THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF ILLINOIS 
 LIBRARY 
 
 329.8 
 
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 V 
 
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 The person charging this material is re¬ 
 sponsible for its return to the library from 
 which it was withdrawn on or before the 
 Latest Date stamped below. 
 
 Theft, mutilation, and underlining of books 
 are reasons for disciplinary action and may 
 result in dismissal from the University. 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN 
 
 JAN 2 1 19 ; 
 
 r 5 
 
 
 . JAN 21 
 
 1975 
 
 
 JUN t 
 
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 AUG 1 5 
 
 1379 
 
 
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 1973 
 
 
 DEC i 
 
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 NOV 2 9 
 
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 ♦ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
THE TRUE HISTORY 
 
 REGARDING ALLEGED CONNECTION OF THE ORDER OF 
 
 ANCIENT, 
 
 I 
 
 EE AND A 
 
 T 
 
 J 
 
 in 
 J 
 
 EPTED MASONS 
 
 WITH THE ABDUCTION AND MURDER OF 
 
 WILLIAM MORGAN, 
 
 In Western New York, in 1826. 
 
 TOGETHER WITH MUCH 
 
 Interesting and Valuable Contemporary History. 
 
 COMPILED FROM AUTHENTIC DOCUMENTS AND RECORDS. 
 
 BY 
 
 P. C. HUNTINGTON. 
 
 rJ< 
 
 CHICAGO: 
 
 HUNTINGTON & CO., PUBLISHERS, 
 
 1883. 
 
COPYRIGHT. 
 
 P. C. HUNTINGTON. 
 
 1886. 
 
1 
 
 1%%Z 
 
 TO THE ORDER 
 
 OF 
 
 ANCIENT, FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS, 
 
 WHOSE 
 
 PATRIOTISM, PHILANTHROPY AND BENEFICENT INFLUENCE 
 ARE WIDE AS HUMAN LIFE, 
 
 THIS VOLUME 
 
 IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED. 
 
 
i HIM#JjhlW 
 
 
 Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2019 with funding from 
 
 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Alternates 
 
 https://archive.org/details/truehistoryregar00hunt_0 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The first edition of “Masonic Light” was issued a 
 little more than six years ago, and it is not too much 
 to say was commended by those interested. 
 
 Since that time a large amount of interesting and 
 valuable material and history relative to this affair has 
 come to the compiler’s hand, covering and completing 
 the argument, and adding the climax of evidence regard¬ 
 ing the false statements of Anti-Masons. 
 
 Chapters X and XI which comprise the added records 
 will be found replete with interesting and convincing 
 facts. 
 
 As there is nothing that tortures bigoted assertion 
 more than history—it is confidently believed that the 
 publication of this volume of historic facts will be ap¬ 
 preciated by all lovers of the truth. 
 
 P. C. H. 
 
 Chicago, August, 1886. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Introduction.. ... 7 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Morgan and his Coadjutors . 24 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Regarding the Abduction of Morgan and Trial of 
 his Alleged Abductors. 33 
 
 CHAPTER IY. 
 
 Regarding Alleged Discovery of Morgan’s Body. . 57 
 
 CHAPTER Y. 
 
 Confession of R. H. Hill and Others .. 97 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Edward Giddins . 105 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Col. Vm. King and Capt. Hyde. 113 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Anti-masonic Excitement in Western New York, 
 and the Means used to Increase it. 121 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Concurrent Events and Items. 132 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Thurlow Weed. His Connection with the Morgan 
 Affair, and the Anti-Masonic Agitation in 
 New York. 147 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 What Became of William Morgan . 157 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Conclusion . 170 
 
MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 F OR more than fifty years past, the 
 opponents of Free Masonry in this 
 country have left no means untried 
 to prejudice and malign the ancient order. 
 
 Beginning more particularly with the ve¬ 
 hement and fanatical series of so-called 
 “ exposures” in Western New York, in the 
 year 1826 , there has been a constant and 
 bitter crusade against the institution, break¬ 
 ing out with more or less vindictiveness as 
 one or another irrepressible individual has 
 considered himself specially called upon to 
 anathematize and denounce. 
 
 Very few now living can appreciate the 
 annoyance, and even peril, which surrounded 
 
8 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 those who held steadfast to their Masonic 
 faith through the stormy excitements of half 
 a century ago. The dominant principle of 
 anti-masonry at that time consisted not 
 only in denouncing all Masons indiscrimin¬ 
 ately, but likewise all those who would not 
 join in denouncing them. Cold, obdurate 
 and deceptive, it knew no compromise and 
 would accept no peace offering. Nothing 
 but submission to its dictates, and promised 
 aid in the diffusion of its terrors, could save 
 its victims, or avert a meditated blow. It 
 severed the ties of kindred, destroyed the 
 peace of families, armed in almost deadly 
 strife one portion of community against 
 another, instigated the violation of law, 
 and shed its baneful influence over every 
 good and sacred thing. Churches were 
 broken up, political parties disrupted, and 
 the most tender ties of friendship between 
 man and man were counted for nought by 
 those who went mad on the subject of the 
 mystic order. Fraud, deception and hypoc¬ 
 risy marked its course then as now, injustice 
 and oppression accompanied its progress, 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 9 
 
 and a wide waste of moral ruin has always 
 followed in its train. 
 
 That we do not exaggerate the bitter and 
 fanatical spirit which animated the anti¬ 
 masons of fifty years ago, we will give a sin¬ 
 gle personal reminiscence respecting Deacon 
 Benjamin Porter, who resided in Western 
 New York at that time, and whose blame¬ 
 less life can be vouched for by some who 
 are still living. 
 
 Deacon Porter was one of those char¬ 
 acters of the early day who believed in 
 making his life a blessing. Born and educa¬ 
 ted in the midst of a sturdy yet tender 
 Christian atmosphere, he seemed to delight 
 in extending the influences which had 
 cheered him to all he met. Did sickness, 
 distress or poverty come upon any of his 
 neighbors, he was the first to soothe or 
 bring the needed relief. 
 
 As soon as the settlement where he had 
 located had grown so as to justify building 
 a house for public worship, he was among 
 the first and most efficient of its projectors, 
 and, being limited in his means, became 
 
10 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 thereby embarrassed. His Christian forti¬ 
 tude however, never forsook him, and, hav¬ 
 ing for a long time “ carried the Church in 
 his arms,” he looked forward with confidence 
 to the time when the church should afford 
 him a place of rest and comfort. 
 
 The building being at length completed 
 and a pastor called and settled, all was 
 peace and harmony till anti-masonry pre¬ 
 sented itself at her portals. 
 
 Influenced by some of its bigoted and 
 prejudiced members it was decided that 
 anti-masonry should thenceforth he united 
 with Christianity in administering at her 
 altar. 
 
 Deacon Porter, being a Mason, was called 
 upon to renounce the order and declare to 
 the world over his own signature that he 
 had been “ a hypocrite and villain for years.” 
 This he promptly and emphatically refused 
 to do, and for that reason was expelled from 
 the church. Notwithstanding the zeal he 
 had always manifested in her favor; not¬ 
 withstanding his long and meritorious ser¬ 
 vices; and notwithstanding the fact that 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 11 
 
 the frosts of more than seventy winters had 
 whitened his locks, the relentless spirit of 
 anti-masonry which had gained control of 
 the church turned its back upon him and 
 denied him its offices and its consolations. 
 Because he would not obey the behests of 
 anti-masonry and brand himself a perjured 
 impostor he was excluded from the church 
 he had done so much to institute and 
 adorn. 
 
 The sentiments of an anti-masonic speaker 
 before a convention held in 1827 are so 
 atrocious that we reproduce a portion here, 
 shewing thereby the spirit of intolerance 
 and bitterness which animated those who 
 were instrumental in establishing the party. 
 
 “We are (says he) commencing a course 
 which will necessarily bring with it much 
 disquietude and distress, the intercourse of 
 business will be obstructed, the laudable 
 associations of neighborhoods will be con¬ 
 vulsed, and many of the best sympathies of 
 our natures will be violently turned away 
 from their customary channels.” 
 
12 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 Such sentiments as these, a Robespierre 
 or a Marat would have been ashamed to 
 own. No other than men reckless of charac¬ 
 ter and of all the finer feelings which should 
 animate the human heart would have cher¬ 
 ished such malignant intentions, and no 
 other than the “ architects of ruin ” would 
 have given them utterance. 
 
 In May, 1827, the Masonic lodge of 
 Batavia, New York, announced their inten¬ 
 tion of celebrating the approaching anniver¬ 
 sary of St. John the Baptist in an appropriate 
 manner. No sooner was this announcement 
 made than the anti-masons determined to 
 interfere and create a disturbance. When 
 the day arrived, and some 300 Masons had 
 joined in peaceable procession, they were 
 met by between 4,000 and 5,000 anti-masons, 
 some armed with guns and some with large 
 knives, all bent on breaking up the lawful 
 meeting of the hated Masons. Had the 
 latter, smarting as they did under the insults 
 heaped upon them, been at all resentful, no 
 doubt the streets of the village of Batavia 
 would have been a scene of bloodshed, and 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 13 
 
 the land would have again rung with de¬ 
 nunciations of the order. On a subsequent 
 occasion, when Masons met to elect their 
 annual officers, efforts were made to prevent 
 them from assembling, and for that purpose 
 an effigy was carried through the streets 
 and burned opposite the lodge room. No 
 matter how pure-minded, how wealthy, or 
 how worthy, a man need only be known as 
 a Mason and he was removed from office 
 without color of law, excluded from juries, 
 and, so far as possible, was outlawed and 
 proscribed. All sorts of heinous offenses 
 were charged against the order, whether 
 or not there w r as the slightest foundation 
 for the same, and time has scarcely softened 
 rhe disposition of a certain class to malign 
 and traduce everyone who dares to connect 
 himself with the institution. Not the least 
 disreputable characteristic of the present 
 opponents of Free Masonry is a persistent 
 disposition to twist and distort plain matters 
 of history respecting the order, and espe¬ 
 cially regarding the disappearance of a man 
 named William Morgan, who lived in West- 
 
14 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 ern New York about fifty years ago. The 
 history of his pretended revelations, under 
 the title of “ Morgan s Illustrations of 
 Masonry is familiar to all, and ever since 
 that time it has been asserted and re-assert- 
 ed that he was abducted and drowned upon 
 instigation and by the hands of prominent 
 and influential Masons, and that the order 
 have always justified the alleged murder. 
 
 The essential facts relative to this matter 
 have been suppressed, and false narratives 
 and chronicles in regard to the events them¬ 
 selves and the investigations which followed 
 have been issued and circulated almost 
 without number. There has been no end 
 of endeavor on the part of anti-masonic 
 writers to pervert history, and so accus¬ 
 tomed have Masons become to this sort of 
 literature that they have to a great extent 
 allowed it to pass without any attempt at 
 refutation, supposing, we presume, that 
 time would eventually rectify these mis¬ 
 statements and demonstrate the Machiave- 
 lian juggling of these dishonest historians. 
 The eloquence of silence has, to a great 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 15 
 
 extent, been the policy of the order, and, as 
 a consequence, there are many thousands 
 who do not know the true history of what 
 is called the William Morgan excitement. 
 Another illustration of the shameless and 
 disreputable perversion of historic facts by 
 anti-masonic agitators and writers is the 
 reiteration of the story that Morgan’s body 
 was found on the shore of Lake Ontario, 
 and recognized by his friends and others. 
 Within the past three months, in a circular 
 issued by one of these anti-masonic publish¬ 
 ing firms, this falsehood is repeated in the 
 face of unquestionable historic facts, which 
 we shall produce in a chapter further on. 
 In this same circular, a letter is published, 
 written by Charles Francis Adams, under 
 date of March 23, 1880, in which, while 
 writing respecting the Morgan affair, he 
 makes the statement that the Masonic 
 order never expressed any “ regret for the 
 offense.” 
 
 The utter falsity of this assertion is easily 
 refuted by reference to the following historic 
 
16 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 fact which we find in the Albany , (N. Y.) 
 Masonick Becord of February lOfch, 1827. 
 
 “ The Grand Royal Arch Chapter of the 
 State of New York commenced its annual 
 session in this city on Tuesday last, and 
 adjourned this day. Upwards of one hund¬ 
 red and ten subordinate Chapters were rep¬ 
 resented. Previous to its adjournment the 
 following proceedings were had: 
 
 “To the most excellent the Grand Chapter 
 of the State of New York :— 
 
 “ The Committee appointed by resolution 
 of the Grand Chapter, on the affair of 
 William Morgan, respectfully report: 
 
 “ That they have attended to the duties 
 assigned them, and that from the highly 
 agitated and inflamed state of publick feel¬ 
 ing on this subject, and from the false and 
 undeserved imputations which have been 
 thrown upon Free Masons, and the Masonick 
 order generally, your Committee deem it 
 proper that this Grand Chapter should make 
 a publick expression of its sentiments in 
 relation to the affair alluded to. Your 
 Committee, as expressive of their views on 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 17 
 
 the subject, embraced in this report, would 
 offer, for the consideration of the Grand 
 Chapter, the following preamble and resolu¬ 
 tions :— 
 
 “ Whereas ,—the rights of personal liberty 
 and security are guaranteed by the free 
 constitution under which we, the members 
 of this Grand Chapter, in common with the 
 rest of our fellow citizens, have the happi¬ 
 ness to live: and whereas, we esteem the 
 preservation of these rights of vital impor¬ 
 tance to the perpetuity and full enjoyment 
 of the blessings of our republican institu¬ 
 tions: and whereas, the community has 
 lately witnessed a violation of the same, 
 under the alleged pretext of the Masonick 
 name and sanction (in the case of William 
 Morgan): and whereas, the principles of 
 our ancient and honourable fraternity con¬ 
 tain nothing which in the slightest degree 
 justify or authorise such proceedings; but, 
 on the contrary, do in all their tenets and 
 ceremonies encourage and inculcate a just 
 submission to the laws, the enjoyment of 
 equal rights by every individual, and a high 
 
18 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 and elevated spirit of personal as well as 
 national independence:— 
 
 “ Therefore resolved, by this GrandChapter, 
 that we its members, individually and as a 
 body, do disclaim all knowledge or approba¬ 
 tion of the said proceedings, in relation to 
 the abduction of the said William Morgan; 
 and that we disapprove of the same, as a 
 violation of the majesty of the laws, and an 
 infringement of the rights of personal liberty 
 secured to every citizen of our free and 
 happy republick. 
 
 “ Besolved , That the foregoing report, 
 preamble and resolution be published. 
 
 “A true extract from the minutes of the 
 Grand Royal Arch Chapter of the State of 
 
 New York. «j ohn0 . Cole, 
 
 “6r. Secretary 
 
 The Lyons Royal Arch Chapter, in the 
 county of Wayne, on the 15th day of March, 
 1827, adopted the following preamble and 
 resolutions: 
 
 “ At a meeting of the Lyons Royal Arch 
 Chapter, held at Chapter Hall, March 15th, 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 19 
 
 1827, the following preamble and resolutions 
 were adopted: 
 
 “ Whereas , the abduction of William Mor¬ 
 gan has given rise to much excitement in 
 the publick mind against the fraternity 
 of Free Masons, and as efforts have been 
 made, both in public newspapers and in 
 private circles, to charge the outrage com¬ 
 mitted upon his person against the whole 
 body of Masons, as such; and, whereas, 
 many pretend to believe, and endeavour to 
 inculcate that belief in others, that the 
 Masonick fraternity claims a right to inflict 
 corporal punishment, and even put to death 
 such of its members as reveal its secrets or 
 violate its laws,—Therefore 
 
 “Resolved, that we hereby declare unto the 
 world that Masons acknowledge no laws 
 which contravene the constitution and laws 
 of their country, and that the Masonick in¬ 
 stitution claims no right to inflict corporal 
 or other punishment upon its members, 
 except suspensions, and expulsions, and that 
 the exercise of any further or any greater 
 
20 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 power than this would be in violation of 
 the most sacred principles of our order. 
 
 “ Besolved , That we view with deep regret 
 the gross violation of the laws of our 
 country, and the rules and principles of 
 Masonry, by members of our institution, in 
 the late affair of William Morgan, and that 
 we utterly disclaim all knowledge of, or 
 participation whatever, in the abduction of 
 said Morgan; and that we will as Masons, 
 have no communication whatever with those 
 persons who were engaged in the perpetra¬ 
 tion of this outrage. 
 
 “I certify the foregoing preamble and reso¬ 
 lutions to be a true extract from the 
 minutes of the Lyons Royal Arch Chapter. 
 Dated March 15th, 1827. 
 
 “Graham H. Chapin, 
 
 “ Secretary .” 
 
 Similar resolutions were adopted at the 
 meetings of many Lodges and Chapters in 
 various parts, of the State; and it seems 
 strange that so distinguished a gentleman 
 as the one in question should so deliber- 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 21 
 
 ately falsify history. Whether his state¬ 
 ment is made from malice or ignorance, of 
 course we cannot judge. Certain it is he 
 has no reasonable excuse for writing such a 
 palpable falsehood. At this late day the 
 simple assertion of one even as prominent 
 as Mr. Adams is not to be taken for granted 
 when the plain facts of history are so clearly 
 against it. The erratic agitator, Wendell 
 Phillips, also adds his frantic screech against 
 Free Masonry in this same delectable docu¬ 
 ment by saying: “ Every Freemason swears 
 to break the law, commit the greatest crimes, 
 and repudiate Christianity.” Such state¬ 
 ments as these are too preposterous to 
 undertake to answer. They are quite be¬ 
 neath argument, and are simply another 
 verification of our assertion, that anti- 
 masonic statements are worthy of no 
 credence whatever. Further chapters will 
 reveal this shocking spirit clearly to all our 
 readers. 
 
 In short, we propose to tear the mask off 
 these hypocritical, canting pretenders, and 
 show, from records which are authentic, 
 
22 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 that there is no positive proof that William 
 Morgan was ever murdered, and that the 
 body which was claimed to be his was not 
 his at all, and, finally, that the vindictive 
 trials which resulted from the abduction 
 failed to establish the fact that the Masonic 
 order instigated or carried it out. All 
 writings and speeches of anti-masons, when 
 treating of these early excitements in West¬ 
 ern New York, show a wilful and deliberate 
 determination to pervert every historic fact. 
 In other words, the idea seems to be that a 
 lie, often told and well persisted in, answers 
 them the purpose of a truth. Anti-masonic 
 publications which were issued during the 
 years 1827, ’28 and ’29 have been the 
 mainstay of these later writers, without 
 regard to their truth or falsehood. And yet 
 nothing has developed to verify the terrible 
 prophecies of these affrighted seers. Ma¬ 
 sonry, instead of developing into “ a demor¬ 
 alizing, blasphemous, murderous, anti-re¬ 
 publican and anti-Christian system,” as a 
 writer of that day asserted it would, has 
 gone on in its benign course, the handmaid 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 23 
 
 of Christianity and civilization, blessing 
 thousands, and proving itself a benefaction 
 to the world. Instead of being the pitiless 
 and malevolent institution it has so many 
 times been pronounced, history has proven 
 it to be exactly the contrary. And, if in 
 this little volume we may be able to shed 
 some true light upon the historic page, 
 showing that the ancient order of Free 
 Masonry has been basely and vindictively 
 assailed, we shall be satisfied with our 
 efforts. 
 
 The testimony and statements given re¬ 
 garding the Morgan case, and contempora¬ 
 neous events connected therewith, can be 
 relied upon as the truth. Some of this 
 evidence and history has been published in 
 garbled forms inwarious anti-masonic books 
 and pamphlets. Our desire is to fairly and 
 honestly repeat history as we find it. And 
 though we are aware that this record may 
 give offense to some, we can only say, in 
 the language of Themistocles, “ Strike, but 
 hear me.” 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 MORGAN AND HIS COADJUTORS. 
 
