---------+-----------+---------+ + +All the combinations used in this lottery have been given, as also the +number that might be made; and, of course, the less the dealer in +lotteries makes, the greater the chance in his favor, and the less in +favor of the buyer. The figures heading the classes of combinations, on +each page, are class-numbers, and those below the first figures, and +immediately above the columns, are placed there to indicate the number +of packages. + ++---------+--------+ +| #399# | #400# | ++---------+--------+ +| 29 | 30 | ++---------+--------+ +| 1 24 53 | 1 25 53| +| 2 25 54 | 2 26 54| +| 3 26 55 | 3 27 55| +| 4 27 56 | 4 28 56| +| 5 28 57 | 5 29 57| +| 6 29 58 | 6 30 58|Here ends +| 7 30 59 | 7 31 59|the Thirty +| 8 31 60 | 8 32 60|Packages +| 9 32 61 | 9 33 61|of Quarters. +|10 33 62 |10 34 62| +|11 34 63 |11 35 63| +|12 35 64 |12 36 64| +|13 36 65 |13 37 65| +|14 37 66 |14 38 66| +|15 38 67 |15 39 67| +|16 39 68 |16 40 68| +|17 40 69 |17 41 69| +|18 41 70 |18 42 70| +|19 42 71 |19 43 71| +|20 43 72 |20 44 72| +|21 44 73 |21 45 73| +|22 45 74 |22 46 74| +|23 46 75 |23 47 75| +|47 50 76 |24 48 76| +|48 51 77 |49 51 77| +|49 52 78 |50 52 78| ++---------+--------+ + +[Illustration: MARKED CARDS. See Green on Gambling.] + +The above are specimens of patterns of playing cards, that the reader +may rely upon the gambler's knowing by their back as well as the +generality of amusement players know by their face. The same may be said +of all the patterns spoken of and presented to the view of the reader on +another page of this work. + +[Illustration: Literature Lottery BY AUTHORITY OF THE STATE OF KENTUCKY +Class No. 205 Com Nos 10 48 75 + +This Ticket will entitle the holder to one QUARTER of such Prize as may +be drawn to its Numbers, if demanded within twelve months after the +Drawing. Subject to a deduction of Fifteen per cent: Payable forty days +after the Drawing. + +For A. BASSFORD & CO., Managers. +#Covington, 1841. QUARTER.# + +[This plate represents a lottery ticket with the numbers placed upon it. +The numbers seen upon its face are of the same order as those found upon +every ticket when sold, and are used to designate one ticket from +another, and by comparing them with the numbers at the head of any of +those packages of combinations, on another page, you will see the manner +in which they are arranged, and the great advantage in favor of the +managers.]] + + +FALLACY OF LOTTERIES AS A MEANS OF REVENUE. + +We are indebted for the following exposition to our moral friend, Capt. +John Maginn, of New York city. + +"Although they may produce, by the various deceptive allurements which +they hold forth, a temporary influx into the treasury of the state, yet +the prostration of industry, the formation of idle habits, intemperance +and various other vices, have invariably been the consequences wherever +they have been introduced. No farther evidence of this position is +requisite than the fact that in England, where many of the common +necessaries of life are heavily taxed, it has been satisfactorily +ascertained from observation, that for several days preceding the +drawing of a lottery, the consumption of such articles was very +materially diminished. It is moreover equally true, that a very small +proportion of the tax actually paid, through the purchase of lottery +tickets, is available to the state: by far the greater part being +absorbed in the expenses, profits, &c., of managers and venders." + + +INSURING NUMBERS, OR POLICY DEALING. + +As the system of insuring numbers is at present practised to a fearful +extent in this city, and as its votaries are mostly the ignorant and +unthinking portion of the community, we proceed to give a plain +matter-of-fact investigation of the chances. + +There being on the day of drawing a certain number of tickets in the +wheel, out of which a particular number of them are to be drawn, it +follows that there are so many chances to one against a given number +being drawn as the number which are to be drawn are contained in the +entire number of tickets in the wheel. To illustrate this practically, +suppose you would insure the payment of $100 upon the event of a certain +number being drawn from the lottery wheel to-day; suppose it is a 78 +number lottery, and that 12 ballots are to be drawn; the chance then is +evidently 78/12, or 6.5 to 1 that you lose: accordingly, in order to +make the chances equal, you must pay 100/6.5, or $15.38, for insurance: +if therefore the insurer should ask $32, there would be about $16 fraud: +in other words, you would have to contend against about 100 per cent. +The only inducement for the insurer to pursue this vile