T
gafteman's ounial
-is.
BT 8. J. ROW.
CLEARFIELD, PA., MARCII-22, 1S65.
"THE DEU003ATI0 CASTLE. "
Was it to Eesist the Draft ?
The fact that an organization called "the
Democratic Castle," numbering in its sub
divisions over a thousand members, existed
throughout Clearfield county, though for a
long time denied, has recently been estab
lished by evidence so conclusive, that even
the Clearfield Republican is compelled to
acknowledge it It id alleged, however, that
it was a perfectly legitimate and lawful as
sociation, having no other object than to
promote the success of the Democratic par
ty, by fair and proper means. It is said
that "its only obligation was pledge of
honor to vote the Democratic ticket, or not
to vote at all; nothing more." If this be
true, certainly there wa nothing objection
able in the' organization, however remarka
ble the change of opinion in those who, a
few years ago, could not find language strong
enough to denounce secret political societies.
But is this true ? Had this organization no
"oath," and no other object? Let us in
quire. The necessity of a secret society to farther
the success of the Democratic party in a
county like this, where it is, and always has
been, so largely in the ascendant, may rea
sonably be doubted. It is, moreover, ex
ceedingly improbable that men who have
heretofore so strongly condemned such or
ganizations, would adopt them in the face
of all their past denunciations merely as a
campaign project, unless there was some
more important ulterior design. May it not
be possible, then, that the real purpose of
"The Democratic Castle" was to reduce to
practice the advice of Messrs. Bigler and
Wallace at the 13th of August meeting, not
to furnish any more men or money to prose
cute the war, or, in other words, to resist
the draft and the officers who should be sent
to execute it? r I
That this was the real object, is, we think,
clearly established by the testimony elicited
during the recent investigation before the
Military Commission at Harrisburg. The
witnesses were from different parts of the
county, examined at various times and pla
ces, unacquainted with each other, in ignor
ance of what any one else stated, and, of
course, testifying more or less reluctantly.
Yet they all agreed in declaring that the
members of the organization were sworn,
and that its object was to resist the draft !
Some. of the evidence has already been pub
lished, and part of it is in our possession to
be published in the future. It is conclusive
and irresistable.
When or by whom -"The Democratic Cas
tle" wad introduced into Clearfield county,
we are not informed. Neither do we know
whether it existed elsewhere in the same
form that . it did here, or whether, like Mi
cerva from the: brain of Jupiter, it sprung
fully matured from the crania of "certain
distinguished Democratic leaders in this
town." ,The first we learn of it is in Knox
township, just after the Bigler-Wallace
meeting in August, and Gainor P. Bloom,
Esq., is the witness. His statement is full,
clear and distinct He says he was initia
ted . in Knox township, at Turkey-Hill
School-house that A. L. Hickock was Pres
ident that Tom Adams the notorious de
serter, who since killed the soldier and got
killed, was present rthat he was sworn
that the name of the association was "The
Democratic Castle' that the "oath? bound
them to keep secret everything connected
with the order, and to stand by each other
and "ww' every attempt-on the part of the
authorities to enforce the draft that they
were furnished with signs and pass-words
that they were bound to have fire-arms to
rescue members from the custody of Mar
shals jf arrested that there .were marks to
be placed on houses to distinguish the prop
erty of Democrats and Republicans that
the members did keep on hand the arras
and ammunition and that the head of the
organization was in Clearfield town. He
stated, moreover, tliat he was President of
the "Castle" in his own. township that
Frank M'Bride was Secretary that M'
Bride was the delegate to the "Division
Castle" at Clearfield town that he, Bloom,
organized a "Castle" in Brady township of
which Samuel Miles was President and he
gave the signs and pass-words which show
it to be . the same organization of which all
the other witnesses -speak. If this state
ment is true the question is settled. But
its credibility is denied by the Clearfield Re
publican, which avers that it was extorted,
and that "Mr. Bloom most positively de
nies and disclaims the major part of it " It
becomes important, therefore, to inquire,
The proceedings in the case of Gainor P.