 T HE man named William Morgan, 
 who acquired such general but un¬ 
 enviable notoriety about fifty-four 
 years ago, was born in Culpepper County, 
 Virginia, in the year 1775 or ’76. Of bis 
 early history little or nothing is known. It 
 has been asserted that be was a Captain in 
 Gen. Jackson’s army, and fought at the 
 battle of New Orleans. It has also been 
 stated that be belonged to a band of pirates, 
 and was at one time sentenced to be bung. 
 Probably neither of these reports is true ; 
 one thing is certain, the records of the War 
 Department at Washington furnish no proof 
 that be was ever in the army. In 1821, he 
 removed to York, Canada, where be com¬ 
 menced the business of a brewer. Before 
 
MORGAN AND HIS COADJUTORS. 25 
 
 long, however, his brewery burned and he 
 removed to Rochester, where he worked at 
 his trade—bricklaying—for a while, receiv¬ 
 ing assistance from the Masonic fraternity 
 toward the support of his family. From 
 there he went to Batavia, where he also 
 worked at his trade at intervals until 1826. 
 During his residence at the latter place he 
 was very intemperate and frequently neg¬ 
 lected his family. Without the advantages 
 of education in early life, he had subse¬ 
 quently acquired a fair knowledge of read¬ 
 ing, writing and arithmetic, and was a 
 tolerably good accountant. Possessed of a 
 fair share of common sense, and considera¬ 
 ble suavity of manner, he appeared respect¬ 
 able ; and, when not under the influence of 
 drink, was said to be a pleasant, social com¬ 
 panion. He was made a Royal Arch Mason 
 in Le Roy, New York, in the year 1824. 
 
 In 1825, it was proposed to establish a 
 Chapter in Batavia, and a petition to the 
 Grand Chapter of the State was drawn up 
 for the purpose of obtaining a charter. 
 
26 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT 
 
 The individual to whom this petition was 
 intrusted for procuring signatures (without 
 reflecting that all who signed the petition 
 would, of course, become members) inad¬ 
 vertently presented it to Morgan, and 
 he, being at that time a zealous Mason, 
 signed it. Before the petition was presented 
 to the Grand Chapter, however, some indi¬ 
 viduals, unwilling that he should become a 
 member on account of his habits, thought 
 it advisable to draw up a new petition, which 
 was accordingly done. The new one was 
 presented, and a charter obtained. When 
 the charter subsequently arrived, and the 
 Chapter was about being organized, it was 
 found, much to Morgan’s surprise, that his 
 name was not included among the number, 
 and of course he could not be admitted 
 without a unanimous vote. Being unable 
 at that time to procure such a vote, he was 
 excluded. At this he took offense, and it 
 is reasonable to suppose that this was the 
 primary cause of his subsequent actions 
 toward the order. At all events, from 
 being the warm and zealous friend of the 
 
MORGAN AND HIS COADJUTORS. 27 
 
 institution, as he had hitherto pretended to 
 be, he became at once its determined foe. 
 His habits being dissolute, and the com¬ 
 panions with whom he usually associated 
 spurring him on to the undertaking, to¬ 
 gether with the wealth which he supposed 
 would reward his exertions, induced him, at 
 every hazard, to attempt the revelation of 
 Masonic secrets. Having no means, he 
 sought for some one to become financially 
 responsible in publishing his “ exposures.” 
 A partnership arrangement was entered into 
 with three men named John Davids, David 
 C. Miller, and Russell Dyer, and on the 
 13th of March, 1826, while Morgan was at 
 work on his manuscript, the following oath 
 was made and subscribed to: 
 
 “ We, and each of us, do hereby most 
 solemnly and sincerely promise and swear, 
 upon the Holy Evangelists of Almighty 
 God, that we will never divulge during our 
 natural lives, communicate or make known 
 to any person or persons in the known world, 
 our knowledge, or any part thereof, respect¬ 
 ing William Morgan’s intentions (commu- 
 
28 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 nicated to us), to publish a book on the 
 subject of Free Masonry, neither by writing, 
 marking^ or insinuations, or any way devis¬ 
 able by man. Sworn and subscribed this 
 13th day of March, 1826.” 
 
 Signed, “John Davids. 
 
 “David C. Miller. 
 
 “Bussell Dyer.” 
 
 On the 5th day of August following, these 
 parties executed a bond to Morgan “ in the 
 penal sum of five hundred thousand dollars, 
 conditioned for the payment of one-fourth 
 part of the sum which should be received 
 on the sale of a certain book upon Free 
 Masonry, which the said John Davids, 
 David C. Miller and Bussell Dyer are about 
 to publish.” 
 
 On the 7th day of August, and only two 
 days after the said bond purports to have 
 been dated, Morgan, who had had some 
 trouble with his friends and partners, ad¬ 
 dressed to them the following note: 
 
MORGAN AND HIS COADJUTORS. 29 
 
 Batavia, August 7, 1826. 
 
 Gentlemen : 
 
 My note of this morning has not been 
 answered. Further evasion and equivocation I 
 will not submit to. Acknowledge you are not 
 gentlemen, or I will expose you in twelve hours, 
 unless you do as you agreed to. I am not a child; 
 if you suppose I am, you are mistaken. I am a 
 man, and will not suffer myself to be imposed on. 
 You have not acted as gentlemen; I am sorry to be 
 compelled to say it. Every part of your conduct 
 has been mysterious, and why so? My first im¬ 
 pressions were, that you are not honest men; 
 therefore, I wish to settle and have no more to do 
 with you. If either of you feel hurt, call on me 
 as gentlemen and I will give you any satisfaction 
 
 you wish. William Morgan. 
 
 David C. Miller, whose name appears in 
 the above transaction, was the only one 
 who finally became personally and inti¬ 
 mately associated with Morgan in issuing 
 his hook. He was publisher of a small 
 weekly paper in Batavia, and it was at his 
 office that the “ Illustrations of Masonry ” 
 were printed. Miller was endowed by 
 nature with a great deal of cunning. Pos¬ 
 sessed of respectable talents, and familiar 
 with the arts to which designing men fre- 
 
30 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 quently resort for the acquisition of power 
 in cases of doubtful policy, and withal en¬ 
 joying great freedom from religious scru¬ 
 ples, he was admirably fitted to fill a station 
 which the folly of a few misguided mem¬ 
 bers of the Masonic fraternity created, it 
 seems, for his use and benefit. The estab¬ 
 lishment of a rival paper in Batavia, and 
 the transfer to it of a large share of the pub¬ 
 lic patronage, embittered his feelings and 
 made him desperate to embark in any under¬ 
 taking which should afford a prospect of 
 wealth or power. He was initiated years 
 before as an Entered Apprentice in Albany, 
 and his want of principle was clearly shown 
 when he made haste to secure an interest 
 in the publication of Morgan’s Masonic Ex¬ 
 posure. In order, however, to effect a large 
 demand for the book, he foresaw the neces¬ 
 sity of “ creating a stir among the Masons,” 
 and for that purpose commenced abusing 
 them individually and collectively. Some 
 of their number, unfortunately, fell into his 
 snare, indiscreetly retorted upon him, and 
 thereby laid a foundation for one of the most 
 
MORGAN AND HIS COADJUTORS. 31 
 
 singular and extraordinary events in the 
 history of our country. Another champion 
 of anti-masonry, who came to the front 
 about this time, was a man named Thomas 
 Hamilton. Morgan’s “ Illustrations of Ma¬ 
 sonry ,” not having been so explicit as could 
 have been desired, and admitting of various 
 interpretations, it soon became apparent 
 that some explanations were necessary. A 
 difficulty arose, however, in finding a suita¬ 
 ble person for that purpose. 
 
 While this difficulty was seriously felt by 
 leading anti-masonic agitators, this man 
 Hamilton suddenly appeared. By pretend¬ 
 ing to a knowledge of Morgan’s fate, and 
 expressing frequent alarm for his own per¬ 
 sonal safety, he contrived to gain their con¬ 
 fidence and set himself up as an exponent 
 of this new gospel of anti-masonry. In 
 the first instance he tendered his services 
 as an assistant editor to Miller, hut finding 
 that position filled he started out as a 
 lecturer against Masonry. He went to 
 Rochester, Utica, Buffalo and other places, 
 sometimes attracting large audiences, often 
 
32 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 becoming so intoxicated that he would be 
 missing for days and even weeks, but finally 
 ending his miserable public career by com¬ 
 mitting an outrageous crime for which he 
 was sent to the state prison at Auburn for 
 seven years. 
 
T' 
 
 r 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE ALLEGED ABDUCTION OF MORGAN, AND TRIAL 
 OF HIS ALLEGED ABDUCTORS. 
 
 I N order to give a complete history of 
 the circumstances connected with the 
 disappearance of William Morgan, it 
 is necessary to commence at the point of his 
 first arrest. In May, 1826, while at Canan¬ 
 daigua, Morgan borrowed some clothing of 
 a man named Kingsley in that village, which 
 he promised to return shortly after. 
 
 Having neglected to do so, a warrant 
 was issued against him the following August, 
 on complaint of Kingsley, for petit larceny. 
 
 This warrant was placed in the hands of 
 a constable named Hayward, who proceeded 
 to Batavia and served it. Without making 
 the slightest objection, Morgan entered the 
 carriage and started for Canandaigua. On 
 arriving at LeKoy, Hayward offered to take 
 
34 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 him before the Justice by whom the war¬ 
 rant had been indorsed, that he might give 
 bail if he desired. Morgan, however, de¬ 
 clined the offer and preferred to go on to 
 Canandaigua. On arriving there he was 
 acquitted of any intended felony and imme¬ 
 diately discharged. Upon his discharge, 
 however, he was arrested for debt, con¬ 
 fessed judgment thereon, and by virtue of 
 an execution he was committed to jail. In¬ 
 cidentally, in this connection, it is proper 
 to state that those who accompanied the 
 constable, Hayward, from Canandaigua to 
 Batavia at the time of Morgan’s arrest 
 were afterwards indicted, tried and acquitted. 
 No connection has ever been traced between 
 those who arrested him in Batavia and 
 those who were subsequently accused of 
 taking him from the jail in Canandaigua 
 and carrying him Westward, though anti¬ 
 masons have since made no inconsiderable 
 hue and cry regarding it. 
 
 The next morning after Morgan was 
 committed to jail, one Loton Lawson, who 
 was afterward indicted, tried and convicted 
 
THE ALLEGED ABDUCTION. 
 
 35 
 
 for participating in his abduction, paid the 
 debt and procured Morgan’s discharge. 
 
 At the time of his release from prison it 
 seems a carriage was waiting at the door, 
 into which Morgan was placed, and driven 
 directly to Rochester. The persons who 
 rode in the carriage have never been dis¬ 
 covered, but it is in evidence that the 
 carriage was hired and paid for by Nicholas 
 G. Chesebro. Chesebro and Lawson, to¬ 
 gether with Edward Sawyer and John 
 Sheldon, were afterward indicted for par¬ 
 ticipating in this transaction. Chesebro, 
 Sawyer and Lawson pleaded guilty to their 
 indictments. Sheldon was tried, unjustly 
 convicted, and, together with Chesebro, 
 Sawyer and Lawson, subsequently impris¬ 
 oned. 
 
 Lawson was imprisoned in the county 
 jail for two years, Chesebro for one year, 
 Sheldon for three months, and Sawyer for 
 one. The want of severity in their several 
 punishments having, in the estimation of 
 some, exposed the court to much censure, 
 it is but justice here to remark that no law, 
 
36 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 at that time, made the kidnapping of a 
 white man anything more than a misde¬ 
 meanor at common law, punishable by fine 
 and imprisonment. Besides, from the evi¬ 
 dence adduced, and the exculpatory affida¬ 
 vits afterward made and filed, it is not to 
 be inferred that either of the defendants 
 were concerned in any subsequent acts of 
 violence, nor is it to be presumed that any¬ 
 thing else was intended by Morgan’s abduc¬ 
 tion than to produce a separation between 
 him and Miller, and thereby prevent the 
 publication of the contemplated book. 
 
 Neither Chesebro, Sawyer nor Sheldon 
 left Canandaigua, and Morgan must have 
 fallen into other hands. The precise man¬ 
 ner in which he was conveyed from thence 
 to the vicinity of Fort Niagara has never 
 been ascertained; nor was it ever positively 
 proved that he was ever conveyed to that 
 point. Circumstances, however, which in 
 many cases are equally conclusive with 
 positive proof, and often more so, seem to 
 point very strongly to the fact. It appears 
 beyond controversy that Morgan left the 
 
THE ALLEGED ABDUCTION. 
 
 37 
 
 jail in Canandaigua of his own free will, and 
 that upon so doing he was placed in a 
 carriage and taken westward. But that he 
 was conveyed more than a hundred miles 
 through a well-settled country at great risk 
 and expense, for the purpose of being mur¬ 
 dered in a particular place, is too absurd to 
 be credited for a moment. Neither is it 
 reasonable to suppose that those who had 
 him in charge, if they had originally in¬ 
 tended to have murdered him, would have 
 called in so many to their aid.. It could 
 have been done as well, and with far less 
 danger of detection, had fewer persons en¬ 
 gaged in the affair. Besides, Chesebro and 
 Sawyer, both of whom were men of unques¬ 
 tionable veracity, testified that the only 
 object in carrying off Morgan was to secure 
 a separation between him and Miller, and 
 thereby prevent the publication of what 
 Morgan himself alleged he was under solemn 
 obligations never to reveal. Subsequent cir¬ 
 cumstances, developed by what was termed 
 the Lewiston committee, fortify this con¬ 
 clusion. The next point in this part of our 
 
38 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 history is the trial of Eli Bruce and others 
 for a conspiracy to kidnap and carry off 
 William Morgan. 
 
 This trial took place at Canandaigua, at 
 what was called the “ Ontario General 
 Sessions,” commencing August 20th, 1828. 
 
 On account of its importance, and the fact 
 that it was really the grapple of fanatical 
 anti-masonry in its effort to fasten guilt 
 upon some one, whether right or wrong, 
 we reproduce from the court records the 
 material evidence in the case. 
 
 “Ontario General Sessions, 
 “Canandaigua, N. Y., 
 
 “ August 20th , 1828. 
 
 11 Present, Hon. Nathaniel W. Howell, 
 Hon. Chester Loomis, Hon. John Price, 
 and Hon. Samuel Rawson, Judges of the 
 County Courts of Ontario County. 
 
 “ The indictment against Eli Bruce, 
 Orsamus Turner and Jared Barrow, for a 
 conspiracy to kidnap and carry away William 
 Morgan from the county of Ontario to parts 
 unknown, was brought on for trial at the 
 opening of the court in the afternoon. 
 
THE ALLEGED ABDUCTION. 
 
 39 
 
 “ Counsel for the people: Daniel Moseley, 
 Esq., Special Commissioner; Bowen Whit¬ 
 ing, District Attorney of Ontario County, 
 and Charles Butler, Esq. 
 
 “ Counsel for the defendants: Hon. Dud¬ 
 ley Marvin, and Mark H. Sibley, Esq., of 
 Canandaigua; Wm. H. Adams, Esq., of 
 Lyons; and Vincent Matthews, and Ebenezer 
 Griffin, Esq., of Rochester. 
 
 “ The following persons were sworn as 
 jurors: Hiram Anson, Nathan Cary, Jasper 
 W. Peet, Levi Smith, Amasa Spencer, John 
 Stults, Evart Green, AbrahamDodge, Henry 
 Lincoln, Daniel Short, John Pennal, Jr., 
 and Samuel Reed. 
 
 “ Mr. Whiting opened the case on behalf 
 of the people and Mark H. Sibley, Esq., for 
 the accused, after which the following testi¬ 
 mony was introduced. 
 
 “Israel B. Hall , sworn—Was jailer of 
 Ontario County in 1826. Knew William 
 Morgan, who was committed to the jail of 
 said county on the 10th of September, in 
 that year, and discharged on the 12th of 
 
40 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 the same month, as this witness has been 
 informed. Witness was absent from the 
 jail at the time of Morgan’s commitment 
 and discharge. 
 
 “ Jeffrey CJivpman , sworn—Was a justice 
 of the peace in Canandaigua in 1826. On 
 the morning of the 10th of that month, 
 Nicholas G.Chesebro came to my house and 
 requested me to go to his office. I did so, 
 and shortly after Ebenezer C. Kingsley 
 came in and made a complaint against Mor¬ 
 gan for larceny. I issued a warrant, and by 
 virtue of same Morgan was apprehended 
 and brought before me the next day, and 
 was discharged for want of sufficient proof 
 to convict. A second warrant w T as asked 
 and issued on account of debt due to Aaron 
 Ackley. Morgan was arrested on this, judg¬ 
 ment was entered up against him by his 
 own consent, execution thereon taken out 
 and given to Holloway Hayward, then a 
 constable in Canandaigua. * 
 
 11 Holloway Hayivard , sworn—Was a con¬ 
 stable in Canandaigua in 1826. Keceived 
 
THE ALLEGED ABDUCTION. 
 
 41 
 
 the warrant issued against Morgan on the 
 charge of larceny. Went to Batavia and 
 arrested Morgan at that place, brought him 
 before Mr. Chipman and was present during 
 
 his examination. I afterward received the 
 
 ♦ 
 
 execution against Morgan, arrested him by 
 virtue of it, and committed him to the jail 
 of Ontario County between the hours of 
 eight and nine o’clock in the evening of the 
 eleventh of September. 
 
 “ Mary W. Hall , sworn—Am wife of 
 Israel R. Hall, who was jailer of Ontario 
 County in 1826. Was not at home when 
 Morgan was committed, but came home on 
 the twelfth of September, and found him in 
 jail. Mr. Hall went out about dark on the 
 evening of that day. A person came to the 
 jail and inquired for Mr. Hall, and I told 
 him he had gone from home. The person 
 then wished to go into Morgan’s room, but 
 I refused to allow him. He then asked 
 permission to have a private conversation 
 with Morgan, which I also refused. He 
 then insisted on paying the debt for which 
 
42 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 he was imprisoned, and taking him away; 
 this, too, was refused. He then went in 
 search of Mr. Hall, but soon returned with¬ 
 out finding him, and then asked me if I 
 would discharge Morgan if Col. Sawyer 
 would say it was all right. I did not say 
 whether I would or not. The person then 
 went away and soon came back with Col. 
 Sawyer. Chesebro advised me to let Mor¬ 
 gan go. Lawson then paid the amount for 
 which Morgan was imprisoned, and I then 
 went and unlocked the door of Morgan’s 
 room, and Lawson went in and led him into 
 the hall of the jail. I then went to the 
 door and saw three men taking Morgan 
 east; he seemed to be struggling and his 
 hat fell off, which one of the men picked 
 up. I saw no other person around the 
 jail. An unknown person rapped on the 
 well curb, and a carriage soon passed. It 
 shortly returned, going towards the west. 
 This took place about nine in the evening 
 of the twelfth of September. I have not 
 seen Morgan since. 
 
THE ALLEGED ABDUCTION. 
 
 43 
 
 “Hiram Hubbard , sworn—In September, 
 1826,1 kept a livery stable in Canandaigua. 
 On the twelfth of that month Mr. Chauncey 
 H. Coe applied to me to take a party to 
 Rochester. The carriage was a yellow two- 
 horse carriage, and the horses gray. About 
 the time I was ready, some person on the 
 sidewalk, then and now unknown to wit¬ 
 ness, told me to go on the Palmyra road 
 when he was ready, for the party had gone 
 on. This was the only direction I had as to 
 setting out. I did not hear a rap on the 
 well-curb. Started about nine o’clock in 
 the evening. It was pleasant, and the moon 
 shone. No one was in the carriage when I 
 left the barn. I went beyond the jail east 
 about fifty or sixty rods, and stopped oppo¬ 
 site the long house. The party, supposed 
 to be five or six in number, there opened 
 the carriage and got in. I heard no noise. 
 I knew none of the party then, nor where 
 they came from, and have not known them 
 since. I cannot say whether I saw them 
 get into the carriage. I was not particular 
 in looking at them. After they got in, I 
 
44 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 turned *around and drove toward Eochester. 
 When I reached Eochester I stopped at the 
 large watering-place on Main Street, ten or 
 twelve minutes. Some of the party got out 
 here; but I don’t know whether any went 
 from the carriage. I saw no one of them 
 that I knew, and have seen none since to 
 recognize them. The party desired me to 
 go beyond Eochester, which I consented to 
 do, taking the Lewiston road. On arriving 
 at Hanford’s, which was then a tavern, the 
 party got out, and, as I could get no feed, 
 I turned around and started back toward 
 Eochester. No one returned in my carriage 
 to Eochester, except two transient persons 
 whom I took in on the road, neither of 
 whom I knew. 
 