practice, in +defiance of constitutions and laws, is a liberal per centage. This +varies from 30 to 70, and even 125 per cent. Under circumstances like +these, when the chances of gain are obviously so remote, it would seem +incredible that any one endowed with even ordinary sagacity could be so +deluded--so desperate--as to adventure; though, sad to relate, hundreds +and hundreds in this city daily spend their little all in effecting +insurance on numbers, and that, too, at the sacrifice of the common +necessaries of life. + +Another system of insurance, which we will proceed to analyze, is +effected by what is termed a station number. The adventurer selects a +number, and declares that it will come out the first or second drawn, or +in some other place, for which he pays six cents, and if the number is +drawn in the order indicated, he is to receive $2.50. To illustrate +this, suppose you select a certain number, which you declare will be the +third drawn; suppose also that it is a 78 number lottery, and that there +are 12 drawn ballots. In this case there are evidently 78/12 = 6.5 +chances to 1 against the selected number being drawn. It is also plain +that should it be a drawn number, there are 12 chances to 1 against it +being drawn in any particular order; wherefore it follows, that there +are 6.5x12 = 78 chances to 1 against the selected number being the third +or any other particular drawn number. Accordingly, to equalize the +chances, in case of winning you should receive 78x6 = $4.68; hence, +under these circumstances the insurer gains $2.18, which is nearly 100 +per cent. Again, suppose it is a 98 number lottery, and that you pay 25 +cents: here we have 98x25 = $24.50, the sum you ought to receive in case +of winning, instead of which you only receive 25/6x2.5 = $10.626; hence +the insurer gains $13.975, or more than 125 per cent. + + +PROF. GODDARD ON LOTTERIES. + +We give below a very able memorial, from the pen of Prof. Goddard, of +Brown University, to the Legislature of Rhode Island. + +The undersigned, citizens of Rhode Island, have long regarded the +lottery system with unqualified reprobation. They believe it to be a +multiform social evil, which is obnoxious to the severest reprehension +of the moralist, and which it is the duty of the legislator, in all +cases, to visit with the most effective prohibitory sanctions. +Entertaining these convictions, the undersigned memorialists cannot +withhold them from the Hon. General Assembly of Rhode Island. They +invoke the General Assembly to exercise their constitutional powers, +promptly and decisively, for the correction of a long-continued, and +wide-spread, and pestilent social evil. They ask them, most respectfully +and earnestly, to withdraw, as soon as may be, all legislative sanction +of the lottery system, and to save Rhode Island from the enduring +reproach of being among the last States to abandon that system. The +memorialists beg leave to disclaim, in this matter, all personal or +political considerations. They are seeking neither to help nor to hurt +any political party. They contemplate no aggression upon the rights or +the character of individuals. They are engaged in no impracticable +scheme of moral reform. They have no fondness for popular agitation. +They are what they profess to be, citizens of Rhode Island, and it is +only in the quality of citizens of Rhode Island, that they now ask the +General Assembly to resort to the most operative penal enactments, for +the entire suppression of a system which exists, and which can exist +only to disgrace the character of the State, and to injure both the +morals and the interests of the people. The memorialists are persuaded +that a commanding majority of the citizens of every political party +entertain sentiments of decided hostility to all lotteries. In praying, +therefore, for legislative interposition, they feel that they are not +in advance of public opinion, that they are not urging the General +Assembly to anticipate public opinion, but only to imbody it; to +accelerate its salutary impulses, and to augment its healthful vigour. +The constitutional power of the legislature to interfere in the premises +being undisputed, the memorialists beg leave to submit, for +consideration, a few only of the many reasons which have forced upon +their minds the conclusion--that Rhode Island should lose no time and +spare no effort in extirpating the lottery system:--a system which has +already worked extensive evil within her borders; which is repugnant to +a cultivated moral sense; and which has been branded, both as illegal +and immoral, by some of the most enlightened governments upon earth. In +this connection, it should be stated, that England, and, it is believed, +France likewise, have abandoned the lottery system. Some of the most +populous and influential States in this Confederacy have abandoned it. +Massachusetts has abandoned it; Pennsylvania has abandoned it; New York +has abandoned it. Nay more, so hostile were the people of the latter +State to the lottery system, that in revising its Constitution a few +years since, they adopted a provision which prohibits the Legislature +from ever making a lottery grant. These examples are adduced to show the +progress of an enlightened public sentiment upon this subject, and to +exhibit the grateful spectacle of governments, differently constituted, +exercising their powers for the best interests of the people. The evils +which the lottery system creates, and the evils which it exasperates, +are so various and complicated, that the undersigned memorialists +cannot attempt an enumeration. They are so revolting as to furnish no +motive for rhetorical exaggeration. A few only of these evils the +undersigned memorialists will now proceed to mention. + +1. Lotteries are liable to many of the strongest objections which can be +alleged against gambling. They have thus far escaped, it is true, the +infamy of gambling, but they can plead no exemption from its malignant +consequences. Like gamblers, they are hostile--not to say fatal--to all +composure of thought and sobriety of conduct. Like gambling, they +inflame the imagination of their victims and their dupes, with visions +of ease, and affluence, and pleasure, destined never to be realized. +Like gambling, they seduce men, especially the credulous and the +unthinking, from the pursuits of regular industry, into the vortex of +wild adventure and exasperated passions. Like gambling, they ultimately +create a necessity for constant vicious excitement. Like gambling, they +often lead to poverty and despair, to insanity and to suicide. Like +gambling, they furnish strong temptations to fraud, and theft, and +drunkenness. Like gambling, they work, in but too many cases, a +permanent depravation of all moral principle and all moral habits. This +fearful parallel might easily be extended. The picture here presented of +the evils of lotteries, however fearful it may seem, is not overdrawn. +This picture will be owned as just, by many a bereaved widow and by many +a forsaken wife, who trace all their woes to the temptation into which +this _respectable_ and legalized species of gambling had betrayed once +affectionate husbands. It will be owned as just by many a child, who +has been doomed perchance to a heritage of ignorance and poverty, by a +father, for whose weak virtue the potent fascinations of the lottery +were found too strong. In many respects, the lottery system may be +deemed even more pernicious than ordinary gambling. It spreads a more +accomplished snare; it is less offensive to decorum; it is less alarming +to consciences which have not lost all sensitiveness; it numbers among +its participants multitudes of those who ought to blush and to tremble +for thus hazarding their own virtue, and for thus corrupting the virtues +of others; it draws within its charmed circle men and women who fill up +every gradation of age, and character, and fortune. + +2. The lottery system, as at present constituted, presents the strongest +temptations to fraud on the part of all those who are concerned either +in the drawing of lotteries or in the sale of tickets. It is not known +that fraud has in any case been perpetrated, though fraud is suspected. +If perpetrated, it would be no easy matter to detect it. The ignorant +and the credulous men and women, who seek to better their fortunes by +gambling in lottery tickets, know nothing of those mystical combinations +of numbers, on which their fate is suspended. Utter strangers as they +are to all the "business transactions" of the lottery system, if cheated +at all, they are cheated without remedy. + +3. The lottery system operates as a most oppressive tax upon the +community. This tax is paid, not by the rich and luxurious--but it is +paid mainly by those who are struggling for independence, and by those +who earn their bread by the sweat of their brow--by the servants in our +kitchens--by clerks and apprentices, and day-labourers; by mechanics and +traders; by the men and women who work in our factories; and in too many +instances, it is to be feared, by our hardy yeomanry, who, impatient of +the slow profits of agriculture, vainly expect from the chances of the +lottery that which is never denied to the efforts of industry. The +amount of pauperism and crime, of mental agitation