Bloom wjll appear next week, in which his
tatement wiij be published at length.
how much, if any of it, is to be believed, j
To ascertain how far it is worthy of cre
dence, it is necessary to know under what
circumstances it was made. . When Bloom
was arrested he was first taken before Capt
Kerr at Curwensville. He there made a
statement substantially the same as that
which he swore to at Philipsburg, two days
later. Lieut Rawlins, a gentleman of un
impeachable veracity, who reduced his state
ment to writing, testifies in regard to it, as
follows: "When Bloom came before me to
make his statement, he said it was of his
own free will and accord.. I reduced it to
writing, and he signed and swore to it be
fore me. I told him when I was taking
down his words that I did not want him to
tell anything but the truth, and what he
could conscientiously stand up and swear to
before the men he accused. He replied ' 'that
he knew what he was doing as he was a Jus
tice of the Peace." Major Goebel stated
that when Bloom was brought to his office,
he took his promise to report, and permit
ted him to go and stay at the hotel and that
the statement was made the next day, with
out threats or inducements of any kind, of
Bloom's own free will and accord. It is
difficult to conceive that a man under such
circumstances, should deliberately swear to
a tissue of falsehoods, make himself amena
ble to a prosecution for perjury, and involve
no less than seventeen of his innocent fellow
citizens and neighbors, by name, in an ac
cusation of conspiracy to resist the draft. It
is still more difficult to believe that Gainor
I'. Bloom would be able, in so brief a period,
to devise and plan a complicated organiza
tion, with signs, pass-words, and symbols,
giving every particular of time and place,
the number of meetings, the name of offi
cers, and detailing the practical working of
the 53'stem. If he did, r?e is possessed of an
amount of ingenuity and originality for
which neither he, nor any member of his
family, has ever received credit. The inter
nal evidence of the truth of his statement,
is alone conclusive.
If any doubt of its credibility remained,
a very slight examination of the extrinsic
evidence would forever set it at rest. It
will be observed that Bloom says he organ
ized a "Castle" in Brady township, of which
Samuel Miles was President Some time
after Bloom was sent to Fort Mifflin, this
man Miles was arrested in Brush Valley,
Centre county, where he had removed.
When he was brought to Philicsburg, he
also dCsired to make a statement. He knew
nothing about what Bloom had sworn, and
made his affidavit of his own volition. He
stated that in October last a secret society
called "The Democratic Castle," was form
ed in Brady township, for t ' e purpose of re
sisting the draft that he was elected Presi
dent that it was organized by Gainer P.
Bloom, that they were sicorn to standby
each other and resist any attempt on the
part of the officers to enforce the draft
that they were directed to keep on hand
fire arms and ammunition for that purpose
that some of the members did do so that
they actually did rescue from the Dewuty
Marshal two deserters that John Hann was
one of the deserters rescued by the members
of "The Democratic Castle" that they had
signs and pass-words that he,' Miles, was a
delegate to the "Division Castle" at Clear
field, and that a tax was paid to support it.
Here we have Bloom's statement fully cor
roborated in every particular.
George Korb, of Brady township, was
examined as a witness on the trial of Bloom.
He testified that he belonged to "The Dem
ocratic Castle": that the members were
sworn that Bloom administered tl e oath
to him that he instructed the members in
the signs and pass-words that they were to
rescu each other if arrested that Miles
was President that the object was to resist
the draft and that they actually did rescue
from the Marshal, two deserters.
This testimony is sufficient to convince
any man that the sworn statement of
Bloom, which by the advice of certain disin
f crested (?) parties be subsequently denied,
was true in every particular. And when we
find the very same organization with the
same oath, the same pass-words, and the
same signs existing in Graham township,
thirty miles distant from the scene of Bloom's
operations, his subsequent denial could im
pose upon no man but an idiot. The evi
dence published in another column, shows
that in Graham township the members were
sicorn. to stick together and help one another
that thef-ociety was called "The Demo
cratic Castle" that the drafted men were
to stay at home and not go to the army, &c.