 “Ezra Platt , sworn—In September, 1826, 
 I kept a livery stable at Eochester. I am 
 a Mason and a member of the Chapter. A 
 lodge had previously been established at 
 Lewiston. A Chapter was expected to be 
 installed there, and the Eochester Chapter 
 had been authorized to install it. It is 
 usual for the Grand Chapter to issue to 
 
THE ALLEGED ABDUCTION. 
 
 45 
 
 suitable persons a special commission for 
 such a purpose. The first officers of a 
 Chapter would be proper Commissioners. 
 After the fact of the Bochester Chapter 
 having received a commission to install one 
 at Lewiston had been known for some time, 
 and about ten days before the installation, 
 I was asked if I could furnish carriages to 
 to take the Commissioners to Lewiston; 
 and stated I could, but that I could not 
 go myself on account of ill health. About 
 four or five o’clock in the morning of the 
 day, or day but one, before the Lewiston 
 installation, some person called at my front 
 door and said he wanted a carriage to go 
 to Lewiston, and desired it might be sent 
 to Ensworth’s where the company was. 
 The carriage was sent soon after called for, 
 and was gone for several days. I supposed 
 it was for the Commissioners, and had no 
 intimation that Morgan was going in it. 
 I did not see the person that called for the 
 carriage, and have never been able to ascer¬ 
 tain who he was. I made a memorandum 
 
46 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 / 
 
 charge in these words, ‘ Grand Chapter pro 
 tempore to carriage to Lewiston.’ 
 
 “ Solomon G. Wright , sworn—I kept a 
 public house in Niagara County in Septem¬ 
 ber, 1826. During that month, on the day 
 before the installation, just at night, a two- 
 horse pleasure carriage or hack drove under 
 my shed and afterwards into my barn, which 
 is a few rods beyond the house. The feed¬ 
 ing boxes in the shed were broken down, 
 and the carriage was driven into the barn 
 to feed the horses, and they ate from boxes 
 placed before them on the floor where the 
 carriage stood in the farther end of the 
 barn. Don’t know whether they were taken 
 from the carriage. The horses were not 
 changed. Did not see those who came in 
 the carriage get out or in. Don’t know 
 where they got out nor how many there 
 were. Did not know any of them or the 
 driver. Have never seen the driver since. 
 Those who came in the carriage, including 
 the driver, took supper and paid their bills 
 to me. My bar-keeper was gone and I 
 
THE ALLEGED ABDUCTION. 
 
 47 
 
 tended bar. Was in the bar when they first 
 came in, and saw them go through the bar¬ 
 room to supper. The driver obtained food 
 for the horses. I do not know of my own 
 knowledge that anyone came in the carriage. 
 Did not see the door opened. Don’t know 
 whether the curtains were down or not. 
 Don’t know that anyone was in the carriage 
 during supper. Saw no one go to the 
 carriage during supper, and did not go 
 myself. I went into the barn once while 
 the carriage was there, to look after a 
 servant. Neither saw nor heard any per¬ 
 son. I passed the shed in going to the 
 barn; there were horses under it. It was 
 dark when they finished supper. After 
 supper they proceeded West. I did not 
 see them get into the carriage. My house, 
 shed and barn are all on the same side of 
 the road. During supper, and while they 
 were in my house, the installation was talked 
 about. I do not know how many went in 
 the carriage. I did not see it start. There 
 was nothing mysterious about it that attract¬ 
 ed particular attention. There were per- 
 
48 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 sons in my liouse who did not come in the 
 carriage. I did not know these men nor 
 their business. I knew Eli Bruce at that 
 time. Did not see him at my house that 
 night. I know Elisha Mather; did not see 
 him that night. He was at my house about 
 that time, I think it was before this. Saw 
 him the next day or the next day hut one. 
 A carriage passed my house the next day; 
 don’t know whether or not it was the one 
 which had passed the day before. It is 
 usual for carriages to stop there, but they 
 do not always do so. 
 
 “ William Mollineux , sworn—In Septem¬ 
 ber, 182G, on the night before, or the night 
 after the installation at Lewiston, Eli Bruce 
 came to my house with two strangers, and 
 desired a change of horses, as himself and 
 some of his friends were going to Lewiston. 
 Bruce said they should he used carefully. 
 I called up my son, and, after consulting 
 him, concluded to let Bruce have the 
 horses. Bruce and my son hitched up the 
 horses. I do not know from which way the 
 
THE ALLEGED ABDUCTION. 
 
 49 
 
 carriage came, nor whether Bruce went on 
 with it. One of Bruce’s companions stayed 
 over night with me, and took care of the 
 horses that were with the carriage, and 
 helped change them when it returned. I 
 do not know who drove. The horses re¬ 
 turned the next morning a little before 
 sunrise, in the charge of Brown. I saw no 
 person but Bruce and the two strangers 
 who were with him. Can’t say which road 
 the carriage took in the morning, nor how 
 many were in it. I did not see Bruce again 
 till the next winter. 
 
 “ Cory don Fox , sworn — In September, 
 1826, I lived at Lewiston, with Mr. Barton, 
 in the capacity of a stage driver. Tne 
 night before, or night after the installation, 
 Mr. Barton called me up and told me to 
 get the hack and horses ready to go to 
 Youngstown. When I was ready, Bruce 
 got on the box and directed me to drive 
 into a back street to a carriage which I 
 found standing there without any horses 
 attached to it. I drove by the carriage in 
 
50 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 the back street. Some persons were stand¬ 
 ing near it. One or two got out of it, and, 
 after they and Bruce had got in my hack, 
 Bruce told me to drive to Col. King’s about 
 six miles distant. I would have noticed 
 violence if there had been any, but there 
 was none. On arriving at King’s, I stopped 
 by direction of Bruce, who got out and 
 called to King, who came down into the 
 hall, where he and Bruce conversed together. 
 King and Bruce then got in, and I drove to 
 the burying ground, about three-quarters 
 of a mile from King’s, and half a mile from 
 the fort, where I stopped by Bruce’s direc¬ 
 tion. There were no houses near. The 
 party, four in number, got out and proceeded 
 side by side towards the fort, and I, by 
 Bruce’s order, returned to Lewiston, where 
 I arrived before daylight. I have often 
 been called up late at night, and frequently 
 drove passengers whom I did not know, but 
 it is not usual to take up a party in a back 
 street, and I never before left a party at the 
 burying ground, which is not an ordinary 
 stopping place. The next day I saw Bruce 
 
THE ALLEGED ABDUCTION. 
 
 51 
 
 at the Frontier House in Lewiston. I do 
 not know what became of the carriage 
 which was left in the road. I saw nothing 
 unusual in the manner of getting in and out 
 of my hack. 
 
 “Elisha Adams, sworn—I lived in Porter, 
 Niagara County, in 1826, about two miles 
 down the lake from the village of Youngs¬ 
 town. The troops left the fort in June, 
 except one old soldier, who died there soon 
 after they had gone. About the middle of 
 September Giddins went to York. He was 
 absent three or four days, and I took charge 
 of the ferry and his house during his 
 absence. Giddins’ house was on the flat 
 below the fort, twenty or thirty rods dis¬ 
 tant from it. That part of the fort nearest 
 his house is the magazine, which forms 
 part of the wall. There were ammunition, 
 quartermaster’s stores, etc., in the fort. I 
 went away the day before Giddins came 
 home. Was frequently at the fort in Sep¬ 
 tember. Giddins had charge of the fort 
 and public property there. Don’t know 
 
52 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 where the key of the magazine was while 
 Giddins was absent. Supposed it was in 
 the mess house, which is to the left of the 
 magazine, as viewed from Giddins’ house. 
 Heard no one in magazine while tending 
 ferry. Don’t know that anyone was there. 
 Heard, about the time of Giddins’ return,* 
 of Morgan having been brought there. 
 Never heard so from either of the defend¬ 
 ants. Don’t know that food or drink was 
 carried to the magazine while Giddins was 
 absent. Was in it both before and since 
 the troops left the fort. About the time 
 the public property was sold, I was em¬ 
 ployed to put things in order at the fort. 
 I went to Giddins’ house at his request, but 
 cannot state the exact time, and saw Col. 
 King there. Giddins said he had some 
 work for me to do, and showed it to me. 
 I went home without doing it, not having 
 my tools with me. 
 
 “John Jachson , sworn — In the fall of 
 1826,1 lived in Lockport. The night before 
 the installation, I stayed at the house of 
 
THE ALLEGED ABDUCTION. 
 
 53 
 
 Giddins, my brother-in-law. I went to the 
 installation. Don’t know whether Giddins 
 went. Before going to the installation, I 
 went with Giddins to the magazine. Twenty 
 or thirty minutes previously to setting out, 
 Giddins had a pistol. He requested me to 
 take it, but I declined. I did not see Gid¬ 
 dins lay it aside. I did not see it after we 
 left the house. Giddins carried something 
 with him, but I don’t know what. I went 
 within about two rods of the magazine. 
 Giddins went up to the door. I don’t know 
 whether it was opened by Giddins or not. 
 Something was said inside the door. I 
 heard a man’s voice not uncommonly loud, 
 and supposed a man was in the magazine. 
 I do not know what was said, nor whether 
 I heard the voice before or after Giddins 
 reached the door. Thought I had better 
 be missing, and immediately went away. 
 Giddins soon followed me. I started in ten 
 or twelve minutes for Lewiston. I never 
 had any conversation with either of the 
 defendants respecting their participation in 
 the abduction of Morgan. 
 
54 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 “ William Hotchkiss, sworn—Three or 
 four days after the installation, I went to 
 the fort to make inquiries respecting a 
 man’s being confined there; found out 
 nothing. Did not go to the magazine, nor 
 did Giddins while I was there. 
 
 “ This was the last witness sworn on 
 behalf of the prosecution. They had called 
 Edward Giddins, but the defendant’s counsel 
 objected to his being sworn, because he 
 had no religious belief whatever. 
 
 “After hearing the testimony respecting 
 his religious opinions, and the arguments 
 of counsel on both sides, the court unani¬ 
 mously decided that he was not a competent 
 witness. 
 
 “ Upon the close of the testimony as 
 above, Mr. Whiting stated that the bill 
 against Turner and Darrow, two of the 
 defendants, had been found on the testi¬ 
 mony of Giddins alone, and that, his testi¬ 
 mony having been excluded, the prosecution 
 had no evidence whatever against them. 
 
 “ Mr. Adams addressed the jury in behalf 
 of Bruce, and Mr. Mosely for the people. 
 
THE ALLEGED ABDUCTION. 
 
 55 
 
 The jury retired at nine o’clock on Friday 
 evening, after receiving a charge from His 
 Honor Judge Howell; and, having been 
 absent about three hours, returned a verdict 
 of guilty against Bruce, and not guilty in 
 favor of Turner and Darrow.* 
 
 “ The court, however, suspended sentence 
 against Bruce, his counsel having taken 
 exception in points to be passed upon by 
 the Supreme Court.” 
 
 On the 15th of June, 1830, a special 
 circuit was held in Niagara County, by 
 Justice Marcy, of the Supreme Court, at 
 which Ezekiel Jewett, and Jeremiah Brown 
 were tried, and both acquitted. 
 
 In November, 1830, James Gillis was 
 tried and acquitted. 
 
 Judge Nelson held a special circuit in 
 Niagara County, March, 1831, at which 
 Elisha Adams, Parkhurst Whitney, Noah 
 Beach, Samuel M. Chuhbuck, Timothy 
 Shaw T , Norman Shepard, and William Miller 
 were tried, and, though the most superhu¬ 
 man efforts were made by anti-masonic 
 
50 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 prosecutors and persecutors, none of them 
 were convicted. 
 
 The final trial in the long series of those 
 accused by anti-masons, as being connected 
 in some manner with the abduction of 
 Morgan, was that of Solomon C. Wright, 
 who had been indicted for perjury. His 
 trial occurred in May, 1831, and of course 
 he was triumphantly acquitted, since the 
 evidence against him, as indeed that against 
 most of the others, was of a very flimsy 
 nature. It is useless for anti-masonic agita¬ 
 tors to cry out against the courts, since, in 
 all these trials, there were able and impar¬ 
 tial men upon the bench, and the very best 
 of legal talent combined in the prosecution. 
 
CHAPTER IY. 
 
 REGARDING THE ALLEGED DISCOVERY OF 
 
 Morgan’s body. 
 
 A FTER the convictions of Chesebro and 
 others at Canandaigua, public excite¬ 
 ment increased more and more, and a 
 meeting or convention was held at Lewis¬ 
 ton, in the winter of 1827,.at which commit¬ 
 tees were appointed, not only to prosecute 
 all suspected parties, but also to search for 
 the body of Morgan, who was alleged to have 
 been drowned in the Niagara river. The 
 committee appointed for the latter purpose, 
 during the spring of 1827, pursued their 
 inquiries with great diligence. Boats were 
 chartered, a vessel hired, and instruments 
 constructed for the purpose of aiding and 
 assisting in these researches. The Niagara 
 river and a part of Lake Ontario, near Fort 
 Niagara, were raked with great industry 
 
58 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 and exertion for a number of months, all, 
 however, to no effect. The search was 
 finally abandoned, and it was generally con¬ 
 ceded that the same mystery which had 
 hitherto hung over Morgan’s fate would 
 forever thereafter conceal his mortal re¬ 
 mains. While the public expectations of 
 the anti-masons were thus disappointed, on 
 on the 7th of October, 1827, the body of a 
 stranger was found in the town of Carlton, 
 in the County of Orleans, about forty miles 
 from Fort Niagara. It was lying at the 
 water’s edge, where it had evidently been 
 cast by the surf. A coroner was sent for, 
 an inquest was held, witnesses who were 
 personally acquainted with Morgan were 
 examined, and the verdict of a jury pro¬ 
 nounced it the body of some person to them 
 unknown, who had perished by drowning. 
 Being at that time in a putrid state, and 
 very offensive, it was immediately buried. 
 The coroner’s inquest was immediately pub¬ 
 lished in various newspapers, and suspicions 
 were at once excited that the body thus 
 found and interred was the body of Morgan. 
 
THE ALLEGED DISCOVERY. 
 
 59 
 
 An important election was then approach¬ 
 ing. Unprincipled and designing men, 
 belonging to the anti-masonic party, who 
 had witnessed the effect of popular excite¬ 
 ment on former occasions, saw the necessity 
 of some powerful auxiliary, and concerted 
 a plan for bringing this circumstance to 
 their aid. 
 
 Suspicions that this was Morgan’s body, 
 by a little exertion, soon became prevalent 
 throughout the country. Nor is it singular 
 that this should have been the case. It 
 is true that nearly thirteen months had 
 elapsed since Morgan’s alleged abduction, 
 and the state of preservation in which this 
 body confessedly was indicated death at a 
 much more recent period. The public mind, 
 however, having been wrought up into a 
 frenzy by anti-masonic agitators, was not 
 in fit condition to judge impartially. Rea¬ 
 son had lost her empire, and prejudice and 
 passion had usurped her place. The slightest 
 evidence, though contradicted by unques¬ 
 tionable proofs, and though opposed, as in 
 this case, even by nature’s law, and in itself 
 
60 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 altogether improbable, became equivalent 
 to perfect demonstration. In this state of 
 the public mind, several parties from Roch¬ 
 ester and Batavia, on Saturday, the 12th 
 day of October, 1827, repaired £o the grave. 
 They disinterred and examined the body, 
 and discovered, or pretended to have dis¬ 
 covered, a partial resemblance between the 
 body in question and that of Morgan. 
 They caused it to be watched and guarded 
 with the utmost care till the Monday follow¬ 
 ing, to present, as they said, the Masons 
 from taking it away. During the interval 
 which elapsed between Saturday and Mon¬ 
 day, a variety of expedients were resorted 
 to for effect. Mrs. Morgan, then residing 
 in Stafford, was visited by a member of 
 the Lewiston committee. Her feelings, 
 harrowed up by frequent and contradictory 
 reports, gave easy entrance to a tale which 
 bore on its face the appearance of plausi¬ 
 bility, and which she probably thought 
 might, in the end, lead to certainty, and 
 give to her agitated mind some little repose. 
 Without considering for a moment that 
 
THE ALLEGED DISCOVERY. 
 
 61 
 
 she was to be made an instrument in the 
 hands of designing men, to promote their 
 selfish and contemptible ends, she placed 
 herself under their protection and accom¬ 
 panied them to Carlton. Her anxiety on 
 this occasion was perfectly natural, and it 
 was therefore right and proper that she 
 should, if possible, be satisfied by occular 
 inspection as to the truth or falsehood of 
 the current rumor. On arriving at Carlton 
 on the 15th of October, the body was 
 slightly and imperfectly examined. Indeed, 
 this could not be otherwise since it was 
 bloated, entirely black, and in the highest 
 degree offensive to sight and smell. Its 
 dress did not correspond with anything 
 which she or they had seen before, and the 
 religious tracts in the pocket staggered 
 some of the most credulous. There was not, 
 in fact, k single circumstance, either in the 
 dress, size, shape, color, or appearance of 
 the body, which would identify it as Mor¬ 
 gan’s. Still, the managers of the excite¬ 
 ment (one of them being the now-venerable 
 Thurlow Weed), having carefully watched 
 
62 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 the current of public opinion, and seeing it 
 begin to run decidedly in their favor, and 
 being unwilling that so useful a delusion 
 should be immediately dispelled, contrived, 
 as will appear in the sequel, to give this, 
 one of the most infamous frauds ever im¬ 
 posed on man, the sanction of legal authority. 
 Had the inquiry on the 15th of October 
 been conducted with fairness and honesty; 
 had it been the desire of the investigators 
 to arrive at the truth; had the two Potters 
 who found the body, who were acquainted 
 with Morgan, and had been examined on 
 the first inquest, been sworn also on this; 
 had Hinman Holden, of Batavia, a member 
 of the Lewiston committee, and a gentle¬ 
 man of too much respectability to tamper 
 with his oath for political effect, who had 
 seen and examined the body on the 13th 
 of October, before it was prepared for inspec¬ 
 tion by the deprivation of its hair and 
 whiskers—had he been present and been 
 sworn; had Col. Miller, who was in the 
 habit of daily intercourse with Morgan, 
 given his opinion on oath; had Thurlow 
 
THE ALLEGED DISCOVERY. 
 
 63 
 
 Weed and Timothy Fitch been called on 
 for theirs; had the body been examined in 
 regard to its size and length; had as much 
 pains been taken to elicit as to conceal the 
 truth; the body in question would never 
 have been palmed off as Morgan’s upon a 
 credulous world. The jury, however, were 
 not apprised of these preparations, and, in 
 the absence of all testimony calculated to 
 throw any light whatever upon the subject, 
 save the solitary opinion of Mrs. Morgan 
 and two or three others, as a matter of 
 course, found a verdict as they did. 
 
 The testimony taken on that occasion, 
 which will be found below, having excited 
 almost a national interest at the time, de¬ 
 serves an attentive perusal. 
 
 “ Information of witnesses severally taken 
 and acknowledged, on behalf of the people 
 of the State of New York, and touching 
 the death of an unknown person found in 
 the town of Carlton, in the County of 
 Orleans, on the shore of Lake Ontario, on 
 the 15th day of October, in the year of our 
 Lord, 1827, before Robert M. Brown, Esq., 
 
64 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 r 
 
 one of the coroners of said county, on an 
 inquisition then and there taken, on view 
 of the said unknown person then and there 
 being dead, as follows:— 
 
 “ Stillman Hoxsie , being sworn—found 
 the body lying on the face with his head 
 towards the shore, a week ago yesterday, 
 between eleven and twelve o’clock. Gave 
 information to the coroner before moving 
 the body. Had on a frock coat, black vest 
 and pantaloons, woolen socks and shirt, 
 handkerchief cotton, or might he silk. Did 
 not know how long he had lain there. 
 Body is more swollen now, and blacker 
 than when found, particularly in the face 
 and head. 
 
 “ Lester Beardsley , being sworn—had 
 viewed the head of the body, which has the 
 appearance of William Morgan; the shape 
 of the head is the same, and the hair is 
 the same; knew Morgan, and saw him in 
 August before he was missing; the ears and 
 the appearance about the ears is the same. 
 Morgan showed me his teeth; he had what 
 
THE ALLEGED DISCOVERY. 
 
