_Webster Makes a Journey to the South.--A Secret Organization.--The
"Knights of Liberty."--Webster Becomes a Member.--A Sudden Intrusion of
the Military.--The Conspiracy Broken Up._
In accordance with my instructions, Webster commenced his tour through
southern Maryland, on Thursday, September 26th. He was accompanied by
John Scully, who had been assisting him in his Baltimore operations, and
they followed a line of travel which I laid out for them. Taking passage
on the steamboat "Mary Washington," they baffled the officers who
stopped them by showing a pass issued by the Provost-Marshal of
Baltimore, and were soon steaming down the Chesapeake toward Fair Haven,
which was their pretended destination. Arriving at that point they went
ashore, and proceeded to the village of Friendship. From there they
worked their way south-west to Prince Frederick, then across the Big
Patuxent to Bendict, from which place they proceeded to Charlotte Hall,
and thence on foot to Leonardtown, a distance of twenty miles. At the
last-named place they found Wm. H. Scott, another of my operatives,
awaiting them, and were accompanied by him during the remainder of the
journey.
A number of messages, written and verbal, which had been intrusted to
Webster by his Baltimore associates, were delivered at various points on
the route, thus enabling them to form the acquaintance of certain
secessionists who were men of prominence and influence in their
respective neighborhoods, and who in turn provided them with letters of
introduction to others of like ilk further on. Through this medium they
secured attention and hospitality wherever they stopped, and had the
advantage of valuable advice and assistance in the matter of pursuing
their journey safely.
They represented themselves to be rebel sympathizers on their way to the
Potomac, for the purpose of finding a safe place where goods could be
shipped across the river into Virginia. They were frequently cautioned
to be very careful, as there were Union soldiers stationed all along the
river, and people whose hearts were with the South were not permitted to
express their sentiments with impunity. They penetrated as far as a
point called Allen's Fresh, and deciding that they had gained all the
information that could be picked up in that part of the country, they
returned to Washington and reported to me.
When Webster re-appeared on the streets of Baltimore, after completing
this trip, he was more than ever lionized by his numerous friends who
were in the secret of his Southern journey, and its supposed object. By
endangering his life in the Southern cause, as it was believed he had
done, he had made himself a hero in the eyes of the traitors who were
attached to him.
"Are you still keeping mum?" he asked, as he stood in the center of a
group at Dickinson's billiard hall, adjoining the Exchange.
"Those who have any regard for their personal safety are doing so,"
replied Rogers; "and I think the majority of the boys have learned that
lesson. Baltimore is comparatively quiet now. Only one man has been
arrested since you left, and we have hopes that he will be released."
"Who is he?"
"A man from Washington. He was fool enough to think he could talk as he
pleased in Baltimore."
"By the way," remarked some one present, "Webster must join our----"
"Sh," cautioned Dave Dickinson, the proprietor of the billiard room.
"Have you no more sense than to reveal yourself _here_? Remember that
your lips are sealed by an oath on that subject."
There was a moment's silence; Webster looked from one to another, and
noticed that an air of mystery had settled upon every countenance
present.
"What's this?" he demanded with a laugh. "Is it a conspiracy to betray
me into the hands of the enemy?"
"Not exactly," replied Dickinson, whose laugh was echoed by the crowd.
"Sloan, you will give Mr. Webster his cue when a favorable opportunity
occurs. We want him with us, by all means."
Webster's curiosity was satisfied an hour later, when he and Sam Sloan
walked toward Miller's Hotel together.
"The fact is," said Sam, in a guarded tone, "since you went away we've
formed a secret organization."
"A secret organization?"
"Yes; and we have held several meetings."
"Is it a success?"
"A perfect success. Some of the best in town are among our members. We
may be forced to keep silent, but, by Heaven! they can't compel us to
remain idle. We are well organized, and we mean undying opposition to a
tyrannical government. I tell you, Webster, _we will not down_!"
"Never!" responded Webster, copying the boastful tone and bearing of his
companion. "It does not lie in the power of these white-livered Yankees
to make slaves of Southern men! I should like to become a member of your
society, Sloan."
"They all want you," said Sloan, eagerly. "They passed a resolution to
that effect at the last meeting. They want the benefit of your counsel
and influence."
"What is your society called?"
"The Knights of Liberty."
"When will your next meeting be held?"
"To-night."
"So soon?"
"And you are expected to attend. Have you any objections?"
"None whatever. But how will I get there?"
"I am delegated to be your escort," replied Sloan.
"What is your hour of meeting?"
"Twelve o'clock."
"Ah, a midnight affair. All right, Sam; you'll find me waiting for you
at the hotel."
Here they separated. Webster realized that quite an important period in
his Baltimore experience was opening up before him, and that all his
detective skill would probably be called into play to foil a band of
conspirators. How to thwart the schemes of these Knights of Liberty,
whose purpose, as he understood, was to assist in the overthrow of the
Government of the United States, was now the question to be solved.