Patrick Curhpy, who was one of the officers,
plead "guilty," and admitted that the or
ganization was for the purpose of resisting
"the draft. Moreover in pursuance of their
instructions, the drafted men who were
members, went to the woods armed with
guns and revolvers, and remained there gar
risoned, until the Presidential election when
they returned home to vote:
There is a circumstance connected with
Bloom's statement, stronger than the evi
dence of a regiment of witnesses, that estab
lishes its truth. It is found in the fact that
the hieroglj'phics given by him to distin
guish the projerty of Democrats from that
of Republicans.icere actually found on many
houses in different parte of the county. The
symbols to be placed on a Democratic house
were these, 15 19 34. Those for a Re
publican house these, 0 31 15 19. . No
doubt many of our readers will be surprise
ed to find, when they see these signs, that
their own property has been marked fori
destruction.
The editor of the Republican would have i
us believe that he did not belong to the
' 'Castle. ' What right then, has be to con
tradict the sworn statements of more than a
score of witnesses who did? Perhaps he
feels authorized "to do so, from what he o-
verheard when the "Division Castle" met
in the building he occupies. If so he ought
to have volunteered as a witness in defence
of the men who were tried. But, strange
to say, neither the editor of the Republican,
or any member of the organization, was there
to prove that the "Castle" was merely a po
litical club, to forward the interests of the
party by fair and legitimate means. In
none of the cases did the defendants pro
duce a single witness to prove the association
was the harmless thing the Republican
would "Lave us believe. If there was "no
oath nothing but a pledge of honor to vote
the Democratic ticket," what was in the
way of the members coming to the relief of
their brethren, and laying open before the
Court all that appertained to the organiza
tion? There are cases in which absence of
proof, is conclusive evidence of guilt, and
this is one of them.
We have neither time or space to refer to
other evidence in our possession, nor is it
necessary. In Bloom's statement, fully
corroborated as we have seen, "The Demo
craic Castle" stands forth unmasked, in all
its hideous deformity. A conspiracy to re
sist the draft, to oppose the Government,
and to give aid and comfort to the rebellion,
it merits and sb ould receive the condemna
tion of every good citizen, whether Demo
crat or Republican. When those engaged
in it marked the houses of their neighbors,
they little thought how indellible was the
brand they were placing upon themselves
a blistering stain that w ill cause their remo
test posterity to rise up and curse their mem
ory. That many persons were innocently en
ticed into itweTiave no doubt, but that
others belonged to it who knew exactly what
they were doing, we have just as little.
Many deluded men are now suffering in the
stead of those who most richly deserve pun
ishment, but they may rest assured that the
hour will inevitably arrive when those really
guilty will receive their full share of retri
butive justice.
THE WAS HEWS.
A letter from Gen. Sherman to Gen.
Grant, dated Fayetteville March 12th, des
cribes his army as in good health and spir
its, having met with no serious opposition
that at Columbia he destroyed immense
arsenals and forty-three cannon, and large
railroad establishments at Cheraw he found
much meehinery and war material, including
25 cannon and 3, 600 barrels of powder at
Fayetteville 20 cannon and much other ma
terial and that Hardee keeps in his f rout,
at a respectable distance. He also states
that on the 10th, Hampton got in the rear
of Kilpatrick's headquarters, and surprised
and captured, his staff but two officers;
and that .Kilpatrick escaped, , formed his
men, diove the enemy with great loss, and
recaptured about all he had lost. The rebels
lost 86 left dead on the field. A report is al
so current that Sherman had arrived at
Goldsboro, and was marching on, Raleigh.