and perchance of +mental insanity, which the lottery system must create among these +numerous classes, it would not be easy to calculate. + +4. Lotteries are the parent of much of the pauperism which is to be +found in this young, and free, and prosperous land. It entails poverty +upon multitudes directly, by exhausting their limited means in abortive +experiments to get rich by "high prizes"--and, yet more, by withdrawing +multitudes from a dependence on labour, and accustoming them to hope +miracles of good fortune from chance. After repeated disappointments, +they discover, when it is too late to profit from the discovery, how +sadly they have been duped, and how recklessly they have abandoned their +confidence in themselves, and in that gracious Being who never forsakes +those who put their trust in him. They sink into despondency, and, +seeking to forget themselves, they bring upon their faculties the brutal +stupor of intoxication, or they exhilarate them by its delirious gayety. +Suicide is often the fearful issue. Dupin ascribes a hundred cases of +suicide _annually_ to the lottery system in the single city of Paris. +Many years ago a lottery scheme, displaying splendid prizes, was formed +in London. Adventures to a very large amount was the consequence, and +the night of the drawing was signalized by fifty cases of suicide! + +5. Success in lotteries is hardly less fatal than failure. The fortunate +adventurer is never satisfied. He ventures again and again, till ruin +overtakes him. After all the tempting promises of wealth, which are made +by those concerned in this iniquitous system, how very few, except +managers of lotteries and venders of lottery tickets, has it ever made +rich! and well may it be asked, whom has it ever made more diligent in +business, more contented, and respectable, and happy? + +6. Lotteries, it is believed, are rendered especially mischievous in +this country by the nature of our institutions, and by the spirit of the +times. Here, the path to eminence being open to every one--but too many +are morbidly anxious to improve their condition; and by means, too, +which in the wisdom of Providence were never intended to command +success. A mad desire for wealth pervades all classes--it feeds all +minds with fantastic hope; it is hostile to all patient toil, and +legitimate enterprise, and economical expenditure. It generates a spirit +of reckless speculation; it corrupts the simplicity of our tastes; and, +what is yet worse, it impairs, not unfrequently, in reference to the +transactions of business, the obligations of common honesty. Upon these +elements of our social condition and character, the lottery system +operates with malignant efficacy. + +The undersigned memorialists are far from thinking that, in the +preceding remarks, they have exhausted the argument against the lottery +system. They have dwelt, in general terms, upon only some of its more +prominent evils. They do not allow themselves to believe that, aside +from the ranks of those who have a direct personal interest in this +system, a man of character could be found in Rhode Island to defend it. +The memorialists deem lotteries to be in Rhode Island a paramount social +evil. They entreat the General Assembly to survey this evil in all its +phases, and then to apply the remedy. The interposition which is now +asked at the hands of the Legislature has been delayed too long, either +for the interests or for the character of the state. It is time that we +protected our interests, and retrieved our character. It is time that +the lottery had ceased to be the "_domestic institution_" of Rhode +Island. It is time that we abandoned, and abandoned for ever, the policy +of supporting schools, and building churches, with the wages of +iniquity. The memorialists are aware that the General Assembly have made +lottery grants, which have not yet expired. They seek not in any way to +interfere with those grants; but in concluding this expression of their +views, they cannot avoid repeating their earnest entreaty that the +legislature would come up without unnecessary delay to the great work of +reforming an abuse, which no length of time, or patronage of numbers, or +policy of state, should be permitted to shelter for another hour. + + +EXTRACTS _from a Report to the Society for the Prevention of Pauperism +in the city of New York._ + +"It is not possible to estimate the sum that may have been drawn from +the people by lottery devices. Nor is it possible to estimate the number +of poor people that have engaged in lottery gambling. We have been told, +that more than two hundred of these deluded people have been seen early +in the