He did not, however, attempt to form any plans at this time, but waited
for such developments as he had no doubt would be made that night. He
resolved to learn the nature of the plots that were in existence, before
he commenced counterplotting.
Promptly at eleven o'clock Sam Sloan put in an appearance at the hotel,
and he and Webster proceeded toward the place of meeting. The night was
dark and stormy, just the right sort of night, Webster thought, for the
concocting of hellish plots and the performance of evil deeds.
"That night, a chiel might understand,
The Deil had business on his hand."
The stars were hidden from view by masses of flying clouds; the wind
whistled shrilly through the trees and spires; while the deep,
threatening murmurs of distant thunder were accompanied by fitful
flashes of lightning, which illumined the scene with a weird, quivering
light. Few shops were open in the localities through which they passed.
Occasionally a light was seen struggling through the screened window of
a saloon, and the sound of midnight orgies within indicated that
business had not been suspended there; but elsewhere all was dark and
still.
Sloan led the way to a remote quarter of the city, and into a street
which bore a particularly bad reputation. Here he stopped, and said:
"I must blindfold you, Webster, before proceeding further. This is a
rule of the order which cannot, under any circumstances, be departed
from."
Webster submitted quietly, while a thick bandage was placed over his
eyes and securely fastened. Then Sloan took him by the arm and led him
forward.
Blindfolded as he was, he knew that they turned suddenly into an
alleyway, and he also knew when they passed through a gate, which Sloan
closed behind them. He rightly conjectured that they were now in a sort
of paved court, in the rear of a building.
"Come this way and make no noise," whispered Sloan.
The next moment the latter knocked on a door with a low, peculiar rap,
that was like a signal. Immediately a guarded voice on the inside was
heard:
"Are you white?"
"Down with the blacks!" responded Sloan.
Nothing more was said. A chain clanked inside, a bolt shot back, and the
door creaked on its hinges as it swung open.
Webster was led through, and he and his conductor began to ascend a
flight of stairs, so thickly carpeted that they emitted no sound from
the footsteps upon them.
At the head of the stairs they were again accosted:
"Halt! Who comes there?"
"Long live Jeff Davis," muttered Sloan.
Passing on through another door, they found themselves in a small,
square apartment, although, so far as Webster was concerned, there was
no ocular proof of this. There seemed to be several persons here, and a
voice, that was evidently meant to be tragical and impressive,
demanded:
"Whom have we here?"
"Most Noble Chief," said Sloan, humbly, "I have a friend in charge, who
wishes to become a worthy member of this league."
"His name?"
"Timothy Webster."
"Have the objects of the league been fully explained to him?"
"They have."
The gruff-voiced speaker then said:
"Mr. Webster, is it your desire to become a member of this knightly
band?"
"It is," responded the detective, firmly.
There was a sound as of a number of swords leaping from their scabbards,
and the clank and ring of the steel as the blades seemed to meet above
his head. Then the Grand Chief continued:
"You will now kneel upon one knee, and place your right hand upon your
heart, while I administer to you the binding obligation of our
brotherhood."
Webster did as he was directed, and in this attitude repeated the
following oath, as it was dictated to him:
"I, Timothy Webster, citizen of Baltimore, having been informed of the
objects of this association, and being in full accord with the cause
which it seeks to advance, do solemnly declare and affirm, upon my
sacred honor, that I will keep forever secret all that I may see or
hear, in consequence of being a member of this league; that I will
implicitly obey all orders, and faithfully discharge all duties assigned
to me, no matter of what nature or character they may be; and that life
or death will be held subordinate to the success and advancement of the
cause of the Confederacy and the defeat of the bloody tyrants who are
striving to rule by oppression and terrorism. Should I fail in the
proper performance of any task imposed upon me, or should I prove
unfaithful to the obligations I have here assumed, may I suffer the
severest penalty for treason and cowardice, as well as the odium and
contempt of my brother knights."
The swords clanked again as they were returned to their scabbards, and
the new-made member, having taken the oath, was commanded to rise. He
did so in silence, and the bandage was removed from his eyes.
At first the light of the room almost blinded him, but his eyes soon
became accustomed to the change, and he looked about him with some
curiosity. He found that he was in the presence of seven stalwart men,
besides Sloan, all of whom wore swords at their sides, dark cloaks
drooping from their shoulders, and black masks upon their faces. The
masks, however, were now removed, and Webster discovered, to his relief,
that they were all familiar to him.
"Mr. Webster," said the Chief, dropping his tragic tone of voice,
"without further ceremony, I pronounce you a Knight of Liberty. I greet
you heartily;" and then, extending his hand--"Come with me."