Our troops have possession of Ivinston,
the rebels having evacuated the place. ,. In
the recentattack of the rebels on Schofield's
forces under command of Gen. Cox, they
lost very heavily having left 700 dead on
the field, besides many wounded who fell in
to our hands. There was fighting for three
days, on one of which the rebels lost 2 ,000
in all. Our entire, does not exceed 1,000.
Gen. Cox states in an order dated the J 1th,
that Sherman's army would join him in three
days. : ''
Sheridan reports on the 15th, from the
Bridge of the Richmond and Fredericksburg
railroad across the South-Anna river, that
having destroyed the James River canal as
for east as Goochland, he marched up the
Virginia Central railroad, of which he totally
destroyed 15 miles, and all the South Anna
bridges, at one of which he captured their
cannon 30 men having charged across the
bridge on foot
THE FLOOD. ..
From our exchanges we learnr that the
flood last week pervaded a large extent of
territory, and the destruction of property
was immense. At Oil City, forty thousand
barrels of oil, and fifty thousand empty bar
rels floated off the loss sustained in that
place alone,, being estimated at two millions
of dollars. All along the western streams the
bridges, and railroads were swept away, and
all other property within reach of the water
was destroyed. In the eastern part of the
State the flood was , equally destructive.
Cities and towns were inundated, and rail
roads, houses, fences, bridges, etc. swept a
way. The amount of damage sustained is
almost incalculable, not only in Pennsylva
nia, but in New York and other States. In
fact, this has been the most destructive flood
that has occurred in this country for a num
ber of years.
P. S. We incidentally learn that the boom
at Lock Haven has been entirely destroyed.
Also that there was a break in the William
sport boom, causing a loss of about six mil
lions feet of lumber, in. logs.
The amount appropriated for the purchase
of cavalry and artillery horses, is twenty-one
millions of dollars ; and for the purchase of
gunpowder and lead, ten millions and a half
of dollars. , .- ; -,- r -
THE CLEARFIELD COUNTY CASES
EEFOEE THE MILITARY COMMISSION AT
HARKISBURO, PA.
CASE OF SAMUEL LANSBEBSY. .
' Samuel Lansberry was called up for trial
on the 20th of February last. . The Com
mission consisted of Col. Charles Ewing
of 4th New Jersey, President ; Col. Geo.
Zixx of 57th Penn'a, and Cait. A. G.
Happeu of 11th Penn'a, and Cait. II.
L. Johnson, A. A. G., Judge Advocate.
The persons tried vrere all defended by emi
nent and distinguished counsel, and all the
witnesses they desired were brought at the
expense of the G overnment
Mr. Lansberry was defended by the Hon.
John C. Kuxxe of Harrisburg, and Wm.
P. Jenks, Esq., of Brookville. The order
convening the Court was first read to him,
when he was asked if he had any objection
to be tried by the Court as constituted. He
replied that he had not. He was then ar
raigned, and plead "not guilty" to the sev
eral charges and specifications, which are as
follows :
Charge I. Entering into, confederating
and assisting in forming combinations to re
sist the execution of certain provisions of an
Act of Congress approved the 3d day of
March, 1863, entitled "An Actjfor enrolling
and calling out the National forces," and
the several supplements thereto.
Specification 1st. In this: that he, the
said Samuel Lansberry a citizen of Clear
field county, State of Pennsylvania, did
unite, confederate and combine with Jacob
Wilhelm and Patrick Curley and many oth
er disloyal persons, whose names are un
known, at or near the county of Clearfield,
State of Pennsylvania, to resist the draft
and prevent persons who had been drafted
under the provisions of' the said Act of Con
gress, approved March 3d, 18G3, and the
several supplements thereto, from entering
the military service of the United' States,
and the said Samuel Lansberry did resist
and evade and counsel and advise others to
resist and evade the execution of certain
provisions of the said Act of Congress and
the several supplements thereto. All this
in or near the county of Clearfield, State of
Pennsylvania, on or about the 10th day of
October 1 804, and at divers times and pla
ces before and after said mentioned day.
