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,
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[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.]