 65 
 
 is called double teeth, all around, and the 
 body has the same. No teeth were gone 
 four years since, when he showed them to 
 me. Morgan’s ears were filled with hair 
 more than people in general, which was 
 long and white; he wore no whiskers. His 
 hair was long, and combed up to cover 
 his baldness; had a small nose, more hair 
 on his chest than people in general, full 
 chest, light blue eyes, lightish complexion; 
 his height was similar to that of the body; 
 should think him over fifty years of age. 
 I think that this is the body of William 
 Morgan. 
 
 “Thurlow Weed , sworn—saith that on 
 the 15th inst. he came in company with 
 other gentlemen from Kochester, to view 
 this body; that in consequence of its being 
 stated, by one of the persons who was well 
 acquainted with Morgan, that his ears were 
 full of long white hairs, witness examined 
 the ears of said body carefully, when he 
 found several hairs, long and white, which 
 came out upon touching them, and that he 
 
66 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 found a large number of said hairs, deposited 
 in a mess in the bottom of the ear. These 
 hairs correspond with those represented by 
 Mr. Fitch, before the body was disinterred. 
 Witness does not recollect anything of Mr. 
 Morgan, although he must have seen him 
 often. 
 
 “Lucinda Morgan , being sworn, says—I 
 am the wife of William Morgan, of Batavia. 
 I saw him the last time, the 11th of Sep¬ 
 tember, 1826. He had on a blue coat, vest 
 and pantaloons; the pantaloons were of differ¬ 
 ent cloth from the coat and vest. Should 
 know the clothes if I saw them. He had no 
 flannel shirt, but was in the habit of wearing 
 a flannel wrapper. He had on boots and 
 woollen socks; boots old and worn, think 
 they were calf skin. Had on a white neck 
 handkerchief, and linen shirt. Had a silk 
 pocket handkerchief, something worn. He 
 used tobacco. Have seen the body, and 
 find points of resemblance between it and 
 my husband. His teeth, his hands, his 
 hair, the nails on his fingers and toes were 
 
THE ALLEGED DISCOVERY. 
 
 67 
 
 rimilar to those of the body. He had been 
 inoculated for the small-pox, on the left 
 arm. Had double teeth all round. Two 
 teeth were gone, and one was split off. Dr. 
 Strong drew two teeth for him. His sus¬ 
 penders were cotton and knit. Coat pockets 
 were lined with white, vest lined with the 
 same cloth as coat; lining of pantaloons was 
 white, think it was linen. Morgan was bald 
 on the top of his head, except a small place 
 in the centre, where there was fine hair like 
 down. The teeth were gone on the right 
 side of the upper jaw. I have no doubt but 
 this is the body of my husband. On the 
 joint of the big toe, on the left foot, he had 
 been frozen, and the physician cut open the 
 flesh and scraped the bone, which left the 
 same appearance which is now upon the 
 body. He had a good deal of hair on his 
 chest, which was gray, and he was full 
 breasted. Never had a broken bone to my 
 knowledge. On being shown the clothes, 
 I can recognize no part of them as the 
 same which my husband had on when he 
 went away, nor the tracts. The hand- 
 
68 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 writing I cannot swear to, though one or 
 two letters somewhat resemble his. I am 
 fully convinced in my own mind that this 
 is the body of William Morgan. 
 
 “D. G. Miller , being sworn—Said that he 
 knew William Morgan, and had partly 
 examined the body. Did not know that 
 Morgan had double teeth, or that he had 
 lost two teeth. His dress when he went 
 away was a blue frock coat, blue vest 
 and pantaloons. My impression is that 
 he was entirely bald on the top of his 
 head. Think he had no boots. He was 
 fifty years of age or over. He had a habit 
 of drawing his hair over his head with his 
 hands, when in conversation. 
 
 “ George W. Harris , being duly sworn— 
 Says that he knew William Morgan, and 
 has seen the body. Morgan shaved at my 
 glass, and shaved higher than any man I 
 ever saw. The body has been shaved up to 
 the eyes, does not know particularly about 
 his hair. Saw him the day he was taken 
 away, and knew him more than one year 
 
THE ALLEGED DISCOVERY. 
 
 69 
 
 previous. His dress was a blue frock coat, 
 blue vest and pantaloons, and old boots. 
 The size and shape of Morgan’s fingers and 
 finger nails were same as the body’s. Mor¬ 
 gan had a double chin, and I think the 
 body has a double chin. He had a fine set 
 of teeth, and had lost some, which showed 
 when he grated his teeth or laughed. He 
 had an extreme full chest; his bosom was 
 quite hairy and gray; the color of the hair 
 was the same as that on the body. Morgan 
 had a lump towards the top of his head, 
 which I think I observed on the body. He 
 was not far from fifty years of age; I think 
 about five feet eight inches high. He had 
 a tapering arm, and a small wrist. I am 
 fully satisfied this is the body of William 
 Morgan. He had a short nose, was a brick¬ 
 layer, lived over my shop, was agitated for 
 some time, when talking, before he was 
 taken away. 
 
 u Wm. W. Morgan , being sworn—Says 
 that he was acquainted with Wm. Morgan. 
 His head, his beard, and the hair upon his 
 
70 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 breast resembled this body, and the make 
 of his features were similar. Do not 
 recollect anything about his teeth. Was 
 acquainted with him two years ago, last 
 February, and from that time since until 
 he was missing. I was absent from Bat¬ 
 avia about nine months, but saw Morgan 
 frequently. 
 
 “ Bussell Dyer , being sworn—Says he 
 knew William Morgan, and has seen this 
 body; thinks it is the body of William 
 Morgan. The shape of the head and the 
 hair are similar, he had double teeth, one 
 tooth broken or split, and one gone in the 
 upper jaw. I mentioned, when I first heard 
 the Coroner’s report, that if the teeth were 
 gone in the lower jaw, it could not be Mor¬ 
 gan. Think I saw Morgan a year ago last 
 August. I boarded with him. He was fifty- 
 one years of age, as he informed me about 
 three years ago. I have no doubt but this 
 is the body of William Morgan. He had 
 hair about the breast, and a gray beard. 
 
 “ Dr. Ezra Strong , being sworn—Says 
 that he knew William Morgan four years 
 
THE ALLEGED DISCOVERY. 
 
 71 
 
 ago, from April to September in the next 
 year. Morgan and his wife boarded at my 
 house about six months. He was sick much 
 of the time, with sore eyes. I attended him 
 two or three months, sometimes with other 
 physicians. I think, from the upper part of 
 the head of this body, it is the body of 
 William Morgan. I extracted two teeth 
 for him, which I find charged in my book 
 against him; don’t recollect from which 
 side they were taken. Morgan had a heavy 
 beard, and much hair on his breast. One 
 other tooth was broken off. If a body had 
 been floating about since Morgan was miss¬ 
 ing, it would putrify more than this, but if 
 it had been under water it might have been 
 better preserved. 
 
 “ Dr. John D. Henry , being sworn—Says 
 he knew William Morgan when he resided 
 in Rochester; I attended him as a physician; 
 I do not recollect any strong mark which 
 would distinguish him as this body; he had 
 inflamed eyes, and I prescribed for him 
 nearly nine months. I knew his hair, but 
 cannot identify him by that, to my own 
 
72 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 satisfaction. I remembered bis whiskers 
 and shaved them frequently; he had fine 
 teeth in front; the teeth of the body appear 
 as I should suppose the teeth of Morgan 
 would appear. The shape of his head, 
 though bloated much, is much the same 
 as Morgan’s. I should be unwilling to say 
 it was Morgan’s or that it was not, though 
 his teeth, the shape of his head, and the 
 hair resemble Morgan’s. 
 
 “ All the above informations were sever¬ 
 ally taken and acknowledged, the 15th day 
 of October, in the year of our Lord one 
 thousand eight hundred and twenty-seven, 
 in the town of Carlton, county and State 
 
 aforesaid. i\/r -o 
 
 Bobert M. Brown, 
 
 Coroner . 
 
 “ Orleans County, ss. An inquisition in¬ 
 dented and taken for the people of the 
 State of New York, at the town of Carlton, 
 in the County of Orleans aforesaid, in the 
 open air, on the shore of Lake Ontario, in 
 said county and town, the 15th day of 
 October, in the year of our Lord one thou- 
 
THE ALLEGED DISCOVERY. 
 
 73 
 
 sand eight hundred and twenfcy-seven, 
 before me, Robert M. Brown, Gentleman, 
 one of the Coroners of the said State, for 
 the county aforesaid; upon the view of the 
 body of William Morgan, then and there 
 lying dead upon the earth, of John Archer, 
 Silas Joy, Snell Joy, W.Williams, Matthew 
 Dunham, John Barnum, R.Wilcox, Rodney 
 Parish, John H. Tyler, Asa Simpson, Asa 
 Kimball, I. Hall, Stephen Jennings, Richard 
 Barry, Ebenezer Handy, Abel Barnum, 
 John Murdock, Samuel Baldwin, Asahel 
 Byington, Reuben Scofield, Jesse Hall, 
 James Taft, and Lyman G. Hoxsie; good 
 and lawful men of the said county, who 
 being sworn and charged to enquire on the 
 part of the people of the State of New York 
 aforesaid, when, where, how, and after what 
 manner the said William Morgan came to 
 his death, do say, upon their oaths afore¬ 
 said, that the said William Morgan came 
 to his death by suffocation by drowning, 
 and so the said jurors aforesaid do say he, 
 the said William Morgan, came to his death. 
 —In witness whereof, as well the said 
 
74 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 Coroner, as the jurors aforesaid, have to 
 their inquisition s‘et their hands and seals, 
 the day and year aforesaid, at the place 
 
 afoiesaid. “ Samuel Baldwin, 
 
 4 ‘Robert M. Brown, Foreman 
 
 Coroner 
 
 When the above testimony is contrasted 
 with that taken on the third inquest, the 
 fallacy of the verdict cannot but strike even 
 the most casual observer. 
 
 Notwithstanding its absurdity, however, 
 it was generally believed,'and the body (its 
 identity being, as it was now supposed, fully 
 established by legal proof) was afterwards 
 removed with great parade to the village of 
 Batavia, and there buried in the presence 
 of a multitude, who had flocked thither to 
 witness the services. A funeral discourse 
 was afterwards delivered by one John 
 Cochran, who, when sober, and sometimes 
 when otherwise, occasionally preached in 
 the vicinity of Batavia, at the same time 
 acting as assistant editor to D. C. Miller. 
 
THE ALLEGED DISCOVERY. 
 
 75 
 
 When, shortly after, the remains of 
 Joseph Ellicott, agent at Batavia for the 
 Holland Land Company, were brought from 
 the city of New York, for burial, no gaping 
 crowd followed the hearse, no one spoke a 
 word of sympathy, or pronounced his 
 requiem. He had been singled out by the 
 anti-masons as a mark for venom and slan¬ 
 der, and his burial gave the clans another 
 opportunity to vent their spleen. Not so 
 in the present instance. Glad tidings of 
 great joy were sounded throughout the 
 land. Morgan is found, was at once the 
 theme of every tongue. Providence, it was 
 said, had interposed its aid, and Heaven 
 laid bare its outstretched arm to avenge 
 his death, not upon the guilty perpetrators 
 only, but as well upon the whole Masonic 
 fraternity. 
 
 The already excited bosoms of the anti- 
 masonic clans received new impulse, and 
 future triumphs were rung in every ear. 
 The cry of vengeance was wafted on every 
 breeze, mingling with every echo returning 
 
76 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 from the Lake, where Morgan’s ghost, it 
 was said, performed its nightly rounds. 
 
 A voice from Canada, however, soon 
 afterward dispelled the general anti-masonic 
 joy. It was at first a still, small voice. The 
 voice of an afflicted widow and her father¬ 
 less children interposing their claim to the 
 last relics of a deceased husband and father. 
 Their pretensions, for a while, were treated 
 with levity by the anti-masonic party, and 
 by some they were personally insulted and 
 abused. This, however, was only another 
 exhibition of the intolerant vindictiveness of 
 the class. It was not very long, however, 
 before prejudice and passion were obliged 
 to retreat at the approach of truth. Con¬ 
 clusive evidence established the justice of 
 the demand of the widow and fatherless, 
 and an insulted community ratified the 
 verdict. 
 
 A notice first appeared in the Canada 
 newspapers that one, Timothy Monro, of 
 the township of Clark, in the district of 
 Newcastle, in Upper Canada, left that place 
 in September, 1827, for Newark, in a small 
 
THE ALLEGED DISCOVERY. 
 
 77 
 
 boat, and was drowned in the Niagara river 
 while attempting to return. A partial de¬ 
 scription of the body found at Carlton, 
 together with the clothes and religious 
 tracts found in the pocket of the deceased, 
 having been published in the newspapers in 
 the vicinity §oon after the first inquest, and 
 coming to the knowledge of Monro’s sur¬ 
 viving friends, induced a belief that the 
 body found in Carlton could be no other 
 than his. Mrs. Sarah Monro therefore, 
 widow of the deceased, accompanied by her 
 son and a friend named John Cron, imme¬ 
 diately after the receipt of this intelligence, 
 went to the County of Orleans, in order to 
 examine it, and to satisfy herself of its 
 identity. 
 
 On their arrival at Gaines, and before the 
 clothes had been exhibited for her inspec¬ 
 tion, she was called upon by Bates Cook, 
 Esq., and other members of the Lewiston 
 committee, to describe them. She did so 
 and in a manner which carried conviction 
 with it. Some of them had been made up 
 in a manner rather unusual. Some of them 
 
78 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 had been mended, and the stockings had 
 been darned, all of which she minutely 
 described. Some particular marks had es¬ 
 caped the committee’s scrutinizing eyes; 
 these she mentioned, and among other 
 things that a piece had been sewed on at 
 the bottom of one side of one leg of the 
 pantaloons, which gave it the appearance 
 of a wide hem; she described the lining, 
 the pockets, and even the minutest marks. 
 
 The clothes, on their subsequent produc¬ 
 tion (they having, during all the time 
 which had elapsed since their discovery, 
 been in possession of the committee), exhib¬ 
 ited all the marks so particularly described 
 by her, and which could only have been 
 known to the person who had made or 
 mended, or closely examined them. Her 
 statement was confirmed by Daniel Monro, 
 her son, who, in addition thereto, stated 
 that he purchased the cloth for the pan¬ 
 taloons, and that the pattern was rather 
 scanty, which accounted for the pantaloons 
 being thus spliced. John Cron also testified 
 that he saw Monro on the day that he was 
 
THE ALLEGED DISCOVERY. 
 
 79 
 
 drowned, in clothes similar to those des¬ 
 cribed, and that he saw him have religious 
 tracts, which he at the time put into his 
 pocket. Under any other circumstances, 
 the above facts would have silenced incred¬ 
 ulity itself. It was thought proper, how¬ 
 ever, that other proof should be adduced, 
 in order not only to place the matter 
 beyond the reach of controversy, but to ex¬ 
 pose the former deception. 
 
 For that purpose, a Coroner’s inquest was 
 called, and a jury impaneled at Batavia, 
 on the 29th of October, 1827. The body 
 buried as Morgan’s was disinterred, and the 
 evidence detailed below submitted to their 
 consideration. They decided upon oath 
 that it was the body of Timothy Monro, 
 who had been accidentally drowned in Lake 
 Ontario, on the 26th of September then 
 preceding. 
 
 Hinman Holden, of Batavia, a witness on 
 this occasion, was a gentleman of the 
 highest respectability. He was for a long 
 time a member of the Morgan committee, 
 and anti-masons cannot charge him with 
 
80 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 the slightest leaning towards Masonic favor. 
 He saw the body before the second inquest, 
 and ever afterward expressed his opinion, 
 without fear or favor, that it was not the 
 body of Morgan. It will be observed, by 
 referring to his testimony, that he speaks 
 particularly, and with confidence, of the 
 hair on the head, and the whiskers. Six 
 other witnesses, four of whom are not 
 Masons, testify to the same fact. The 
 Coroner himself, was not a Mason, and but 
 three out of the twenty-four jurors. Some 
 dissented, it appears, from the verdict, by 
 voting in blank, not because they believed 
 the body was Morgan’s but because they 
 had some doubts about its being Monro’s. 
 The inquest, however, it will be observed, 
 was taken at a time when reason could no 
 more be heard than a whisper in a hurri¬ 
 cane. It was taken, too, at a place where 
 prejudice had perverted the greater part of 
 the public mind, and where opinions formed 
 without proof, had been confidently ex¬ 
 pressed even by some of the jurors. The 
 conduct of “ the managers” in relation to 
 
THE ALLEGED DISCOVERY. 
 
 81 
 
 the body of Monro, evinces perhaps, more 
 of the actual depravity of anti-masonry 
 than any other transaction connected with 
 the excitement, and has left a stain upon 
 their characters, which time has never 
 effaced. 
 
 We do not, however, intend by this to 
 criminate all the Morgan Committee, as 
 there were some honorable exceptions among 
 them. 
 
 In this connectiom, a regard for justice 
 and historic truth, require some further 
 statements respecting the second inquest 
 on the body of Monro. It was, or rather 
 would have been at any other time, singular 
 that persons employed by their fellow 
 citizens, to investigate the truth, whose 
 end was justice, should have withheld from 
 the second jury, the testimony which would 
 at once have dispelled the illusion, and all 
 for political effect. In other words it was 
 triumphantly remarked by one of their 
 number (Thurlow Weed), that they had 
 made u a good Morgan enough till after 
 election.” It was also equally singular that 
 
82 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 men pretending to respectability, did not, 
 if they were themselves at first deceived, 
 in case they were honest, when they after¬ 
 wards became satisfied of their error, en¬ 
 deavor to atone for the wrong they had 
 done, by some public declaration. Instead, 
 however, of doing this act of justice to 
 those whom they had insulted and abused, 
 they followed out the true and despicable 
 spirit of anti-masonry, and persisted in the 
 repetition of their contemptible assertions. 
 
 A more gross and infamous deception 
 was never practiced on the world. Nothing 
 short of the most childish credulity on the 
 one part, and the most abandoned profligacy 
 on the other, would have induced “the 
 managers” to hazard so bold an experiment, 
 and nothing short of the most servile 
 homage to those “managers,” could have 
 insured its success. And even at the present 
 time there are men who have the shameless¬ 
 ness to repeat, that the body of William 
 Morgan, was buried from the house of 
 another traitor to his Masonic oaths, one 
 Samuel D. Greene. 
 
THE ALLEGED DISCOVERY. 
 
 83 
 
 But we leave these unblushing frauds to 
 their own ignoble misrepresentations, and 
 proceed to “Mrs. Monro’s affidavit, made 
 and subscribed after her examination by 
 Bates Cook, Esq., and the box with the 
 clothing, brought forward. 
 
 “Orleans County, ss .—Sarah Monro , of 
 the township of Clark, district of Newcastle, 
 Upper Canada, aged 44 years, being duly 
 sworn, deposeth and saith, that she is the 
 widow of Timothy Monro, late of the same 
 place, now deceased, that she was married 
 to said Monro 24 years since—that about 
 six weeks since, her husband, the said 
 Timothy Monro, left home for Newark, and 
 has never returned, and that she has un¬ 
 derstood and been informed that he was 
 drowned in the Niagara river, in the latter 
 part of September last past; and this depo¬ 
 nent further saith that the clothes now 
 produced by Bates Cook, Esq., and which 
 are said to have been found on the body at 
 the mouth of the Oak Orchard Creek, are 
 the clothes which her late husband wore 
 when he last left home, and that he carried 
 
84 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 no change of clothes away from home with 
 him. This deponent further saith, that she 
 cut, and made the pantaloons and vest, and 
 that the surtout coat was cut and made by 
 Mrs. Perkins, a neighbor of hers—that she 
 cut and made the shirt, and that she knows 
 these now produced are the same worn by 
 her said husband. And the deponent fur¬ 
 ther saith, that the stockings now produced 
 by said Bates Cook, Esq., were purchased 
 by her husband when he was absent from 
 home, but that she has mended the same, 
 and knows them to be the same which her 
 said husband wore, when he last left home, 
 that she had mended the surtout coat and 
 pantaloons, and can identify them by the 
 places and manner of their being mended. 
 And the deponent further saith, that no 
 person has ever given her any description 
 of the clothing which was found upon the 
 dead body, at the mouth of Oak Orchard 
 Creek, and that the particular description 
 given by her before seeing the clothes, was 
 given from her recollection and knowledge 
 of them, derived in consequence of having 
 
THE ALLEGED DISCOVERY. 
 