. Specification, 'Id. In this: that he, the
said Samuel Lansberry a citizen of Clear
field county, State of Pennsylvania, did u
nite, confederate and combine with Jacob
Wiilielm and Patrick Curley and many oth
er disloyal persons, whose names aie uu
known, and form or unite with a society or
organization, commonly known and called by
the Jiame ot the "Democratic Castle," the
object of which society or organization was
and is to resist the execution 'of the draft,
and preveirt persons who have been drafted
under tl e provisions of the said Act of Con
gress, approved March 3d, 1 803, and the
several supplements thereto, from entering
the military service of the United States.
This done in or near Clearfield county, State
of Pennsylvania, on or about the 10th day
of October 1864, and at divers times and
places before and after said mentioned day.
Charge II. The commission of acts of
disloyalty against the Government of the
United States, and uttering disloyal senti
ments and opinions, with the object of de
feating and weakening the power of the
Government in its efforts to suppress the
unlawful rebellion now existing in the Uni
ted States.
Specification. In this: that he, the said
Samuel Lansberry a citizen of Clearfield
county, State of Pennsylvania, did by words,
in substance, threaten and declare that he
would resist by farce all the officers and oth
ers in aid of the Government of t he United
States, concernedin enforcing the laws of
the United States for enrolling and drafting
any and all persons subject to military duty
under the laws thereof, and counseled and
advised others to resist by force all officers
and others in aid of the Government of the
United States, and of persons drafted into
the military service of the United States.
This done at or near Clearfield county, State
of Pennsylvania, on or about the 10th day
of October, 1864; and at divers times and
places before and after said mentioned day.
The sections of the Act of Congress, of
which these specifications constitute a viola
tion provide, as follows : :
"If any person shall resist any draft of
men enrolled under this aefc, or shall coun
sel or aid any person to resist such draft, or
shall counsel any drafted men not to appear
at the place of rendezvous,. or wilfully dis
suade them from the perforinenee of milita
ry duty, fcc., he shall be punished by a fine
not exceeding $500, and imprisonment not
exceeding two years. Again, any person
w ho shall forcibly resist any enrollment, or
shall incite, counsel, encourage, or shall con
spire or confederate with any other persons
to resist or oppose such enrollment, or shall
assault, obstruct, hinder, impede or threat
en any officer or other person employed in
the performance or in aiding in the perform
ance of any service in any way relating
thereto, cr in arresting or aiding to arrest
any spy or deserter, shall be punished by
a fine not exceeding $5,000, and imprison
ment not exceeding five years.
Before commencing the testimony, it is
proper to explain, that in Military Courts,
all the witnesses are excluded from the room,
and are called in and examined separately.
Each witness is therefore ignorant of what
has been stated by the others.
The first witness called on the part of the
Government was S. B. Benson, Deputv
Provost Marshal, who testified as follows:
1 have been employed for nearly two years
past as Deputy Provost Marshal of the
Nineteenth District. I know the prisoner
by sight. . He lives in Clearfield county,
which is in the Nineteenth District.
Question. Give the. state of feeling a
mong the peopl? of Clearfield county in re
gard to the draft. as it existed last fall.
Answer. I was sent into Clearfield coun
ty last fall by Capt Campbell, Provost Mar
shal, for the purpose of ascertaining the
state of feeling among the inhabitants. , I
trareled through the county in citizen's
clothe8,and talked with a great many persona
some of whom I knew, but most oi whom
I did not know. I talked both with those
who were in favor of the war, and those op
posed to it. I was satisfied there would be
difficulty in enforcing the.draft, and so re
ported to Capt Campbell. .
We-made a draft for Clearfield county, on
the October last, of CG6 men. They
were ordered to report at Brookville about
40 or 50 miles from the central part of the
county. .The Board ol Enrollment trans
ferred its. Head Quarters to Brookville in
order to accommodate these drafted men.
They were to report on the 20th October.