mornings at the lottery offices, pressing to know their fate. +_There_ might be seen the anxiety, the disappointment, and +mortification, of unfortunate beings, who had lost their all! + +"Thus we see that this demoralizing contagion has spread its destructive +influence over the most indigent and ignorant of the community. The +injurious system of lotteries opens a wide door to gambling, fraud and +imposition; of which the speculating, dishonest, idle, profligate and +crafty avail themselves, and deceive the innocent and ignorant. + +"If we place this subject in a pecuniary view as it relates to the +public funds, the mischievous effect is more obvious. From an estimate, +made by a gentleman of accurate calculation, it appears, that the +expense, or the amount drawn from the people, to raise by lottery the +net sum of 30,000 dollars, amounts to $170,500, including the expense of +the managers and their attendants, the clerks and attendants of the +lottery offices, the expense of time lost by poor people, and the amount +paid the proprietors of lottery offices. This enormous sum is paid for +the collection of only 30,000 dollars. This is, therefore, not only the +most expensive, but also the most demoralizing method that was ever +devised to tax the people. + +"Upon the whole view of the subject, your committee are decidedly of +opinion, that lotteries are the most injurious kind of taxation, and the +very worst species of Gambling. By their insidious and fascinating +influence on the public mind, their baleful effect is extended, and +their mischievous consequences are most felt by the indigent and +ignorant, who are seduced, deceived, and cheated out of their money, +when their families are often suffering for the necessaries of life. +Their principles are vitiated by lotteries, they are deceived by vain +and delusive expectation, and are led into habits of idleness and vice, +which produce innumerable evils, and, ultimately, end in misery and +pauperism." + + +LOTTERY COMBINATIONS. + +The numbers on lottery tickets are formed by combinations of certain +numbers previously agreed upon; as from 1 to 60, 1 to 75, 1 to 78, &c., +&c. + +Combination consists in taking a less number of things out of a greater, +without any regard to the order in which they stand; no two combinations +having the same quantities or numbers. + +_Problem._--To find the number of combinations which can be taken from +any given number of things, all different from each other, taking a +given number at a time. + +_Rule._--Take a series of numbers, the first term of which is equal to +the number of things out of which the combinations are to be made, and +decreasing by 1, till the number of terms is equal to the number of +things to be taken at a time, and the product of all the terms. + +Then take the natural series 1, 2, 3, &c., up to the number of things to +be taken at a time, and find the product of all the terms of this +series. + +Divide the former product by the latter, and the quotient will be the +answer. + +How many combinations of 3 numbers can be taken out of 78 numbers? + +78x77x76 = 456456 and + 1x2x3 = 6 + 6)456456 + ------ + 76076 Answer. + +How many combinations of 3 numbers can be taken out of 70 numbers? + +70x69x68 = 328440 and + 1x2x3 = 6 + 6)328440 + ------ + 54740 Answer. + +How many combinations of 3 numbers can be taken out of 60 numbers? + +60x59x58 = 205320 and + 1x2x3 = 6 + 6)205320 + ------ + 34220 Answer. + +How many combinations of 3 numbers can be taken out of 40 numbers? + +40x39x38 = 59280 and + 1x2x3 = 6 + 6)59280 + ----- + 9880 Answer. + +We have sufficient experience in lottery gambling to assure the +community that their whole system is as foul as highway robbery. We +purchased a wheel from one of the fraternity in Washington City, and +drew in Philadelphia three times, then carried it to Washington, and +there demonstrated to the satisfaction of those who witnessed our +drawing, that what we asserted was true to the letter. We copy the +notices of the American Courier, one of the first papers of our country +in the cause of humanity, and ever ready to diffuse that which will +promote the happiness and welfare of mankind. + + "GREEN'S LOTTERY, + +"On Saturday night, drew the prize of fifty dollars for the proprietor, +he having declared to the audience the intention of giving them blanks, +which he did to the satisfaction of the judges. We have the best +authority for stating the belief that his expositions will prove not +only interesting, but highly beneficial, in opening the eyes of +thousands to the frauds practised in the shape of fairness by the +lottery managers." + +After which the editor received