 85 
 
 made and repeatedly mended and seen 
 them. 
 
 “Daniel Monro , a son of the deceased, 
 swore that the clothes are the same which 
 his father wore when he left home in Sep¬ 
 tember last—and also stated facts con¬ 
 nected with the purchase and making of 
 them. 
 
 “ John Cron swore that he saw Monro 
 the day he was drowned, and that he had 
 on clothes similar to those now produced, 
 that he saw Monro have some tracts or 
 pamphlets, which he put in his pocket at 
 the same time. 
 
 “Hinman Holden, (a member of the Mor¬ 
 gan committee, of Batavia) sworn—Said 
 that he, with Timothy Fitch, Esq., first 
 saw the body at the mouth of Oak Orchard 
 Creek, on the 13th of October last. It was 
 disinterred. Witness examined the body 
 particularly, but could not discern any 
 natural features. The head was bald on 
 the crown, and a bald streak ran down each 
 side to the forehead. On the top of the 
 
86 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 head there was a tuft of hair, which he 
 supposed grew there. The body had one 
 whisker on, and it was apparant the other 
 was either slipped or pulled off. The whis¬ 
 ker was quite gray. Thought the whisker 
 had been sandy. The hair on the head 
 was considerably grayish. A lock of hair 
 was brought to Batavia. Timothy Fifcch 
 was present, and we thought the hair too dark 
 for Morgan’s; but upon Mrs. Morgan stat¬ 
 ing how it was, we thought it might be 
 Morgan’s. Mrs. Morgan was much affected 
 at the sight of the hair, and thought it was 
 her husband’s. There certainly was a tuft 
 of hair between the bald spot on the crown 
 of the head and the forehead, on the body 
 which we examined on the 13th. Miller 
 and others at Batavia, informed me that 
 Morgan was wholly bald on the top of his 
 head. I saw particularly, a bald spot on 
 each side of the head. I charged the per¬ 
 sons who went down the second time, to 
 see if the hair was turned up. At the time, 
 I supposed the hair grew on the head, and 
 still believe so. On the examination I at 
 
THE ALLEGED DISCOVERY. 
 
 87 
 
 first thought it was Morgan, but afterwards 
 thought it was not. On hearing a descrip¬ 
 tion of Morgan’s head, I was more strongly 
 impressed with the belief that it was not 
 Morgan. I could see nothing but the color 
 of the hair and the shape of the forehead 
 which induced me to believe that it was 
 Morgan, and if it had not been suggested 
 to be Morgan’s, I did not know enough 
 about him to have said or thought it was 
 his body. 
 
 “Dr. H. Vinton , sworn—Said that he 
 saw the body at the mouth of the Oak Or¬ 
 chard Creek, when the second inquest was 
 held. The head was bald on the top, but 
 had a very considerable quantity of hair 
 between the bald spot and the forehead. 
 The head was not entirely bald on the 
 sides. I started the hair from the forehead, 
 and knew that it grew there. It was not 
 mere scattering hail on the top of the head, 
 there was quite a handful. The hair of the 
 tuft was quite long. Knows that the hair 
 grew on the top of the head. Cannot be 
 
88 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 mistaken about it. After starting the hair 
 I put it back 
 
 “ Dr. Hall , sworn—Saw the body before 
 it was buried the first time. The hair 
 covered the forehead and continued back. 
 There was a bald place on the crown, and 
 a bald place on each side as far back as the 
 middle of the ears, hair on the top of the 
 head as thick as my own. Witness took 
 hold of it, there was a dispute about its 
 being Morgan, and I examined it particu¬ 
 larly ; the hair grew there, and would require 
 pulling to get it out. I was on the first 
 jury. Some said he (Morgan) turned the 
 hair from the back part of the head, over 
 the baldness on top; we therefore examined 
 the hair on the top of this body’s head, to 
 see if it grew there or was merely turned 
 over; we found that it grew there. No 
 one of the jurymen examined his eyes; the 
 body had a good set of teeth, and some 
 whiskers; had lost two teeth, and had one 
 broken. When the body was taken up the 
 second time, the hair from the top of the 
 head w 7 as gone, could see where it had 
 
THE ALLEGED DISCOVERY. 
 
 89 
 
 been. I saw it, and Dr. Strong saw it, I 
 showed it to him and he saw it, but he did 
 not admit it only by general consent. When 
 I was showing it to him, a man came up 
 and said Morgan had hair on the top of his 
 head. We thought at first we could see a 
 scar on the forehead; but concluded that 
 the mark was occasioned by lying on cobble 
 stones. We saw no mark on the arms, 
 which were of a chocolate color. We could 
 probably have seen the marks of India 
 ink or gunpowder, if such marks were upon 
 them. 
 
 “Moses Wood, Daniel English, and the 
 two Potters (who first found the body), 
 corroborated the above testimony of Holden, 
 Yinton, and Hall. 
 
 “The body interred was measured by the 
 Coroner, and was found to be five feet nine 
 and a half inches; and Dr. Yan Tuyl (one 
 of the jurymen) swore that in his belief, if 
 the body had been properly extended, ik 
 would have measured an inch more. 
 
90 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 “Mr. Parmelee and Dr. Webster (members 
 of the jury) concurred with Dr. Van Tuyl 
 in the above testimony. 
 
 “Elisha Parmelee (a juror), sworn—Saw 
 the measurement with the two-foot rule, 
 and think it was accurate. Should think the 
 body, if straightened out, would measure 
 5 feet 10^ or 11 inches; knew the body 
 was somewhat bent when the Coroner took 
 the measurement. 
 
 “Dr. Webster (a juror), saw the measure¬ 
 ment by Mr. Waldo, with the long stick, 
 which he thought was not put low enough 
 to the bottom of the foot by half an inch; 
 but supposed it immaterial, supposing that 
 the jury were to rely on the two-foot, 
 measurement of the Coroner. Saw and 
 remarked that the measure was not down 
 far enough. 
 
 “ Thomas McCully swore that he was 
 well acquainted with Morgan; that he was 
 so near his height that he was frequently 
 taken for him when his back was turned. 
 He measured himself, 5 feet 6 inches, and 
 
THE ALLEGED DISCOVERY. 
 
 91 
 
 weighed from 133 to 137 pounds. Daniel 
 H. Chandler, Ethan B. Allen, and Bussell 
 Dyer, men well acquainted with Morgan, 
 agreed with Mr. McCully as to the height 
 of Morgan. 
 
 “Daniel H. Chandler, Ethan B. Allen, 
 Thomas McCully, John Bobinson, and Bus¬ 
 sell Dyer proved that Morgan was wholly 
 bald on the top of the head, and never wore 
 whiskers. 
 
 “Five teeth were extracted from the 
 body buried, and none of the front teeth 
 were double; sworn to by Drs. Strong and 
 Cotes. 
 
 11 Dr. John Cotes , Jr ., of Batavia, sworn— 
 Has examined the body; has cut open the 
 feet, and can find no mark of the bone of 
 any of the toes having been scraped; thinks 
 a toe bone could not have been scraped so 
 (as Morgan’s is alleged to have been) with¬ 
 out the skin afterwards growing to the 
 bone. He discovers no evidence of the toe 
 bone having been scraped; witness has cut 
 the flesh, and discovers nothing to indicate 
 anything more than the first stage of de- 
 
92 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 composition; should suppose, from appear¬ 
 ance, that the body has been dead about 
 six weeks, say two months at farthest. The 
 part under the skin has not undergone de¬ 
 composition; there was no cleaving of flesh 
 from the bones or tendons; the flesh adheres 
 firmly to the bone; the stomach is in a 
 perfect state, and I think it has the same 
 tenacity as that of a person recently dead; 
 think a body could not remain in this state 
 a year without some artificial process to 
 preserve it. Witness knew from informa¬ 
 tion how this body was found on the beach, 
 and the particulars of its treatment since, 
 and does not think it in a more forward 
 state of decomposition than a body would 
 be in six or eight weeks after death. Has 
 never seen a body whichhas been kept in water 
 for a year. Has seen a body kept some time 
 in spirits. Witness has dissected the feet 
 of this body, and thinks they appear like 
 those of a body lately dead. I should not 
 think a body would be preserved nine 
 or twelve months in this state, though 
 much would depend on the manner of keep- 
 
THE ALLEGED DISCOVERY. 
 
 93 
 
 ing it. I think the body, if floating and 
 exposed, has not been more than six weeks 
 or two months dead. After being under 
 water a year it would not be in so perfect 
 a state; a body exposed would decay much 
 sooner, after being kept so long, than if 
 just dead. I should not think this body 
 more decayed than a body drowned on the 
 26th of September, and exposed as this has 
 been since the 6th of October. (The teeth 
 drawn from the body being produced, wit¬ 
 ness says they are not double teeth; and on 
 examining the mark on the paper in which 
 the teeth were wrapped says it is the mark 
 of blood not decomposed). Witness has 
 seen front double teeth, but these now pro¬ 
 duced are not what are called ‘front double 
 teeth,’ and can see no uncommon appear¬ 
 ance in the teeth—nothing different from 
 the teeth of persons fifty years of age, 
 who have good teeth, which set together 
 square. 
 
 “The verdict of the jury was, that the 
 body is that of Timothy Monro , who was 
 
94 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 drowned in the Niagara river on the 26th 
 of September, 1827. 
 
 “Genesee County, ss.—An inquisition in¬ 
 dented and taken for the people of the State 
 of New York, at Batavia, in the county 
 aforesaid, the 29th day of October, in the 
 year 1827, before Jonathan Hurlburt, one 
 of the Coroners of the State for the county 
 aforesaid, upon the view of the body of 
 Timothy Monro, then and there lying dead, 
 upon the oaths of Guy Carleton Towner, 
 Osborn Filer, Alva Smith, Heman Pomeroy, 
 Jr., Joseph Fursman, Charles C. Church, 
 Truman Hurlburt, Hall S. Gregory, Corne¬ 
 lius L. Swart, Daniel P. Adams, William 
 H. Webster, Abraham Yan Tuyl, John 
 Thorp, Jr., William Blossom, Elisha Par- 
 melee, Win. H. Wells, Burnham Gilbert, 
 John Waldo, Benjamin Henshaw, Ebene- 
 zer Pomeroy, Lemont Holden, Ezekiel Betts, 
 Oswald Williams and Nicholas Sagendorph, 
 good and lawful men of the said county, 
 who being sworn and charged to inquire on 
 the part of the people of said State, when, 
 where, how, and after what manner the said 
 
THE ALLEGED DISCOVERY. 
 
 95 
 
 Timothy Monro came to his death, do say, 
 upon their oaths as aforesaid, that the said 
 Timothy Monro came to his death by drown¬ 
 ing, to-wit: that in crossing the Niagara 
 river from Fort Niagara to Fort George, in 
 a skiff, the same upset in the said river, by 
 means whereof the said Timothy Monro 
 became accidentally drowned, to-wit, on the 
 26th day of September, 1827. 
 
 “In witness whereof, as well the said Cor¬ 
 oner as the jurors whose names are under¬ 
 written, have to this inquisition set their 
 hands and seals, the day and year aforesaid 
 and at the place aforesaid. A. Yan Tuyl, 
 0. Filer, C. Towner, W. H. Webster, N. 
 Sagendorph, H. S. Gregory, Chas. C. 
 Church, D. P. Adams, B. Henshaw, John 
 Thorp, Jr., Ezekiel Betts, Truman Hurl- 
 burt, Elisha Parmelee. 
 
 “Jonathan Huklburt, 
 
 Coroner .” 
 
 All of the dissenters expressed themselves 
 fully satisfied that the body was not Mor¬ 
 gan’s, except two—one of whom declared 
 
96 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 on the jury, that he would not believe but 
 that was the body of Morgan, if twenty of 
 the most respectable men in Genesee County 
 should swear it was not. 
 
CHAPTEE Y. 
 
 CONFESSION OF E. H. HILL AND OTHEES. 
 
 T HE body found in Carlton, so long as it 
 was supposed to be Morgan’s, changed 
 the inquiry in that section from “Where 
 is Morgan?” to “Who are his murderers?” 
 And for several days this last inquiry pro¬ 
 duced an intense interest. Arrangements 
 were about being made to procure indict¬ 
 ments for murder against a number of sus¬ 
 pected individuals, and no doubts were 
 generally entertained but that quite a num¬ 
 ber of Masons, at least sixty or seventy, 
 would shortly be hanged. It is not too 
 much to say that a large portion of the 
 community were already feasting their eyes 
 in anticipation of these wholesale executions 
 and listening with rapture to their expiring 
 groans. 
 
 During this period of anticipatory anti- 
 masonic triumph, a person by the name of 
 
98 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 Hill, then residing in the town of Alden, in 
 the County of Erie, avowed himself as one 
 of the murderers. Hill was a carpenter by 
 trade; hut there is no record known as to 
 whether he was ever initiated as a Mason or 
 not. He was represented to be a person of 
 an orderly and quiet life, and, until he con¬ 
 fessed his participation in Morgan’s death, 
 never by his conversation or conduct gave 
 any indications of insanity. Having made 
 some confessions apparently by accident to 
 those with whom he associated, he was 
 arrested on suspicion, and, having repeated 
 them on his examination before the Justice, 
 was committed to the Buffalo jail. While 
 in jail he made and signed the following: 
 
 “To the Citizens of Erie County: 
 
 “I, R. H. Hill, of said county, did, on 
 Tuesday last, of my own free and voluntary 
 will, come forward and confess the crime of 
 murdering a man that I supposed, by in¬ 
 formation, was William Morgan. On exam¬ 
 ination I plead guilty. I was examined 
 before Esquires Case and Bivins, and by 
 
CONFESSION OF HILL. 
 
 99 
 
 them taken to this place on Monday follow¬ 
 ing, and a cross-examination took place, and 
 I was committed to the gaol of said county 
 for farther examination. Several gentlemen 
 have called and questioned me, and it was 
 not my intention to criminate any one but 
 myself. For that reason I have answered 
 the questions, some correctly and some I 
 have not. You dispute the truth of my 
 assertions in respect to the horrid deed I 
 have committed. I wish to be punished by 
 the laws of God and my country, which I 
 have broken, and atone for the crime I have 
 done. I am not alone in the horrid trans¬ 
 action. The stings of a guilty conscience 
 and a hand stained with the innocent blood 
 of one that I saw only once, has stared me 
 in the face continually. My confederates 
 and I did take the most solemn oaths that 
 we would not betray each other, and, in 
 case one of us should be arrested, suffer the 
 penalty of the law in silence. Such is my 
 situation, and, for pity’s sake, spare me the 
 thoughts of breaking the oaths at present. 
 I wish not to be examined any more, until 
 
100 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 it is at a higher court, where I shall plead 
 guilty, and shall expect to die the ignomin¬ 
 ious death of the gallows for my bloody 
 deeds, and may the Lord have mercy on my 
 soul. Such will be my dying words. Fare¬ 
 well. The prospect before me is dark and 
 gloomy when I consider how short is the 
 time before I shall be summoned to the 
 tribunal of a just and angry God. Pity 
 the unhappy and miserable B. H. Hill, who 
 begs your forgiveness in the arms of death. 
 Take warning in me and shun the paths of 
 vice and sorrow, and remember thy Creator 
 in the days of thy youth. I should suppose 
 that whoever came, as I have done, and 
 confessed the crime of murder, would need 
 no more evidence than his own confession. 
 But I have come to satisfy that law which I 
 have broken. When I left York (Livingston 
 County), I was accompanied all the first 
 traveling through a country unknown to 
 me, and in the night, and not making any 
 inquiries, stopping once in a while and not 
 leaving the carriage, during the night tak¬ 
 ing in sometimes a person whom I knew 
 
CONFESSION OF HILL. 
 
 101 
 
 not and others getting out, I could not give 
 a correct account of the country. In my 
 cross-examinations I have endeavored not 
 to give correct answers so as not to betray 
 others who were my associates. When I 
 have had my trial I will then declare as I 
 should think it my duty. But at the pres¬ 
 ent I wish to remain as I am. The gentle¬ 
 man who has called and questioned me will 
 judge of this, and think what can be my 
 object but to satisfy the law and the gospel. 
 As to anything more, I wish to have it post¬ 
 poned until I have my trial in the county 
 to which it belongs. 
 
 “ Buffalo, Oct. 17, 1827 ” 
 
 “R. H. Hill. 
 
 Shortly thereafter Hill was removed to 
 Lockport, in the County of Niagara, that 
 being the county where the alleged murder 
 was said to have been committed, and the 
 only one in which he could have been tried. 
 At the first court held in that county after 
 Hill was committed, the case was presented 
 to the grand jury for their consideration. 
 Hill was requested by Judge Birdsall to go 
 
102 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 before the grand jury and state how far and 
 in what manner he had been accessory to 
 the murder of Morgan. This he declined 
 doing, but repeated his confessions and ac¬ 
 knowledged his guilt. No circumstances, 
 however, were shown to confirm his state¬ 
 ment, nor was it pretended that any such 
 existed. The grand jury, supposing him 
 insane, as he undoubtedly was, and unwill¬ 
 ing to predicate an indictment for murder 
 upon his insulated confession, without a 
 solitary circumstance being shown in con¬ 
 firmation of its truth, rejected the bill, and 
 of course Hill was discharged. No explana¬ 
 tion has ever been given to account for 
 Hill’s extraordinary conduct, except the 
 ground of insanity, which is also the most 
 charitable construction to put upon other 
 “confessions” and statements which have 
 emanated from demented monomaniacs in 
 various parts of the country. 
 
 One of these lunatics, named Henry L. 
 Valance, made a so-called “death-bed con¬ 
 fession,” in 1848, in which he announced 
 himself as the very man who threw the 
 
CONFESSION OF HILL. 
 
 103 
 
 luckless Morgan out of a boat into the Niag¬ 
 ara river. And, within a very few days 
 past, Hon. Thurlow Weed, in an interview 
 with a newspaper representative, gives a 
 rather unsatisfactory lot of “confessions” 
 which were imparted to him at intervals of 
 twenty or thirty years apart by one John 
 Whitney, who likewise claimed the distinc¬ 
 tion of having been in the above-mentioned 
 boat and having assisted in the murder. 
 
 The trouble with these crazy, self-con¬ 
 fessed murderers is, their stories do not hang 
 together well, nor agree in essential particu¬ 
 lars. Mr. Valance says there were three 
 who did the drowning. Mr. Whitney says 
 there were five, and names them to Mr. 
 Weed; but in the five he does not include 
 Mr. Valance, nor Mr. Hill, while the latter 
 gentleman insists that he is entitled to be 
 credited in the “taking ofi.” 
 
 To a candid and fair-minded outsider it 
 would seem that all these “confessors” were 
 a precious lot of madmen, or were very 
 anxious to have hemp around their necks. 
 At least they seem to serve anti-masons 
 
104 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 with ammunition, and occupy in their 
 armory relatively the same position as did 
 the body of poor Timothy Monro to Thur- 
 low Weed and his political associates, to-wit: 
 “a good enough Morgan till after election.” 
 
CHAPTEE VI. * 
 
 EDWARD GIDDINS. 
 
 T HE exclusion of this individual from 
 testifying in the case of Eli Bruce and 
 others was a thorn in the side of the 
 anti-masons at that time, and has been the 
 subject of much animadversion in their 
 publications and speeches ever since. The 
 decision of the court was boldly arraigned, 
 and the most frantic attempts made to cast 
 suspicion upon its purity and impartiality. 
 We are fortunate in having an unbiased 
 contemporary opinion upon this subject in 
 the shape of an editorial, published in 
 the Ontario Repository, the ablest paper 
 issued in that section, during the troublous 
 times of the anti-masonic excitement. We 
 deem the article worthy insertion, as show¬ 
 ing the opinion of those capable of judging 
 impartially. 
 