Less than three hundred men reported out
of the whole number drafted. Most of those
who did report, were such is were certain of
exemption. 1 he men who were held to ser
vice, were allowed a furlough of ten da3'S,
at the expiration of which they were to re
port at Y aterford. A large number of them
never came back, and have not yet reported.
When the Board left Brookville, we deter
mined to send detectives into the county to
arrest deserters. Col. Cyrus Butler and
George Van Vliet, were accordingly sent on
the 28th October, 1804, and on the 31st
October, we received information that Col.
Cyrus Butler had been killed while attempt
ing to arrest a deserter named Lansberry.
Requisition was then made for troops.- A
detachment of the 16th Regt. V. R. C. was
s 'nt up, numbering 300 or 400 men. We
arrested, I think, nearly three hundred men.
We found a great mauy deserters from the
army, as well as a large number of delin
quents from the Draft. In one house nine
teen men-were arrested, fourteen of whom
were deserters. After the troops came, the
men began to report. The supplementary
draft was made for 184 men, and they near
ly all reported.
Jacob Rixehart, sworn. I know Sam
uel Lansberry. I was at a meeting, held at
Polk School House, on the evening before
the State election, last fall. There were 20
or 25 men there. Jacob Wilhelm was Pres
ident, Amos Hubler Vice President, and
Patrick Curley Secretary. Wm. Wilhelm,
Henry Hubler, Hesekiah. Lansberry, Daniel
Curley, Samuel Lansberry, John A. Green,
John -McDowell, Geo. V. Hall, W. R.
Green and others were present. Patrick
Curley stated the object of the meeting.
He said it was a Democratic meeting, and.
he wanted none but Democrats in that any
jlrafted men who wanted to report could do
so, but that those who did not want to do so
could join. There was an oath administered.
We were sworn to stick together keep the
secrets assist one another and not go to
the army. Patrick Curley administered the
oath. 1 don't think Samuel Lansberry was
present when I v.as sworn. I think Lans
berry did not come in until we were all sworn
in. I uo not remember that an' save draft
ed .men were sworn in. I am not certain
who called the meeting. Samuel Lansberry
askj'd me to go. He served a notice on me
that I was drafted the nig lit of this meeting,
after I was sworn. He came to my house
on the day of the meeting I was in the
garden. He told me about the meeting and
asked me if I was coming, I told him I did
not know. He allowed 1 had better cotnd
and join the meeting and get my draft no
tice. I told him if he had a notice for me
I would like to have it. He allowed I had
better come to the meeting and get it. and
said he wonld give it to me there. He then
asked me if I was going to the green woods.
I told him I could not afford it, that I had
to work for my living. He replied "we
have plenty to live on." I asked him why
he took the notices to serve ? He said he
thought lie could give us a better chance to
stay at home. We were all in the house
when he served the notices on us. When
he gave mc mine, he laid the others down
on a table, and told 31 r. Wilhelm to read
them off. Lansberry said we had better
not report, but all stick together. I did not
hear him advise any others. He said M1
Kieman, the Deputy Marshal, had employ
ed him to serve the notices.
I attended a meeting at Jacob Hubler's
house. I saw Lansberry there. It was a
lout two weeks after the one at the School
house. I believe the same men were pres
ent. It was also a secret meeting. 'I here
were probably 25 or 30 there. There were
drafted men in the party several of them.
The meeting was nearly - over when I got
there. I was taken into a small room and
sworn. I was there shown the signs, and
pass-word, &c.-, sworn to stick to the party
and not vote for any one outside, to keep
the secrets, &c. It was different from the
oath at the School House. It was called
the "Democratic Ca.-tle." I cannot reccol
leet whether anything was said about the
draft. I was only there about half an hour
or so. I think this meeting was after the
time we were ordered to report. I did not
hear Lansberry say anything while I was
there concerning the meeting. .
.Question. Did you expect to receive any
assistance troin the members of this meet
ing in the event of your beiug arrested?
- Objected to by Defendant's counsel. Court
cleared, and objection not sustained.
