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 mo