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The Sarasota Assassination Society, also known as the Sarasota Vigilance Committee,〔“He Has Carried His Life in His Hands": The "Sarasota Assassination Society" of 1884. p. 1.〕 was a late 19th-century secret organization established by Alfred Bidwell, Dr. Leonard Andrews and Jason Alford in Manatee County, Florida. The organization, which was estimated to include twenty to twenty-two members, was purported to be a political social group or a Democratic Club.〔''Edge of Wilderness'', p. 352〕 The true aims of the group were chronicled in the February 2, 1885 ''New York Times'' article; “This organization is supposed to exist for the purpose of the secret murder of political opponents, and is composed of 20 members, bound together by terrible oaths to perform the bloody work of the band and to keep its secrets inviolate.”〔''The New York Times'', February 2, 1885〕 == Background == The Sarasota Vigilance Committee actively recruited new members from the community and subsequently controlled their ranks through intimidation, fear, and coercion. Members were obligated to actively seek jury service in matters involving other members, assist in the escape of members who were incarcerated, and ultimately, murder those individuals opposed by the group.〔''Edge of Wilderness'', p. 351〕 The group was organized by Alfred Bidwell and Dr. Leonard Andrews, who referred to themselves as “judges,” while members Jason Alford, “captain,” Louis Cato and Charles Willard, “lieutenants,” constituted the remaining command structure of the organization.〔“He Has Carried His Life in His Hands": The "Sarasota Assassination Society" of 1884. p. 16-17.〕 Notoriety for the Sarasota Vigilance Committee came with the murders of Charles E. Abbe and Harrison T. Riley. Abbe, who was painting the hull of an upturned boat with friend, Charles Morehouse, was shot in the face with a double-barreled shotgun.〔 Riley was ambushed while on horseback and shot in the head and body. His murders completed their heinous act by slitting his throat.〔 Though the murders occurred some six months apart, Riley’s death was unsolved until the investigation of Charles Abbe’s homicide. In her article “He Has Carried His Life in His Hands”: The Sarasota Assassination Society of 1884, Janet Snyder Matthews argues against the notion that the group had acted out of some fundamental belief that they (Sarasota Vigilance Committee) were actually defending early settlers from the excesses of land speculators. Matthews cites Karl H. Grismer’s book ''The Story of Sarasota'' as the source for this theory. Contrary to Grismer’s supposition, Matthews reports that the murders of Abbe and Riley were almost certainly committed to personally benefit the leadership of the Sarasota Vigilance Committee. The ultimate purpose of the organization was to plan and carry out the murders of five of Manatee County’s most notable and important figures: Charles E. Abbe, Harrison T. Riley, Robert Greer, Furman Whitaker, and Stephen Goings.〔The Bradenton Times, August 19, 2012〕 In total, nine members of the Sarasota Vigilance Committee were indicted for the murders of Charles E. Abbe and Harrison T. Riley. The indictments lead to the trials of eight men, with three being sentenced to death, four receiving life sentences, and one being acquitted. Two of those sentenced to death would later escape from prison and the remaining one would have his death sentence commuted to life in prison.〔''Edge of Wilderness'', p. 362〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Sarasota Assassination Society」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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