Answer. Yes sir, I did. I expected to
get assistance by using the signs. One sign is
to draw the right hand across the mouth,
and the answer was to draw the left hand
across the forehead. If I meet a man who
did not understand the signs I would know
he did not belong to the parly, and I could
shun him if necessary.
Cross Examined. I think Lansberry was
not present when Curley stated the object of
the meeting. I did not hear Lansberry say
anything to anj body else when he served
the notices on them. 1 think when he came
to my house, he had been threshing buck
wheat at his sons, 1 think that he .said
when he was there, that he had not the no
tices with him, and would give it to me at
the meeting. My wife complained about
me being drafted. Iansberry was not in
the room when I was sworn at the second
meeting. The drafted men who were present
were Henry' Hubler, Ellis Evans. James
Lucas, David Ciowell, William Wilhelm
Hesekiah Lansberry, Henry Evans, and
others I do not now remember. John J.
Kyler taught us the signs. I do not know
whether Lausberry knew them or not.. He
never gave me any of the signs.
Question. Did not Lansberry insist upon
obedience to the laws of the country.
Answer. I could not say he was obeying
the laws when he told me not to report.
I have never witnessed any resistance to
the draft further than I have stated.
Question. If you were arrested and met
persons who understood your signs, what
did you expect them to do? . ? , .
Answer. I expected them to have me
released. . .
Question. In what way? ; '
Answer. By the way that was explained
in the meeting which, as I understood it,
wasto take me from the authorities, but not
to kill anybody. - '
Question by Court. Suppose the party
having you in -custody, refused to release
you, what then ? . ;
K?S7?,r--Tb WOulJ Uke me from them
best they could. em
as
I cannot say Lansberrv wad
did not see it done.
sworn, as I
at
was
I
June And
lial i
I
draft notices, for Graham towiuhi,, an.l l
believe he did serve them judcin trom th
return he made to me. 1 empioved him u
serve them. There was considerable uiffi
culty in getting any one to serve the noti
I was in Clearfield on Friday or SaturdavV
ter the draft, in Octotar, and a.-Led a DtinT
ber of persons from Graham twnsslm, f
serve the notices, but they all reluH-J. sm
uel Lanslerry came to me and risked tn '
the list of drafted men. 1 told him I could
not let him see it, unless he would cou-nt
to serve the notices. There was eon.iJcu
ble other talk, but that was the sub-amv of
what I told him. He wanted to know what
fe would have to do. I explained to him
that he- must take au oath to do it fanLtul
ly, and also explained how the notices were
to be served. He then a.-ked to see th
oath. I showed it to him, and he carefullv
read it over. He told me he could take the
ourh, and I then administered it to him
gave him the notices. I had tievcr wen him
before, to my knowledge.
GEORfiE W. Hall, sworn. I InnwSNm
uel Lansberry. I attended a secret meeting
at the lVlk School house, in trralium town
ship, about'the first of October last. Sam
uel Lansberry notified me of the tneetin
on the Sunday previous. He came to our
honse on that day. 1 le told me lie had s
draft notice for me and to come to the n-c-t-ing,
and he would give' it to we. Ilsi!
told me I should not reporr. He told m
he did not havjthe nut ice with hia;. lh
served the notice on we at the meeting"
There was quite a crowd Ptandinsr round
when he served the notice on uie. Tat rick
Curley stated the object of the meeting.
He said it was to get the men to stick ti.
gether, and that those who did not want t)
report, should help one another not to jrn.
I suppose 20 or 25 men were sworn. Thera
were a good many drafted wen sworn in.
1 fe served the notices after tlicy wore sworu.
The first time I recollect seeing him that
night was when he gave me my uoMl-;.