As they emerged into the main council-chamber, Webster quietly examined
his surroundings. It was a spacious apartment, very plain in its
appointments, with a low ceiling and bare walls, and furnished with
chairs arranged in rows around the room. At the head of the hall was a
low platform on which were tables and chairs. Behind these, on the wall,
were suspended two Confederate flags, artistically draped, above which
were the initials "K. of L." Some forty men were already assembled, and
others were quietly dropping in at intervals. Webster noticed that all
these men were from the better class of citizen secessionists, and that
the low, rowdy element was not represented. They were mostly men who had
not thus far been suspected of disloyalty to the Union cause.
The Grand Chief and other officers now took their positions on the
platform, and Webster was assigned to a seat where he could observe all
that was said or done.
Presently a clock in the room struck twelve. Instantly all the doors
opening into the chamber were securely locked, and the secret conclave
was in session. The Grand Chief rose and opened the meeting in regular
form; and again, after the secretary had read the journal, made an
address of some length. At the conclusion of his remarks, some one arose
and said:
"Most Worthy Chief, I believe we can now claim Mr. Webster as a member
of this body. I understand that he has just returned from an interesting
and somewhat dangerous mission, and I now move that he be invited to
address this meeting relative to his experiences during the journey he
has just completed."
Webster, taken by surprise, undertook to combat the proposition, but the
motion was unanimously concurred in, and no excuses were accepted. He
therefore yielded good-naturedly, and mounting the platform, he
proceeded to relate some of the particulars of his trip to the Potomac.
He made the recital as entertaining and agreeable as possible, and
although his statements did not always possess the merit of being
strictly true, they were such as could not fail to meet the approval of
his hearers, and were therefore received with great favor. Concluding
with a well-timed panegyric on the "faithful" of Baltimore, he resumed
his seat amid the congratulations of his many admiring friends.
After this, the regular business of the meeting was taken up, in which
Webster took no other part than that of a close listener and observer.
Motions were made, resolutions were adopted, and various duties assigned
to volunteer committees. The proceedings grew more and more interesting
to the detective as they progressed, and it was not long before he began
to feel considerable surprise, if not alarm, at the unexpected
revelations which were made. It became evident to him that these
conspirators had by some means succeeded in placing themselves in direct
communication with the Confederate leaders, and that a gigantic plot was
now in preparation to make a united and irresistible movement against
Washington. Nearly ten thousand Baltimoreans, it was alleged, were
prepared to rise in arms at a moment's notice, and join the rebel army,
whenever such a movement might seem feasible. It appeared, also, that
the Baltimoreans were not alone in this plot against the government, but
that branches of their organization existed in a number of the outlying
towns, and that the secessionists of the entire State were working
harmoniously together for the accomplishment of one great purpose. There
was no lack of arms, for these had already been secured, but their place
of concealment was known only to a few and they were not to be brought
to light until they should be needed.
The main portion of the plot seemed to be well matured, and was most
perfect in its details. The arrival of the rebel army in Maryland was
expected in a very short time, as they had the promises of the Southern
commanders themselves that they would soon cross the Potomac. Their
coming was to be the signal for a simultaneous uprising of all the
secessionists in the Western and Southern portions of the State, who
were to unite in a movement that could scarcely fail to carry
everything before it. There were also deep-laid schemes by which the
Federals were to be kept in ignorance of the real designs of the
Confederates, until too late to avert the blow.
The extent of the conspiracy rather startled Webster, although some of
the projects sounded rather visionary, and he made up his mind to
consult with me at once. Accordingly, the very next day, he proceeded to
Washington, and was closeted with me for several hours. As soon as he
had explained the situation, I devised a plan of procedure, and gave him
full instructions as to the manner in which he should proceed. The great
object, of course, was to break up the organization, and defeat the
conspiracy in a manner that would not compromise Webster; but it was not
deemed prudent to go about this with any inordinate haste.
I advised Webster to continue attending the meetings, in the character
of an active conspirator; to learn all he could, and report to me as
often as possible. In the meantime, I would send him two other
operatives, and he was to secure their admission into the secret
society, as members thereof. In a week or two the final act in the
little drama would be introduced by first making a confidant of Mr.
McPhail, the deputy Provost-Marshal of Baltimore, and then confronting
the conspirators with a company of armed soldiers.
Webster returned to Baltimore with a clear understanding of the course
he was to pursue, and he followed that course with the untiring zeal
with which he performed every duty assigned to him. He attended the
midnight meetings regularly, and gained much information concerning the
plans and movements of the Southern commanders, which proved of
incalculable value to the government. The two operatives soon contrived
to join the society, not through Webster's recommendation, as that was
to be avoided, if possible, but by making the acquaintances of men whom
he pointed out to them, and representing themselves as secessionists who
were capable of keeping their own counsel.