106 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 “In order to exhibit the reason of the 
 exclusion of Giddins’ testimony, it will be 
 proper to advert for a moment to the nature 
 of an oath. An oath is an appeal to God, 
 as the moral governor of the world, to wit¬ 
 ness the sincerity of what is about to be 
 testified, and an imprecation of his ven¬ 
 geance upon the witness, if he does not 
 testify truly. If, therefore, the witness 
 denies the existence of the Supreme Being, 
 or does not believe that He will punish 
 perjury, he cannot with any propriety be 
 sworn. As an appeal to Heaven, an oath, 
 in the case of the individual supposed, is 
 but solemn mockery; the Being whose 
 notice of the act is invoked, and whose 
 vengeance upon perjury is imprecated, 
 either does not exist, or is indifferent to 
 the truth or falsity of what is testified. 
 Whether, under this view of the subject, 
 Mr. Giddins should have been sworn, will 
 appear from the testimony produced on the 
 trial. And here we shall pass over that 
 portion of it which was verbal, and direct 
 the attention of the reader to the higher 
 
EDWARD GIDDINS. 
 
 107 
 
 and more satisfactory evidence furnished by 
 Giddins himself, in a written declaration of 
 his opinions, deliberately penned in the 
 confidence of a private correspondence with 
 an intimate friend. 
 
 “In a letter to David Morrison, dated the 
 10th of April, 1827, of great length, and, as 
 its whole scope and tenor indicates, written 
 for the express purpose of giving a formal 
 statement of the writer’s religious creed, 
 are the following, among many coincident 
 passages: ‘God has the same care of a 
 man as of an insect, of an insect as of a 
 tree, of a tree as of a stone. With him 
 there can be no difference or distinction 
 between beauty and deformity, virtue and 
 vice, perfection and imperfection. Prayers 
 are hut mockery to His name, and ought 
 not to be encouraged. All men can do can¬ 
 not change Him; He is not susceptible of 
 persuasion, and as relates to man he is incap¬ 
 able of love or hatred. This is my notion 
 of vice and virtue; that they do not refer to 
 any future time, hut relate altogether to 
 man in his present state. My views are 
 
108 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 not in accordance with the Bible, for that 
 book represents the Deity as vindictive and 
 inconsistent.’ 
 
 “Such were the views of Mr. Giddins but 
 a few months previous to the disappearance 
 of William Morgan. By the testimony of 
 Mr. Griffin and Mr. Weed, a declaration of 
 his, last May, was proved, that his religious 
 opinions were fixed , and that he had not 
 changed them for years. Now if the com¬ 
 petency of a witness requires a belief of 
 the Divine cognizance of the acts of His 
 creatures, and that He will punish false 
 swearing (a point which we supposed estab¬ 
 lished by unnumbered decisions, and the uni¬ 
 form and immemorial practice of courts in 
 every civilized country), then there can be 
 no question hut Edward Giddins was prop¬ 
 erly and legally rejected. The only question 
 for the court to decide was, what was the law 
 of the State as applicable to that case? 
 With the policy or impolicy, propriety or 
 impropriety of the laws, they had nothing 
 to do. If the principle, in any of its ten¬ 
 dencies or applications should he found 
 
EDWARD GIDDINS. 
 
 109 
 
 prejudicial to individual rights, or sub¬ 
 versive of the ends of justice, then it is 
 incumbent on the Legislature to provide a 
 remedy. It is the province of courts of 
 justice, not to enact or change laws, but to 
 declare and execute them as they actually 
 exist. It is, however, deserving of serious 
 consideration, whether the abrogation of 
 this rule and the indiscriminate admission 
 of witnesses denying moral responsibility, 
 and insensible of the religious sanction of 
 an oath, would not lead to consequences 
 more dangerous than any which can result 
 from the operations of the law as it now 
 stands. It is only a sense of moral obliga¬ 
 tion and future retribution, which can make 
 an oath what it has been fully termed, ‘the 
 adamantine chain which binds the soul of 
 man to the throne of eternal justice.’ 
 
 “But it is said by anti-masons that, by 
 the rejection of this witness, the perpetra¬ 
 tors of an outrage are to escape the punish¬ 
 ment due to their crime. So, too, it might 
 happen that an individual convicted on 
 record of larceny or perjury might be the 
 
110 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 sole witness of a robbery or murder, and 
 that, if admitted to his oath, he would 
 testify truly, and yet, as the law disallows 
 the testimony of such a person, the high¬ 
 way robber or murderer must in that case 
 go unpunished. 
 
 “Many encomiums have been lavished by 
 anti-masons upon the character of Mr. 
 Giddins, who is held up to the public as a 
 paragon of integrity and moral worth. But 
 what, upon his own showing, are his claims 
 to such a distinction ? He shamelessly 
 proclaimed to the world that he was per¬ 
 sonally concerned in one of the greatest 
 outrages ever perpetrated in a civilized 
 community. He stated that the liberty 
 and life of an injured fellow-being were 
 placed in his hands. According to his 
 story, day after day he held the ill-fated 
 Morgan confined in a dreary prison house, 
 and heard unmoved the supplicating cries 
 of his prisoner for sympathy and deliver¬ 
 ance. By simply turning a key he might 
 have sent him forth to liberty and life. 
 He might have had recourse to the civil 
 
EDWARD GIDDINS. 
 
 Ill 
 
 authority, but he did not do it; the mur¬ 
 derous tragedy is consummated, and long 
 afterward, when community come to make 
 inquisition, and indignation is enkindled 
 against the transaction, then, forsooth, this 
 Mr. Giddins becomes the champion of a 
 virtuous excitement! Instead of humbling 
 himself in sackcloth and ashes before that 
 community, whose most sacred rights he 
 confesses to have outraged, he sets him¬ 
 self up for a leader of the anti-masonic 
 party, and does not hesitate even to trumpet 
 through almanacks and newspapers the 
 story of his own infamy, that he may 
 speculate upon publick curiosity and excite¬ 
 ment. The impropriety and injustice of 
 thus giving publicity to the particulars of 
 a transaction in reference to which he then 
 expected to be a witness against his asso¬ 
 ciates in a crime, thereby inflaming the 
 feelings of the publick against the accused, 
 and leading them to prejudge the cause 
 upon ex-parti statements, must be obvious 
 to every one; and the conduct of Mr. Gid¬ 
 dins, whether considered in reference to 
 
112 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 N 
 
 the sordid motives which actuate it, or the 
 relation in which he stands to all the 
 parties, deserves unmixed and decided rep¬ 
 robation. ” 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 COL. WILLIAM KING AND CAPT. HYDE. 
 
 W ILLIAM KING, who was branded by 
 anti-masons as a fugitive from justice, 
 and accused not only of participating 
 in Morgan’s abduction, but also in bis mur¬ 
 der, was, for many years, a resident of Nia¬ 
 gara County. Possessed of many estimable 
 virtues, and being highly respected in the 
 community where he resided, be had the 
 confidence of bis fellow-citizens and at one 
 time represented that county in the Assem¬ 
 bly. Having also the confidence of the Gen¬ 
 eral Government be was appointed agent for 
 three of its military posts, Niagara, Platts¬ 
 burgh and Micbilimackinack. A few years 
 subsequent the Government abandoned them 
 and left him with a family of twelve children 
 without support. Having no capital at bis 
 command be determined to become a pio- 
 
114 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 neer, and started for the West in the winter 
 of 1827, big with the hope of soon being 
 able to provide his family with a home. He 
 went in the first place to Albany, where he 
 received an appointment from Gov. Clinton 
 to transact some business for the State at 
 Washington, to which place he repaired, 
 and there remained till the 7th of February, 
 1827. During his stay at Washington he 
 received the appointment of sutler for Can¬ 
 tonment Towson, in the Arkansas Territory, 
 on the Eed Eiver. On the 10th of Febru¬ 
 ary, 1827, he left Baltimore and arrived at 
 his destination, by the way of New Orleans, 
 on the 1st of April following, and at once 
 established himself in business. Anti-ma- 
 sonic venom followed him, and while engaged 
 in his legitimate business he received in¬ 
 formation for the first time that his name 
 was connected in the public papers and on 
 the tongues of anti-masonic slanderers with 
 Morgan’s abduction. 
 
 As soon as he was apprised of this circum¬ 
 stance he resolved to return and abide the 
 justice of his country. While making ar- 
 
COL. KING AND CAPT. HYDE. 
 
 115 
 
 rangements with that view he was informed 
 by some one who overheard a conversa¬ 
 tion between some strangers, who had just 
 arrived at that post, and Capt. Hyde, its 
 commanding officer, that he was pursued. 
 He thereupon expressed a perfect willing¬ 
 ness to be arrested in case he was suspected 
 of violating the laws of his country, but on 
 being told that he was to be carried in irons 
 (nothing but iron shackles would answer 
 anti-masonic suspicion) back to his native 
 State, he chose not to return in that way, 
 and, therefore, went to the house of a friend, 
 about ten miles distant, where he remained 
 till assured of their departure. He then 
 completed his arrangements as soon as pos¬ 
 sible, and, by traveling day and night a dis¬ 
 tance of nearly four thousand miles, arrived 
 in the County of Niagara soon after his 
 pursuers’ return. 
 
 Col. King having been publicly accused, 
 as already stated, of Morgan’s murder, hav¬ 
 ing fled from the State, as it was supposed, 
 to elude its justice, and the place of his 
 residence having with certainty been ascer- 
 
116 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 tained, Burrage Smith and John Whitney, 
 of Rochester, having also been accused of 
 Morgan’s abduction, and having also fled, 
 as asserted, for a similar purpose, Mr. Garl- 
 inghouse, the Sheriff of Ontario, and Mr. 
 Bates, its former Sheriff, accompanied by a 
 Mr. Mead, on the 13th of December, 1827, 
 being vested with authority for that purpose, 
 left Canandaigua in order to arrest them. 
 They arrived at Cantonment Towson, in the 
 Arkansas Territory, on the 14th of February, 
 1828, immediately made known their busi¬ 
 ness, presented their authority to Capt. 
 Hyde, commanding the fort, and desired his 
 aid. Capt. Hyde refused to aid in the arrest 
 of Col. King, but directed an officer to ac¬ 
 company them to Col. King’s store. On 
 arriving there they were informed that King 
 (apprised of their pursuit in the manner 
 above related) had gone. Presuming that 
 further pursuit would be hopeless, they 
 retraced their steps, and on the 1st of April, 
 1828, made their report to Lieut. Governor 
 Pitcher, at Albany. On the 17th of May 
 
COL. KING AND CAPT. HYDE. 
 
 117 
 
 Col. King returned and published in the 
 Lockport Journal the following card: 
 
 “ To Messrs. Garlinghouse and Bates: 
 
 “The undersigned asks leave to inform 
 them that he has returned to the County of 
 Niagara, where he can be found, and is 
 ready to transact any business they may 
 
 have with him. Wm. King.” 
 
 The return of Col. King at this particular 
 time created the utmost surprise. Indeed 
 it was a bombshell fired into the anti-ma¬ 
 sonic camp. Men who had abused him in 
 the harshest terms during his absence im¬ 
 mediately became (at least to all appearance) 
 his most ardent friends. The load of public 
 infamy under which anti-masonic slander 
 and vituperation had placed him, and for 
 which he had suffered, was at once removed. 
 Those good feelings which he had enjoyed 
 so largely in former times resumed their 
 accustomed influence, and the scurrilous 
 defamations which had filled the air van¬ 
 ished as a mist. 
 
118 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 During liis absence efforts had been made 
 to indict him for murder, but had failed of 
 success. Anti-masonic influence, however, 
 had succeeded in getting an indictment 
 against him for a misdemeanor, but no 
 attempt was made to arrest him on his re¬ 
 turn. On the second day thereafter he went 
 of his own accord to Lewiton and gave his 
 own bond for $1,000, with two sureties in 
 the sum of $500 each, for his appearance 
 at the next court. On the 27th of May he 
 published an address to the public, contain¬ 
 ing a statement of the facts before related. 
 His business, the following autumn, requir¬ 
 ing his personal attention, he went away 
 again for that purpose. No sooner had he 
 done so than a hue and cry was immediately 
 raised against him in the anti-masonic pa¬ 
 pers, and the terms “fugitive and murderer” 
 were again freely connected with his name. 
 Such is the consistent beauty of anti-ma¬ 
 sonic persecution. He shortly after returned 
 again, but it is a matter of history that, of 
 all those who were so persistent and voluble 
 in making charges and assertions when he 
 
COL. KING AND CAPT. HYDE. 
 
 119 
 
 was absent, not one ever had the courage 
 to bring his case to trial when he was there 
 to defend it. It is also a matter of history 
 that John Whitney, of Rochester, who was 
 so loudly accused, afterward returned, when 
 the slanderers were silenced. 
 
 Col. King died at his residence, in Youngs¬ 
 town, on the 28th of May, 1829, and was 
 buried with military honors under the direc¬ 
 tion of the commandant at Fort Niagara. 
 
 Col. King was in the expedition at Little 
 York, under Gen. Pike, and commanded the 
 troops of the Fifteenth Regiment. He was 
 also at Four Mile Creek, where he distin¬ 
 guished himself and was wounded. His 
 funeral was attended by a large concourse 
 of friends, relatives and citizens, showing 
 that he held a high place in the heart of the 
 community, notwithstanding the outrage¬ 
 ous slanders, insinuations and abuse of anti¬ 
 masons. 
 
 Immediately after the failure of Messrs. 
 Garlinghouse and Bates to arrest Col. King, 
 an effort was made to have Capt. Hyde tried 
 for refusing to obey orders from the Govern- 
 
120 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 ment regarding the matter, but no trial 
 ever took place, and lie was honorably ex¬ 
 onerated from any suspicion of wrong in his 
 connection with the matter. Thus ended 
 another of those series of baseless anti- 
 masonic accusations which were horn in 
 bigotry and nursed by blind fanaticism. 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 ANTI-MASONIC EXCITEMENT IN WESTERN NEW 
 YORK, AND THE MEANS USED TO 
 INCREASE IT. 
 
 F OR a time during the period of which we 
 write, the popularity and influence of 
 the anti-masonic agitators in the western 
 part of the State of New York were almost 
 without limit. Their command over the 
 minds of a large portion of the community 
 was startlingly powerful and significant. 
 Common sense and common humanity were 
 violated to aid in the progress of the excite¬ 
 ment. The most sacred rights of Masons 
 were trampled under foot, and a large num¬ 
 ber of the common people, like men affright¬ 
 ed in the dark, took every figure for a spec¬ 
 ter. The terror of each man became the 
 source of terror to another, and, a general 
 panic prevailing, reason and argument, com- 
 
122 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 mon sense and humanity, lost their influ¬ 
 ence over the actions of men. The torrent 
 of national prejudice ran so high that no 
 one, without the most imminent danger, dare 
 venture openly to oppose it; indeed, scarce¬ 
 ly any one, without great force of character, 
 could even secretly entertain an opinion 
 contrary to the prevailing anti-masonic sen¬ 
 timent. 
 
 This current of popular prejudice did not, 
 perhaps, run as violent as it did during the 
 witchcraft terrors in New England, but the 
 cases were parallel, and, had this excitement 
 occurred in a different age, and among a less 
 enlightened people; had the Legislature 
 given it the sanction of its authority, and 
 had the public mind been familiar with 
 scenes of carnage, it would unquestionably 
 have terminated in the massacre of all Ma¬ 
 sons in the section of country where anti- 
 masonic power had become dominant. 
 
 In order to test public sensibility on this 
 point, a number of false alarms were spread 
 abroad by D. C. Miller in his paper, or by 
 his friends in other ways. It is a fact that 
 
ANTI-MASONIC ANIMOSITY. 
 
 123 
 
 individuals, supposing that Batavia was 
 made up of cannibals, who, having devoured 
 the adjacent country, were about to devour 
 each other, flocked thither with loaded arms 
 for the avowed purpose of fighting the Ma¬ 
 sons. Taunts, threats, and numerous other 
 measures were being constantly resorted to 
 for the purpose of preventing Masons from 
 meeting, but all these things proved in 
 vain. 
 
 In our introductory chapter we mentioned 
 the attempt of anti-masons to break up the 
 Masonic celebration of St. John’s day, in 
 June, 1827, by the Batavia Lodge. The 
 following article regarding the matter ap¬ 
 peared in the Morgan Investigator and Advo¬ 
 cate , published by Miller: 
 
 “The Masonick Intelligencer of yesterday 
 contains a notice of an intended celebration 
 of St. John’s day on the 25th of June next. 
 The notice closes by saying—‘ The neighbor¬ 
 ing Encampments, Chapters and Lodges, in 
 their corporate capacities, as well as all Sir 
 Knights, Companions and brethren in the 
 vicinity will be invited to attend.’ There 
 
124 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 is something in this notice, as well as the 
 time of its appearance, which ought not to 
 escape publick attention. What is meant 
 by their ‘corporate capacities?’ I have 
 never understood that lodges, or chapters, 
 or even encampments, were incorporated in¬ 
 stitutions—nor can I conceive how they 
 can have ‘corporate capacities,’ unless they 
 be in some manner recognized by law. 
 
 “And, besides, why is this notice given so 
 early? It is now more than six weeks to 
 the 25th of June. There is still more mys¬ 
 tery about this part of the subject. A few 
 days instead of weeks would he sufficient for 
 all in the vicinity of this place. But their 
 object, probably, is to give their notice a 
 wide circulation and call together their 
 ‘tens of thousands,’ which they have fre¬ 
 quently boasted they could command at a 
 moment’s warning. What can be the object 
 of calling together so many Masons at this 
 place? Whose houses aie to be burnt or 
 demolished? Who is to be kidnapped and 
 murdered? If it be necessary to celebrate 
 this Masonick festival, why is it not done by 
 
ANTI-MASONIC ANIMOSITY. 
 
 125 
 
 the respective lodges in their own neighbor¬ 
 hoods? Where is the necessity of fcheir all 
 congregating at one place? Is it to display 
 their strength, manifest their contempt for 
 the people and set at defiance their power? 
 
 “They wilhprobably say they have a right 
 to assemble. And so have the people a right 
 to assemble. And now I would suggest to 
 the good people of this county, that a gen¬ 
 eral county meeting be held at the court 
 house in Batavia, on the 25th day of June 
 next, to deliberate upon the proper measures 
 to be adopted to secure our rights and per¬ 
 sons from Masonick encroachment and out¬ 
 rage. It is no time to sleep upon our posts. 
 Eternal vigilance is the only condition upon 
 which liberty is vouchsafed to man. We 
 have seen with what secrecy the Masons 
 contrive, and with what facility they exe¬ 
 cute their plans of vengeance. Eight 
 months have elapsed since a free citizen of 
 our country was kidnapped and torn from 
 his family and home, and, although the ac¬ 
 tive vigilance of a whole community has 
 been enlisted in the investigation, still his 
 
126 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 fate is wrapped in the dark arena of Mason- 
 ick mystery. The place of his grave remains 
 undiscovered, and bloody assassins go un¬ 
 punished. And who is to be the next vic¬ 
 tim of Masonick vengeance time alone must 
 disclose. In this state of things I think the 
 friends of constitutional law and civil liberty 
 should commune together and adopt some 
 measures for their future protection. And 
 that they may see the force with which they 
 have to contend in their struggle to main¬ 
 tain the majesty of the laws, the independ¬ 
 ence of the country and the rights of the 
 people, let them assemble on the 25th of 
 June. They may then see the Masons ar¬ 
 rayed in robes of royalty, with scepters in 
 their hands, and crowns upon their heads, 
 marching through the streets of a republican 
 country.” 
 
 The Masonick Intelligencer of May 23d, 
 1827, in relation to the above article, con¬ 
 tained the following remarks: 
 
 “We did not anticipate, when in a former 
 number we gave notice of our intention to 
 celebrate in publick the anniversary of St. 
 
ANTI-MASONIC ANIMOSITY. 
 