the following:-- + + _Frederick, June 9th, 1848._ + +_Dear Sir_--Will you oblige some of your readers by giving them an idea +of "Green's" manner of exposition of frauds, as practised by the lottery +managers? and by so doing, no doubt but you will confer a favour on many +of your subscribers. + +Respectfully, B. + A. M'Makin, Esq., _Ed. American Courier, Philad._ + +EXPLANATION. + +In obedience to the request of "B," we have conversed with a gentleman +who was one of a committee of the audience to superintend the drawing of +"Green's Lottery" on a recent occasion. He says that the tickets were +prepared and distributed precisely after the plan of the regular lottery +managers, with the exception that Mr. Green announced to the audience +that he had purposely reserved certain combinations of numbers, which he +knew by calculation would draw for him the highest prize, and leave for +them _blanks only!_--Each individual in the audience held a ticket, with +a different combination of numbers, such as they choose to select from +the packages opened to them. The numbers were placed in the wheel +precisely in the usual way, the drawing conducted by the committee from +the audience, and on the announcement of the drawn numbers it was +discovered, sure enough, that the audience had received all blanks, and +upon Mr. Green pointing to a package on the table reserved for himself, +it was examined by the committee, and lo! there lay the ticket having +the combination of numbers drawing _the capital prize_!--ED. A.C. + + +_Communicated to the American Courier from Washington, D.C._ + +Green's great Consolidated Lottery drew in this city on the 22d inst. +The Reformed Gambler astonished a highly respectable audience at his +complete exposition of the fraud practised by lottery speculators +throughout our Union. Mr. Green stated to the audience that though he +wished them to understand the lottery system to be fraught with +deception, he did not wish it to be understood that he was competent to +make a clear and comprehensive exposition. This was his fourth effort, +and he had succeeded in three to the satisfaction of his audience. + +He then stated that he would draw from the ternary combination of 42 +numbers, and take therefore 8 drawn ballots, being equal to 15 in 75. He +then placed in R.H. Gillet's hand 42 tickets, which he declared +contained the drawn numbers, where any 3 numbers should be upon a +ticket. Having explained satisfactorily his intentions, he requested Mr. +J. Thaw to act as his commissioner, Mr. Thaw being well known as a +gentleman of integrity. + +Mr. Green then requested Mr. Gillet to mark the numbers from 1 to 42, so +that there should be no doubt resting upon the mind of any one that they +were the same numbers which should afterwards be drawn out. The tickets +were marked, and Mr. Thaw deposited them singly in tin tubes, from 1 to +42. Mr. Thaw then revolved the wheel, mixing them thoroughly; he then +drew one at a time, until he drew 8, being the correct drawn ballots. +Mr. Green then asked the audience if they had any prizes. Receiving a +negative answer, he stated that he could draw one half of the numbers +from the wheel and still they should have none, though they had some 400 +tickets against his 42. The commissioner continued drawing, the prizes +still falling in the manager's package, and the numbers from 1 to 29 +were taken out of the 42 before the audience received a full compliment +of 3 numbers on a ticket. The drawing appeared fair; the numbers placed +in the wheel were those taken out. The wheel is one Mr. G. purchased +from a lottery vender in Washington city. Mr. G.'s explanation of his +power to prevent prizes being drawn without his consent appeared very +satisfactory. He declared that the managers had it in their power to +assort out certain numbers, and by the villany of those concerned in the +distribution, were enabled to keep any numbers from the hands of the +drawer. + +I must own that this exposition of Green's has taken me altogether by +surprise. I did think that the deluded thousands who live on, day after +day, in the vain hope of a prize, instead of depending solely upon their +industry, skill, and talents, had some remote chance of getting a good +drawn number. But, it seems that this is all a delusion, and that +lotteries can be "stocked" as well as a pack of cards. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SECRET BAND OF BROTHERS*** + + +******* This file should be named 17917.txt or 17917.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/7/9/1/17917 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. 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