This done, the rest was comparatively easy. By the rules of the society,
no one could enter the secret chamber of the conspirators without
passing two guards, and giving sundry pass-words. These guards were
appointed by the Chief from those who volunteered for the positions. At
stated periods, new pass-words were arranged, by which every man was
required to answer the questions of the guards, and any one who failed
to commit these to memory sufficiently to satisfy these sentinels that
he was a member of the society, found himself barred out of the meeting.
Our plan worked to perfection. There came a night when my two operatives
were on duty, as guards, they having volunteered their services at the
last preceding meeting. This was the night set apart for the surprise.
It had been announced that Webster would speak that night, and it had
been arranged with the guards, that a certain part in his speech should
be taken as the signal for the grand finale that had been decided upon.
The hour of midnight approached. The old building in which the secret
conclaves were held was shrouded in silence and darkness. At intervals
one or more dark figures might have been seen to enter the covered
archway leading thereto, and pass through the gate into the narrow
court. Then, one at a time, they approached a certain door, and after a
signal rap, and a low, muttered conversation with the guards, they
passed in and ascended the dimly-lighted stairs. Another brief dialogue
with the inside guard, and they entered the council-chamber, where they
dropped their mysterious manner, and were ready to answer to their names
at the calling of the roll.
The clock struck twelve. The sound rang through the apartment in solemn,
measured tones, and as the twelfth stroke was still vibrating in the
air, all the doors, even those communicating with the ante-rooms, were
promptly locked, no one being admitted after that hour.
The meeting was opened after the regular form, and the business disposed
of without interruption. When the time which was set apart for addresses
arrived, Webster was called upon for his speech. He ascended the
platform with a serious expression on his face, and after thanking his
fellow-knights for the honor conferred upon him, he launched forth into
a stirring address, the treasonable nature of which was calculated to
fire the Southern blood of his hearers, and to add much to his own
popularity. As the speaker appeared to warm up with his subject he
lifted his voice and exclaimed:
"The dissolution of the Union is one of the inevitable necessities of
Lincoln's election, and it will be our mission to strike directly at the
heart of the abolition party, and bury its foul carcass beneath the
smoking ruins of Washington city!"
This was the signal. The words had no sooner passed the lips of the
speaker, than a startling noise, like that of a battering-ram being
applied to one of the ante-room doors, cut short the speech, and caused
every man present to spring to his feet in astonishment and alarm. Bang!
bang! bang! sounded the heavy blows. The door burst open with a crash,
and a stream of blue-coated soldiers, all fully armed, came pouring into
the council-chamber, and quickly deployed around three sides of the
room, effectually cutting off the retreat of the inmates before they
could make a movement.
[Illustration: "_The door burst open and a stream of blue coated
soldiers came pouring in._" P 298]
The sudden and unexpected appearance of these intruders had a paralyzing
effect upon the conspirators. Had so many ghosts confronted them they
could not have been more surprised. Horrified consternation was depicted
on every blanched face; startled eyes looked wildly around for some
avenue of escape, and exclamations of terror or baffled rage broke from
many white lips. Some of the most desperate seemed for a moment to
entertain thoughts of breaking through the line of soldiers and reaching
the door, but no such mad attempt was made. McPhail stepped forward with
a revolver in each hand, and in a low, thrilling voice, said:
"Gentlemen, you are our prisoners. I advise you to give in gracefully.
We are too many for you."
His advice did not go unheeded. They surrendered as gracefully as
possible under the circumstances, and resigned themselves to the custody
of their armed foes. The chamber in which they had maliciously plotted
the overthrow of the government became the scene of their own downfall,
and it was with dejected countenances that they submitted to the
inevitable, and permitted themselves to be marched in a body before the
Provost-Marshal. It was not observed, however, until they were being
removed, that Timothy Webster had somehow contrived to make good his
escape.
The leading spirits of this conspiracy--those who did the actual
plotting, and who were known to be the arch traitors and prime movers in
the secret enterprise--were taken to Fort McHenry. The rest, after
taking the oath of allegiance, were released.
My two operatives disappeared from Baltimore immediately after this
occurrence, as well they might, for of course the suspicion of the
defeated conspirators fastened upon them at once. As they did not show
themselves in that city again, however, they never were made the victims
of the terrible vengeance which some of their late associates swore to
bring down upon their luckless heads at the first opportunity. As for
Webster, instead of being suspected of any complicity in the betrayal,
he was congratulated upon his fortunate and remarkable escape from the
fate which befell his unfortunate brother knights.
With the defeat of the "Knights of Liberty" in Baltimore, ended the
existence of the branch lodges all over the State. The organization,
which had so carefully planned the destruction of the Union at a single
blow, was completely broken up. The conspirators, taking warning by the
fate of their leaders, became mute and inactive, and although skilled
detectives were sent to all outlying towns, no new signs of an uprising
were discovered.