 127 
 
 John the Baptist, on the 25th of June, in 
 this village, that it would have called forth 
 such asperity of remark, or that our right 
 to do so would be for a moment questioned. 
 Were we, however, to judge from the gen¬ 
 eral tenour of some remarks on that subject 
 in the last number of the ‘Morgan Investi¬ 
 gator and Advocate ,’ we should of course 
 infer that such a celebration at that time, 
 in this village, is not to be tolerated with 
 impunity. Men who have stood so long 
 1 sleepless on the towers of freedom ’—who 
 have so often and so loudly proclaimed their 
 patriotism, who have boasted so much of 
 their regard for individual rights and per¬ 
 sonal freedom, it was to have been expected 
 would be the first to attempt their violation. 
 Still we can scarcely believe that the pub- 
 lick at large are yet prepared to sacrifice 
 Masons on the altar of prejudice, or go to 
 the extreme lengths which these pretended 
 patriots advise in acts of violence and out¬ 
 rage. We think the time is approaching, 
 and even now is not far distant, when the 
 
128 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 appellation of ‘ a brother ’ will not be a term 
 of reproach. 
 
 “ The recent excitement, originating, we 
 admit, in some cases from the purest of 
 motives, but which of late, by a combina¬ 
 tion of all the angry passions, has, we think, 
 in many instances been perverted to an end 
 for which it was not originally designed, 
 seems rapidly coming to a close. Some 
 mighty effort seems indispensable therefore 
 to preserve its existence, in order that the 
 ‘ proprietors’ may not, like drunken men on 
 the morning subsequent to debauch, sink 
 into that state of torpor from which nothing 
 short of the last trumpet can apparently 
 redeem thenf. An occasion for additional 
 excitement we presume these proprietors 
 fondly anticipate on this anniversary. We 
 are confident, however, that in this respect 
 they will be egregiously mistaken. 
 
 “ It has ever been a standing rule among 
 Masons, sanctioned and approved by centu¬ 
 ries, to celebrate this day either in publick 
 or in private. We are not aware that a 
 publick celebration, if properly conducted, 
 
ANTI-MASONIC ANIMOSITY. 
 
 129 
 
 (and that this will be so we have no doubt,) 
 ought to excite the animosity of any 
 rational being on earth. Such, then, being* 
 our views, we cannot but express our un¬ 
 feigned satisfaction that it is in contempla¬ 
 tion, and we fondly hope that our fellow 
 citizens who are not Masons will unite in 
 participating in the festivities of that day. 
 
 “We understand that a talented and 
 highly respectable gentleman has been re¬ 
 quested by the committee of arrangements 
 to deliver an address on the occasion. We 
 hope he will accept the invitation, and from 
 his talents, his standing and his exalted 
 character we anticipate an exposition of 
 Masonick principles which the most violent 
 and the most exasperated can but sanction 
 and approve, even if they do not embrace.” 
 
 As a comparison to the foregoing dispas¬ 
 sionate and manly article, note the follow¬ 
 ing tirade which appeared in Miller’s paper 
 the next week: 
 
 “ There is much conversation respecting 
 the meeting to take place the 25th of June. 
 The Masons have their emblems and signs, 
 
130 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 and on their aprons and sashes the sun, 
 moon and stars are engraved. The bright 
 luminary of day throws his beams over our 
 heads, and the moon, with her borrowed 
 light, sheds her beams. It is unnecessary 
 to have the sun, moon and stars emblazoned 
 on the flags of the people. The forty- 
 seventh problem of Euclid, and compasses 
 and squares would be equally foreign from 
 our purpose. When the meeting takes 
 place numerous devices have been proposed, 
 4 The Majesty of the People; ’ 4 The Triumph 
 of Justice over Oppression;’ 4 Morgan’s 
 Ghost walks Unavenged among Us;’ ‘Masons 
 have had their Day; ’ 4 Murder will Out; ’ 
 4 He that Sheddeth Man’s Blood, by Man 
 shall his Blood be Shed; ’ 4 The Voice of 
 Abel Cries to me from the Ground.’ 
 
 “ The leaders on the occasion will select 
 for themselves. There is much greatness 
 to be maintained. The sovereign people are 
 to move in commanding attitude; a vile 
 and contemptible society, with blood on 
 their heads, are to be met. Our citizens, 
 we trust, will act with decision. The great 
 
ANTI-MASONIC ANIMOSITY. 
 
 131 
 
 and solemn subject and event will sink deep 
 into their hearts and evince itself in the 
 deportment of the multitude.” 
 
 As stated in a previous chapter, many 
 insults and much provocation was heaped 
 upon the Masons, hut without the hoped for 
 retaliation. The proceedings at the celebra¬ 
 tion were impressive and dignified. Ti?e 
 address, which was delivered by George 
 Hosmer, Esq., of Livingston County, com¬ 
 pletely met the anticipations of his friends, 
 being a masterly effort in every sense; while 
 the Masonic order, for their endurance of 
 the scoffs and sneers, the insults and bar¬ 
 barous provocations of the anti-masonic 
 crowds, secured, as they deserved, the com¬ 
 mendation of many who had previously 
 looked upon them with a certain degree of 
 disfavor. 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 CONCURRENT EVENTS AND ITEMS. 
 
 S OON after the commencement of its 
 existence as a league or fraternity, anti¬ 
 masonry assumed a political character, 
 and in the fall of 1827 formally took the 
 field as a party. The campaign of 1828, 
 however, gave evidence of a new and 
 vigorous enthusiasm, and developed the 
 fact that anti-masonic leaders were deter¬ 
 mined to make the most of their efforts to 
 attach odium upon the Masonic order, and, 
 gaining popularity thereby, secure office 
 and influence. During the winter of that 
 year, one Solomon Southwick, of Albany, 
 who had previously been dismissed from 
 the office of Postmaster in that city, began 
 making considerable noise. He had been 
 a member of the Masonic fraternity for 
 many years, and about this time had dis- 
 
CONCURRENT EVENTS. 
 
 133 
 
 covered that it was a “hell-born and hell¬ 
 deserving institution.” He had been a 
 candidate for Governor once, and received 
 fifteen hundred or two thousand votes in 
 the State, and, at the time of which we 
 speak, was editing a paper in Albany called 
 the National Observer . This sheet was re¬ 
 markable only for its bitter vituperation, a 
 single instance of which will suffice. 
 
 During the winter of 1828, Col. Goodwill, 
 of Batavia, was driving across a bridge 
 over the Tonawanta Creek, in a cutter with 
 his wife, when they were accidentally 
 thrown off a steep bank a distance of nearly 
 forty feet. Col. Goodwill was himself- 
 seriously injured, and the life of his wife 
 was for some time despaired of. In making 
 mention of the affair in his paper, Mr. 
 Southwick, after speaking of some papers 
 which he alleged Col. Goodwill had assisted 
 others to obtain against Morgan, says: 
 “No redress has yet been obtained except 
 by an act of Divine Providence, which 
 precipitated one of them over a bridge in a 
 sleigh, his horse taking fright, by which he 
 
134 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 came near having his neck broke. Well 
 indeed was it he was thrown off the bridge; 
 for if he had fallen from a precipice fifty 
 thousand feet high, into a volcano like 
 iEtna, or Vesuvius, he would have been 
 justly served. Perdition seize such mon¬ 
 sters!” 
 
 These remarks, from the pen of a man 
 who was the anti-masonic candidate for 
 Governor, were the sincere sentiments of 
 the majority of the party which he repre¬ 
 sented. 
 
 In March, 1828, he went to Batavia, and 
 was nominated for Governor, at Green’s 
 tavern in that village, after which addresses 
 were exchanged, the nomination accepted, 
 and Mr. Southwick returned to Albany. 
 For want of a better, this nomination was 
 afterwards ratified by various anti-masonic 
 bodies and papers, in different parts of the 
 State, and supported by the whole anti- 
 masonic party, with great confidence in its 
 success. The result was not especially 
 encouraging, since the sanguinary anti- 
 masonic would-be Governor only received 
 
CONCURRENT EVENTS. 
 
 135 
 
 35,335 votes out of a total of 276,535 which 
 were cast in the State. 
 
 The conduct of anti-masons during the 
 election of 1828 afforded a more perfect 
 clue to the discovery of their objects than 
 anything which had been previously dis¬ 
 closed. It unfolded a system of political 
 inconsistency, and developed a hardihood 
 in political depravity, which was a disgrace 
 to the character of the great State of New 
 York. Yery few of the then active par¬ 
 ticipants are now living, probably the only 
 notable one at this writing being Thurlow 
 Weed. 
 
 In order to enlist anti-masons in favor of 
 Mr. Adams, a variety of expedients were 
 resorted to. 
 
 Among others, a Mr. Hartwell, of Can¬ 
 andaigua, who had some time before been 
 dismissed from the office of Postmaster in 
 that village, wrote the following letter to 
 President Adams: 
 
136 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 “Canandaigua, 
 
 “ 31st March, 1828. 
 “ To Ills Excellency John Quincy Adams, President oj 
 the United /States . 
 
 “Sir: 
 
 “ In consequence of a great many of my fellow 
 citizens and neighbors, who feel equally interested 
 with me to know what we consider a very impor¬ 
 tant fact, I take the liberty to enquire of you 
 w T hether you are a Mason? 
 
 “ The prostration of that dangerous institution 
 is considered in this section of the country para¬ 
 mount to any other consideration, and it would 
 give us great pleasure and satisfaction to hear 
 directly from you, and to hear that you do not 
 belong to that brotherhood. I have reflected upon 
 the propriety of writing you directly, for this some 
 time past, and have finally concluded that it is 
 undoubtedly my duty to make this inquiry, and I 
 conclude you will most cheerfully give me an 
 answer. I am satisfied with your administration, 
 and shall feel very cordially disposed to sujvport 
 your re-election should I hear you never have been 
 contaminated with that useless trumpery, Masonry; 
 and you may be assured that in case you have not 
 been so unfortunate as to have joined that society, 
 very much can and will be done in this section of 
 the State in your behalf upon that ground. 
 
 “Respectfully Yours, 
 
 “Oliver Hartwell.” 
 
CONCURRENT EVENTS. 
 
 137 
 
 Mr. Adams’ reply was as follows:— 
 
 “Washington, 
 
 “Oliver Hartwell, Esq., 
 
 “ 19th April, 1828- 
 
 u 
 
 Sir: 
 
 Canandaigua , JV. Y. 
 
 “ In answer to your inquiry in your letter of the 
 31st ult., I state that I am not, never was, and 
 never shall be a Free Mason. I give you this 
 answer in the spirit of friendly return to the kind¬ 
 ness with which you have made the inquiry. But, 
 unwilling to contribute to the excitement produced 
 by the mysterious abduction and probable murder 
 of William Morgan, I request you not to give 
 publicity to this letter. The deep and solemn 
 feeling which pervades the community on this 
 occasion is founded on the purest principles of 
 human virtue and of human rights. In the just 
 and lawful pursuit of a signal vindication of the 
 laws of nature, and of the land, violated in his 
 person, which has been undertaken and is yet in 
 progress, with the authority and co-operation of 
 your Legislature, I hope and trust that the fellow 
 citizens of the sufferer will temper with the spirit 
 of justice the reparation of her wrongs, and in the 
 infliction of every penalty carefully abstain from 
 visiting upon the innocent the misdeeds of the 
 
 g uilty- “I am, with respect, 
 
 “Your fellow citizen, 
 
 “J. Q. Adams.” 
 
138 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 Letters had previously been addressed to 
 Mr. Adams, in order to ascertain his opinion 
 on one subject of religion. Those he very 
 properly refused to answer. When, how¬ 
 ever, Mr. Hartwell addressed him a letter 
 on the subject of Free Masonry, and ap¬ 
 prised him of its bearing on the Presidential 
 contest, his letter was answered without 
 delay. The answer, however, was calcu¬ 
 lated to excite surprise, if not suspicion. 
 
 A President of the United States, the 
 most dignified officer in the world, writing 
 political letters to a dismissed Postmaster, 
 for the evident purpose of enlisting the 
 Morgan excitement into his service, was a 
 novel spectacle to the American people. It 
 has been pretended that such was not his 
 object. The peculiar phraseology of the 
 letter itself, however, refutes the assertion, 
 and particularly the expression, “I am not, 
 never was, and never shall be a Free 
 Mason.” Had Mr. Adams merely informed 
 his inquirer (as the letter was not intended 
 for publication) that he was not a Mason, 
 it would in all probability have sufficiently 
 
CONCURRENT EVENTS. 
 
 139 
 
 gratified Mr. Hartwell’s vanity, and pro¬ 
 duced the desired effect. When, however, 
 he descended from the dignity of his station, 
 and pledged himself to Mr. Hartwell, “that 
 he never would be a Mason,” the conclu¬ 
 sion irresistibly follows that it was the 
 wish of the President that the anti-masonic 
 excitement should minister as far as possible 
 to his ambition, and further his prospects 
 for another term in the Presidential chair. 
 
 But anti-masonry in politics soon came 
 to an end, and, despite its arrogance, soon 
 crumbled beneath the weight of its own 
 corruption. Having no political object 
 except to elevate into office a few designing 
 politicians, with no bond of principle to 
 unite them, it is not to be wondered that 
 the anti-masonic party soon closed its politi¬ 
 cal career. 
 
 As a contrast between the spirit of Free 
 Masonry and anti-masonry, one or two 
 illustrations seem to us worth recording. 
 
 * At the battle of the Cedars, about thirty 
 miles from Montreal, on the Biver St. Law¬ 
 rence, Capt. McKinstry, of Col. Patterson’s 
 
140 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 regiment of Continental troops, was twice 
 wounded and taken prisoner by the Indians. 
 His intrepidity as an officer had excited the 
 fears and unforgiving resentment of the 
 savages, who determined to put him to 
 death. Already had the victim been bound 
 to the tree and surrounded by the faggots 
 intended for his immolation. Hope had fled, 
 and, in the agony of despair, he uttered the 
 last mystic appeal of a Mason, when, as if 
 Heaven had interposed for his preservation, 
 the warrior Brandt understood and saved 
 him. Brandt had been educated in Europe 
 and was there made a Mason. 
 
 At an anti-masonic celebration held at 
 Le Boy, Genesee County, N. Y., on the 
 Fourth of July, 1828, the following elegant 
 and sentimental toast was given by a gentle¬ 
 man of high standing in the community and 
 one of the anti-masonic vice-presidents at 
 the celebration, and drunk by the multitude 
 with great applause: “Free Masonry—May 
 it be put where it will stay put.” • 
 
 Anti-masonry, as we have seen, not only 
 has labored to secure political power, but in 
 
CONCURRENT EVENTS. 
 
 141 
 
 every possible manner it has extended its 
 influence toward the Church and those pro¬ 
 fessing Christianity. The proceedings of 
 the different ecclesiastical tribunals which 
 have been convened, and, under pretense of 
 advancing the cause of Zion, have de¬ 
 nounced Masons and Masonic clergymen, 
 would fill many such volumes as this, and 
 must, therefore, be passed over in silence. 
 But the uniform record of history shows 
 most plainly that the exclusion of Masons 
 from Christian fellowship, the perversion of 
 the pulpit to purposes of proscription, and 
 the destruction of harmony in religious 
 societies by anti-masonic intolerance, has 
 never advanced the cause of true religion 
 or brought peace and hope to any living 
 man. Anti-masonry has simply been in the 
 Church, and to Christian men, what a hun¬ 
 gry wolf would be in a fold of sheep, raven¬ 
 ous, rapacious, insatiate. 
 
 A meeting was held in the town of Poult- 
 ney, Steuben County, at which it was, among 
 other things, 
 
142 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 Resolved , “That they would not hear any 
 Free Mason preach, unless said preacher 
 would openly and boldly declare that the 
 institution was wicked and a delusion.” 
 
 At a meeting in the town of Elba, Gene¬ 
 see County, held at the house of John 
 Wyllis, on the 3d day of March, 1827, it 
 was, among other things, 
 
 Resolved , “That they would not support 
 any person for any office, or any minister of 
 the gospel, who is a Mason.” 
 
 We have the record of more than a thou¬ 
 sand different meetings of a similar char¬ 
 acter at which similar resolutions were 
 passed. Newspapers were established to 
 give them currency, and the most inflam¬ 
 matory appeals, together with the basest 
 falsehoods, filled their columns. The effect 
 of all this clamor and execration can be 
 better imagined than described. History, 
 however, happily shows that the better senti¬ 
 ments of human nature have gradually over¬ 
 come this senseless outcry. 
 
 At the commencement of the American 
 Revolution Free Masonry, in this country, 
 
CONCURRENT EVENTS. 
 
 143 
 
 was principally confined to the large villages 
 and seaport towns. Before the first blow 
 was struck there were a number of Lodges 
 in Massachusetts which had received their 
 charters from the mother country, but who 
 then formed themselves into a Grand Lodge 
 and assumed jurisdiction separate from the 
 Grand Lodge of England. Dr. Joseph War¬ 
 ren, the illustrious patriot who sealed with 
 his blood the sincerity of his patriotism, 
 was the first Grand Master of the first 
 Grand Lodge. Washington succeeded him, 
 and for a number of years presided over the 
 Masonic councils of the land as well as over 
 its armies. In fact, during the Kevolution- 
 ary war and afterward, Masonry became 
 extremely popular, and its growth under 
 the auspices of Washington, Franklin, Ham¬ 
 ilton and a host of others alike distinguished 
 on the rolls of fame, was equaled only by 
 the grandeur of its object and the purity of 
 its precepts. Lodges were rapidly estab¬ 
 lished all over the land, and, in Western 
 New York, the theater of the anti-masonic 
 events which we have chronicled, the savage 
 
144 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 and the wild beasts had hardly retired be¬ 
 fore the banners of Masonry were flung to 
 the breeze. The'first Lodge was organized 
 in Batavia in 1820; in 1825 a Chapter was 
 established there, and in 1827 the Encamp¬ 
 ment, which had previously been located at 
 Le Boy, was also removed thither. 
 
 After the intentions of Miller and Mor¬ 
 gan in relation to “the hook” were publicly 
 announced, there arrived in Batavia one 
 Daniel Johns. He came from Canada, hut 
 had previously resided for a short time in 
 Bochester, where he became acquainted 
 with some of Miller’s friends, by whom, it 
 is said, he was recommended to Miller as a 
 suitable partner. Johns had a little money 
 and offered to make some advances, and at 
 that time pecuniary aid was much needed. 
 He was, therefore, without any special con¬ 
 sideration or reflection, received into their 
 confidence. 
 
 The object of Johns in the formation of 
 this partnership has never been actually 
 known, but subsequent developments seem 
 to justify the conclusion that there was 
 
CONCURRENT EVENTS. 
 
 145 
 
 deception practiced on both sides. It seems 
 quite certain that Johns hoped to obtain 
 possession of Morgan’s manuscripts, while 
 Miller was equally anxious to get Johns’ 
 money. This intended deception, it seems, 
 partially succeeded. Johns obtained a part 
 of the manuscripts alluded to, and Miller 
 secured about forty dollars in cash. As the 
 manuscripts, however, were of no value, 
 Miller, it has been admitted by all, obtained 
 an advantage. Of this Johns was aware, 
 but in endeavoring to bring Miller to terms 
 involved himself and some of his friends in 
 a series of difficulties which, however, are 
 hardly worth repeating here. There seems 
 to be no doubt but that the prime object of 
 Miller and Morgan in publishing the so- 
 called “Illustrations of Masonry” were mer¬ 
 cenary, for the reason that it was sold at 
 first for one dollar a copy when the expense 
 of publication could not have exceeded 
 seven or eight cents. 
 
 It also seems very certain that it was 
 Morgan’s intention, at first, to have remained 
 unknown as the author, and, had his inten- 
 
14:6 MASONIC LIGHT 
 
 tion in that particular met the approbation 
 of his more cunning and avaricious part¬ 
 ners, his book would probably have remained 
 as much of a secret as its author himself. 
 They, however, reasoned otherwise and con¬ 
 sidered a stir among Masons necessary to 
 insure its sale 
 
 But few copies were sold at a dollar. Its 
 price was soon reduced to fifty cents—after¬ 
 wards to twenty-five cents, and finally to 
 about the first cost. From all accounts no 
 one connected with its publication ever 
 made any profits of consequence out of its 
 issue or sale. Few had the patience to read 
 it through, and it soon sunk into its deserved 
 oblivion. All such attempts have terminated 
 in the disgrace of their authors, without in 
 the least injuring the cause of Masonry. 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 THURLOW WEED-HIS CONNECTION WITH THE 
 
 MORGAN AFFAIR, AND THE ANTI-MASONIC 
 AGITATION IN NEW YORK. 
 