Cross Examined.- He did not tell
what kind of a meeting it was to be. II;
only told me there would be a meeting. I(,i
did not say it was to be a Democratic nutt
ing. My mother said, in the presence of
Lansberry, when he told me I was drafte l,
that I was too 3ouug. lie stopped at our
hou to tell father to fill up some graves in
the burying ground. I could not say posi
tively whether he was present when Curloy
stated the object of the meeting, nor wheth
er he was present when the oath was admin
istered to any one. 1 did not hear him say
that he would be willing to pay for substi
tutes. Willia-V W. Hoover, swo.n. I waj
drafted last October. Samuel La n -berry
left the notice at my father's house. I was
at the meeting at the Polk School-holism.
Lansberry notified me of it. It w i- J e!J
on Monday before the election in October.
25 or 30 present. We were sworn, to stick
together, and help one another not to go tho
army. I saw Lansberry just after the meet
ing was over. He gave the notices to the
drafted men who were there, after they were
sworn. He told me afterwards, not to re
port but to come and work for him. and he
would put me in a substitute. I went and
worked for him. I went to him about three
weeks after the draft. I had conversation
wltli Lhii ?eyr-il times about ' ioportin&
His advice on each occasion was not to re
port I worked for him upwards of 3 w eek.-.
1 I know of a party of men 'living, in the
woods in a lonsr cabin hint fall. William
Wilhelm. ILzekiah and Alex. Lansberry,
(sons of the ao used,) Thomas Holt, John
Loder and .myself composed it. We ware
all drafted men. It was about a week after
we got the notices that we. went to tl:-!
woods. We were ordered to report on th
20th October. We. got our: not jets on th
10th of October, I think the day U-lore
the election.-. e remained in the woods a
bout two weeks. We lived in a' shanty
which we constructed our elves We to. ,1:
provision with us from home. On Wcu
nesday after we went out, Samuel Lansl er
ry brought u provisions, in a spring waSC'ii...
We lt:d our rifles with us. ; W'e went then
to hunt that's what we built-the -batity
for. The time .for reporting was up v. lien
we got home. ; None of the pat ty report!.
It was Lansberry 'a team that brought tie
provisions. . '
Cross J'lcamineti. I did not see LinsWr
ry when the' oath was administered to nu
I never asked him to get me. a substitute.
I never sent him to a meeting to procure
one for me. -; He said he would get me wa
if he could be got for' $125. The place
where we were staving.lii the shanty, wai
the ordinary hunting grouod of the people
in that country. It is customary to go there
in the fall to hunt. My father and od;r
citizens were out at the same time. Lans
berry hauled provisions f jr all of us. I vas
with Lansberry from the 7th to the 2Uth.
Sonic ersons went homn from the shanty
and then came back. I would have gone
there to hunt, but I cannot spek for ths
others.
John Ix Loper, sworn. --1 live in Brad
ford town-hip, Clearfield eounty. Am a la
borer. I-know "Lansberry.' 1 was one of
the party living in the shanty in the woous.
All the men were drafted. They said they
went there to hunt. When 1 went there t
did not know the others were there. They
were all armed. I didn't hear anything
said about avoiding the draft It was .'aid,
that it was a nice place to resist the scdieri
if thev come. We left the woods on tbe
Saturday before the Presidential Election.
While we were there Alexander Lansberry
heard that he was exempted from the draft.
He t hen left They told him when he start
ed that if anv fighting was going on in the
the neighborhood they should let us Know.
Mr. Lansberry hauled us. provisions. wiU
his wagon and horses. The parties did not
seem to be much afraid of being arrested. .
Cross Ejcamined. It was ciistmnary to
hunt at that period of the year. The party
had more fire-arms than hunters usual y
take. Each man had a revolver, an article
which hunters do not usually carry.
The prosecution rested.
James IV Graham Esq., wav the first .
witness called for the defence. He
as folio s : I am 53 years old. Am Lasn
ior of the Clearfield County Bank. 1"
been acquainted with Samuel lansberry
John S. M'Kiernan, sworn I i
Smith's Mills, Clearfield county P,
auooimeu AJODUtV I'rnvrwt M
. .- -. . j ri .--.