The Clan-na-gael numbered its members to suppress individuality as well as maintain secrecy

Evidence

In the Irish conspiracy which was organized under the name of Clan-na-gael in America in 1870, the individual members were never designated by their names, but only by numbers. This, too, of course, was done for the practical purpose of secrecy; but, at the same time, it proves how much this purpose suppresses individuality. — Georg Simmel, The Sociology of Georg Simmel, 8992

Categorization

• CANDY: A crisp historical tidbit: a real 1870 Irish-American conspiracy whose members were only known by numbers — good dinner-conversation material.