 T HURLOW WEED, whose prominent 
 connection with the William Morgan 
 affair is a matter of history, was born 
 in 1797 under the shadows of the Catskills, 
 just as Washington had ceased to be Presi¬ 
 dent. He came of Connecticut Yankee 
 stock, full of push and ambition, and at the 
 age of 10, seized with a desire to-see the 
 world, he embarked as cabin boy on a Hud¬ 
 son river sloop for a voyage to the city of 
 New York. 
 
 At that time New York city contained 
 
 about 75,000 people, and was nearly all 
 below Grand Street. DeWitt Clinton was 
 
 mayor, and in his fertile brain the grand 
 
148 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 Erie canal project was evolving, which he 
 was sure would make New York the me¬ 
 tropolis of the Western hemisphere. 
 
 This was also the year when the first 
 steamboat, Robert Fulton’s “ Cleremont,” 
 made regular trips to and from Albany at 
 the then surprising speed of five miles an 
 hour. 
 
 Mr. Weed’s introduction to New York 
 city was certainly humble enough, consist¬ 
 ing in a tramp up Broad street with the 
 trunk of one of the sloop’s passengers on 
 his shoulders. 
 
 Without following his earlier history in 
 detail, we find him, in 1827, a young man 
 in Western New York, where he first came 
 prominently into notice while member of 
 an anti-masonic committee appointed to 
 investigate as to the alleged abduction and 
 murder of Morgan. At this time he was 
 poor but aspiring, and being unable to gain 
 admission into either of the inner rings of 
 the two political camps, he joined the ranks 
 of the anti-masonic agitators, and while a 
 member of the above-mentioned committee, 
 
THURLOW WEED. 
 
 149 
 
 was accused of perpetrating an act, the 
 shame and dishonor of which followed him 
 to his dying day. 
 
 Fully thirteen months after the disap¬ 
 pearance of Morgan, the drowned body of 
 Timothy Monro was found at Oak Orchard 
 Creek. Mr. Weed, accompanied by his man 
 Friday, John Marchant, and several others, 
 resurrected the body, and before the second 
 inquest was held, shaved the head and 
 pulled out the whiskers so as to make it 
 resemble Morgan. 
 
 Regarding this transaction, which was 
 generally understood and believed at the 
 time, the following affidavit was published 
 in the Rochester Daily Advertiser , Nov. 7, 
 1827: 
 
 “ William C. Green , being duly sworn, 
 deposeth and says that he, the said Green, 
 with others, did attend the poll of election 
 held at Howards, in the town of Gates, in 
 the county of Monroe, and that there Mr. 
 Thurlow Weed did say that he, the said 
 Weed, did pull the whiskers from the face 
 of the body found at Oak Orchard Creek, 
 
150 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 and that John Marchant did shave the 
 same, he, the said Weed, being one of the 
 Morgan Committee. 
 
 “William C. Green.” 
 
 “Subscribed and sworn this 6th day of 
 November, 1827, before me. 
 
 “Samuel Miller, J. P.” 
 
 Mr. Weed’s equivocal denials of this, 
 never fully satisfied his friends. When 
 charged with the act at the time, it is stated 
 he triumphantly asserted that it was “ a 
 good enough Morgan till after election. ” 
 
 As a matter of course, Mr. Weed also 
 denied that he ever made the aforesaid 
 remark, but does admit in his autobiogra¬ 
 phy that when a lawyer said to him at the 
 third inquest held upon the body: “After 
 we have proven the body found at Oak 
 Orchard to be that of Timothy Monro, 
 what will you do for a Morgan?” He, 
 Weed, replied “that is a good enough Mor¬ 
 gan for us until you bring back the one 
 you carried off.” 
 
THURLOW WEED. 
 
 151 
 
 In any event, which ever expression was 
 used, it was a thorn in the side of Mr. 
 Weed from that day until he died. Any 
 allusion to it was distasteful, and his inti¬ 
 mate friends carefully avoided making men¬ 
 tion of it in his presence. Speaking of the 
 alleged imposition and his connection there¬ 
 with, Mr. Weed said a few years before his 
 death: “A great many believe it. It was 
 not to be disproved to the satisfaction of 
 the public. I was abhorred by tens of 
 thousands. Old acquaintances cut me. I 
 was pointed at in the street. Strangers 
 would look askance at me; I saw them. 
 Friends gave me the cold shoulder. I was 
 made to feel everywhere and every hour 
 that I was a marked man.” 
 
 Many will ask why he should have done 
 this, and yet the answer has been more 
 than suggested. As noted in a former chap¬ 
 ter, an important election was just at hand; 
 the two political parties were torn asunder 
 by anti-masonic agitators and prevaricators; 
 Mr. Weed was young and full of zeal in a 
 new cause; the alleged abduction and mur- 
 
152 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 der was the signal and pretext for the for¬ 
 mation of a political party with national 
 pretensions rallying under the banner of 
 anti-masonry. Here was the opportunity, 
 and he made the most of it to his great 
 sorrow in later years. There is no ques¬ 
 tion but Mr. Weed’s disgraceful course 
 while a member of the Morgan Committee, 
 his publication of the Anti-Masonic En¬ 
 quirer , in Rochester, and his zeal as a trav¬ 
 eling detective to secure evidence for the 
 purpose of fixing the crime of murder on 
 the Masons, was, in the latter part of his 
 life, a cause of infinite regret and torment. 
 
 As regards the anti-masonic party, its 
 organization was purely selfish, illiberal, 
 and narrow-minded. Naturally, therefore, 
 it never did, and never could, become a 
 national power. Its first convention to 
 organize as a national party was held in 
 Philadelphia, Sept. 11, 1830. Among the 
 ten delegates representing the state of New 
 York were Thurlow Weed and William H. 
 Seward. A second convention was held in 
 Baltimore in 1831, when William Wirt, of 
 
THUREOW WEED. 
 
 153 
 
 Maryland, was nominated for President, 
 and Amos Ellmaker, of Pennsylvania, for 
 Vice President. This ticket secured the 
 seven electoral votes of Vermont. 
 
 Upon the failure of Mr. Weed’s anti- 
 masonic paper he engaged actively as a 
 sleuth-hound in hunting up testimony for 
 the Morgan Committee. He traveled hither 
 and thither. He found Owen Parkhurst at 
 Windsor, Vt., and undertook, for the sum 
 of $193.55, to take him to Batavia, N. Y., 
 to testify. He took him along quietly 
 enough until they reached the canal at 
 Albany, where they embarked on a packet 
 boat and retired. Meanwhile Mrs. Platt, 
 the wife of Ezra Platt, had been told, as 
 they passed through Albany, that Park- 
 hurst’s testimony would convict her hus¬ 
 band, who was on trial for participating in 
 the alleged abduction. Dressing herself in 
 men’s clothes she overtook the boat which 
 had Mr. Weed and his witness as passen¬ 
 gers. While Weed slept she woke up Park¬ 
 hurst, appealed to him not to testify, and 
 had him set ashore in the middle of the 
 
154 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 night. Upon missing him in the morning 
 Weed was bewildered and mortified, but he 
 made out his bill just the same and pock¬ 
 eted the $193.55. 
 
 He also found an old soldier named Eli¬ 
 sha Adams, who had been employed at Fort 
 Niagara, and for bringing him from Ver¬ 
 mont to testify before the committee he 
 received $150.82, notwithstanding the old 
 man’s evidence amounted to absolutely 
 nothing. 
 
 Not a little deceptive anti-masonic capi¬ 
 tal has been made out of an alleged con¬ 
 fession which it was said Mr. John Whitney 
 desired to make to Mr. Weed. The truth 
 is that this pretended confession and his 
 connection with it adds no credit to the 
 memory of Mr. Weed. He stated in vari¬ 
 ous interviews and communications that 
 Mr. Whitney met him in Chicago in 1860 
 and desired him to write out the alleged 
 confession, and afterward make it public, 
 which he promised to do. Owing to want 
 of time, and the excitement connected with 
 the Republican convention, to which Mr. 
 
THURLOW WEED. 
 
 155 
 
 Weed was a delegate, the matter, he says, 
 was neglected; and when in London, in 
 1861, Mr. Weed states that he wrote to 
 Whitney regarding the promised confession, 
 which letter was returned unopened owing, 
 he says, to Mr. Whitney’s death. The 
 falsity of this apocryphal story appears 
 when it is known as a matter of fact that 
 the only time Whitney met Mr. Weed was 
 at the Tremont House in Chicago, when in 
 an angry manner he demanded that Weed 
 should stop making false statements as to 
 him and his connection with the Morgan 
 affair. He declared that he, Whitney, was 
 in no way connected with the abduction of 
 Morgan, and that Weed knew it. After 
 quieting him, Mr. Weed said he was only 
 using the stories for political effect, and 
 finally promised to stop. As to the London 
 letter being returned on account of Mr. 
 Whitney’s death in 1861, it is a fact that 
 he did not die until May 3, 1869, and was 
 buried by the Masons of Chicago in Grace- 
 land Cemetery. 
 
156 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 There are several other curious, not to 
 say questionable, items regarding Mr. 
 Weed’s course in this alleged mystery, but 
 we think enough has been shown to justify 
 Masons in repudiating any and all pretended 
 evidence which was gathered or asserted by 
 him and used so zealously against the order. 
 
 At the time of his death, Mr. Weed’s for¬ 
 tune was estimated at from $1,000,000 to 
 $2,000,000, and it is safe to say he would 
 gladly have given a princely sum if he could 
 have effectually wiped out the stigma of his 
 connection with anti-masonry. If such be 
 not a fair conclusion, it seems strange that 
 nearly one-fifth of the volume of his mem¬ 
 oirs should be devoted to ingenious fabrica¬ 
 tions and excuses in order to shade down 
 and justify his acts. 
 
 After all, the result of this agitation and 
 persecution, which was provoked by Thur- 
 low Weed, William H. Seward, Francis 
 Granger, Frederick Whittlesey and others, 
 was only to knit the bonds of the brother¬ 
 hood among the faithful more closely. 
 
CHAPTER XI. 
 
 WHAT BECAME OF WILLIAM MORGAN. 
 
 O N the 13th day of September, 1882, an 
 anti-Masonic organization assembled in 
 the cemetery at Batavia, N. Y., and un¬ 
 veiled a monument sacred to the memory 
 of William Morgan. 
 
 Among other inscriptions on the face of 
 the shaft, is one stating that Morgan “ was 
 abducted from near this spot in the year 
 1826 by Free Masons, and murdered for 
 revealing the secrets of their order.” On 
 the monument he is also called “ a martyr 
 to the freedom of writing, printing and 
 speaking the truth.” 
 
 Standing in the shadow of this imposing 
 monument and gazing at the surmounting 
 statue, with all due reverence for the place 
 and purpose thereof, one cannot help ex;- 
 
158 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 claiming; what a stupendous farce! what 
 an unparalleled imposition! 
 
 The body which is supposed to rest under 
 this monument, is no more the body of 
 William Morgan than it is the body of 
 Judas Iscariot. 
 
 The projectors of this sculptured fraud 
 were mostly clergymen, who certainly had 
 intelligence enough to doubt whether a 
 forty-foot monument, surmounted by a 
 seven-foot figure, was evidence enough to 
 convince the world that a would-be traitor 
 rested beneath its base. 
 
 After the disappearance of Morgan he 
 was taken to Canada, and for a handsome 
 money consideration contributed by anti- 
 Masons, he agreed to leave the country and 
 in so doing aid the anti-masonic agitators, 
 and never return. 
 
 He was supplied with several thousand 
 dollars in specie, conveyed to Boston, and 
 within six months after his disappearance 
 ho sailed from that port for Smyrna, Asia 
 Minor, in the brig America, owned by Ezra 
 
WHAT BECAME OF WILLIAM MORGAN. 159 
 
 Weston of Duxbury, Mass., and commanded 
 by Captain Waterman. 
 
 Happily the confirming proofs of this 
 statement are ample, and go to show that 
 Morgan was for years a resident of Smyrna, 
 and that there he undoubtedly died. 
 
 The following letter from Captain Samuel 
 I. Masters, who, at the time he wrote it, 
 resided in Greenwich, Washington county, 
 New York, where he enjoyed the highest 
 respect and confidence of the community, 
 will be read with interest and can be de¬ 
 pended upon as authentic and truthful: 
 
 Dear Sir: 
 
 1 write you this to say that I have no doubt 
 whatever that William Morgan was, in 1830, a 
 resident of Smyrna, in Asia Minor. One morning 
 as Capt. Ingalls, of the ship Don Quixote of New 
 York, and myself, were strolling around the Turk¬ 
 ish bazaars at Smyrna, I was accosted in English 
 by a man wearing a long beard, dressed in Turkish 
 costume, inquiring whether I was in w r ant of any 
 bread for ship use. I asked him wdiere he learned 
 to speak English. He said he had been to Am¬ 
 erica. Knowing that the Turks were not a roving 
 people I asked him what part of the United States 
 
160 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 he had visited. With some little hesitation he 
 replied that he had visited Canandagua in the State 
 of New York. I then asked him if he had any 
 acquaintances residing there. He said he knew 
 Mr. Blossom, who kept the hotel there. I enquired 
 of him how long Mr. Blossom had kept the house, 
 and where he came from. His reply w T as that he 
 had kept it for several years, and that he came 
 from New Haven to Canandagua. I then re¬ 
 marked to Captain Ingalls that this man must have 
 been there, for his answers were correct. Capt. 
 Ingalls subsequently informed me for the first 
 time, that this assumed Turk was supposed to be 
 William Morgan. I regretted that I did not know 
 this fact before, for I should have interrogated him 
 more closely. During the day we met with Mr. 
 Brewer, an American gentleman, late tutor at Yale 
 College, who had recently arrived from the United 
 States, and I related the foregoing circumstance to 
 him. He fortunately happened to have a printed 
 description of William Morgan’s person among his 
 papers. We took it with us and compared it with 
 the pretended Turk and found it to correspond in 
 every respect, even to having double teeth in front. 
 There then remained but little if any doubt in our 
 minds that this man was really William Morgan, 
 and we so expressed ourselves to the United States 
 consul at Smyrna, who admitted there was a great 
 
WHAT BECAME OF WILLIAM MORGAN. 161 
 
 mystery about him; that he came from Boston to 
 Smyrna about the time William Morgan was miss¬ 
 ing; that he brought with him $4,000 in specie, 
 turned Turk and was circumcised; that it seemed 
 strange to him that a man with that amount of 
 money should turn Turk; and that he had received 
 many letters from the United States enquiring as 
 to the character of the pretended Turk. Our 
 opinion as to his being Morgan was also endorsed 
 by Messrs. Iseverden, Stitk & Co., a highly respect¬ 
 able American firm, and Mr. Yan Closs the Dutch 
 consul, with whom I became acquainted—having 
 letters of introduction to him. 
 
 Im a not a Free Mason myself, nor have I ever 
 belonged to their fraternity, therefore I have thus 
 given a correct narrative of facts just as they 
 occurred, without any prejudice whatever. 
 
 I have also in my possession a letter from U. B. 
 S. Eldred, of Auburn, N. Y., in which he says:— 
 “I saw a gentleman in Philadelphia in 1859, who 
 told me that he saw and conversed with a man 
 who knew Morgan in the United States; and this 
 person said he saw and talked w r ith Morgan in 
 Smyrna after his alleged murder. He was a 
 reliable man, and willing to swear to the fact.” 
 
 Yours, very truly, 
 
 S. I. Masters. 
 
 Greenwich, H. Y., Aug. 15, 1875. 
 
162 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 The publication of the above communi¬ 
 cation brought to the front Capt. Andrew 
 Hitchcock, of West Troy, N. Y.,.who at 
 once corroborated Mr. Masters’ statement 
 and gave the following personal facts: 
 
 “ He was a sailor in 1830, and in the 
 month of February was on board the United 
 States man-of-war Java, then at Smyrna, 
 Asia Minor. He, with 200 others, had been 
 transferred from the Delaware, on which 
 vessel he shipped; to the Java, when the 
 Delaware was ordered home, and his vessel 
 remained in Asiatic waters all winter. Fre¬ 
 quent excursions were of course made to 
 the shore, hut it was not until on or about 
 the 6th of February, 1830, that the second 
 cutter of which he was one of the crew, was 
 ordered by the commandant, Capt Skinner, 
 to go ashore with some of the officers. 
 Upon reaching the land, an American, wear¬ 
 ing the habiliments of a Turk, appeared and 
 met them. He conversed with the officers, 
 but Mr. Hitchcock heard him admit that 
 his name was Morgan, and that he was the 
 person whose disappearance had created 
 
WHAT BECAME OF WILLIAM MORGAN. 163 
 
 such excitement in America. He appeared 
 to be in good circumstances and contented 
 with his life. He was asked to go on hoard 
 the Java but refused, although he promised 
 to do so at some future time. That time 
 never came, however, for during the stay of 
 the Java in that port Morgan could not be 
 persuaded to leave the shore. 
 
 The affair caused great excitement on 
 shipboard at the time, especially among the 
 officers, all of whom were entirely convinced 
 as to the identity of the Turk and Morgan. 
 Whether or not he ever stated to the 
 officers how he got to Smyrna, or what 
 caused him to become a Turk, Mr. Hitch¬ 
 cock did not know. He never saw him but 
 twice, although he was frequently seen by 
 others.” 
 
 The above statement was made in August, 
 1875, at which time Captain Hitchcock was 
 69 years of age, enjoying excellent health 
 and a sound memory. He stated that “ he 
 was a disinterested witness; was not a 
 Mason, and had no interest in the matter 
 except to lay the truth before the public.” 
 
164 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 He distinctly remembered the date from 
 incidents of a personal character which im¬ 
 pressed it on his mind. 
 
 Joseph A. Bloom, an American scientist 
 and a gentleman of the highest character, 
 resided some time in the city of Smyrna, 
 and upon his return home stated that while 
 there, in 1831, he became acquainted with 
 an American who professed the Moham¬ 
 medan faith, who went by the name of 
 Mustapha. Mr. Bloom had repeated con¬ 
 versations with him and was fully convinced 
 that he was William Morgan. 
 
 Mr. Goodall of the American Bank Note 
 Company bears witness that when he was 
 in Constantinople he had interviews with 
 several persons living in that city, who in¬ 
 formed him that they personally knew Mor¬ 
 gan in Smyrna; that he acknowledged he 
 sailed direct from this country to that city, 
 when he was reported murdered, and adopted 
 the Turkish dress and the name of Mus¬ 
 tapha. 
 
 The chaplain of the frigate Brandywine, 
 which brought LaFayette to France in 
 
WHAT BECAME OF WILLIAM MORGAN. 165 
 
 1825, and who was afterwards in the Medi¬ 
 terranean, in one of his reports says: “ I 
 saw the man William Morgan in Smyrna, 
 and talked with him.” 
 
 Ezra S. Anderson, writing to the Hallo- 
 well Advocate , declared that “ he saw Mor¬ 
 gan in 1831, that he knew him well, that 
 he was in robust health, and that he boasted 
 of having made a large amount of money 
 by leaving America, as well as from sales of 
 his book, and that greater interest was 
 secured for it from the belief that he had 
 been murdered.” 
 
 A letter from the veteran news corres¬ 
 pondent, Ben Perley Poore, under date of 
 April 2, 1883, says: “I became satisfied 
 when in Smyrna, some forty years since, 
 that Morgan lived there several years after 
 he was reported murdered, receiving a pen¬ 
 sion from anti-Masons in the United States, 
 and died there. The Smyrna man was pro¬ 
 tected by the British consul who obtained 
 for him a position m the Custom House 
 which enabled him to wear the oriental 
 dress without molestation, and he took the 
 
166 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 name of Mustapha. He resided alone in a 
 small house just out of the city. After it 
 became noised abroad who he was, Ameri¬ 
 cans visiting Smyrna would ask him if he 
 was William Morgan. This finally annoyed 
 him to such an extent that it was thought 
 he feigned death, but actually left Smyrna 
 on a British man-of-war bound to Yan 
 Diemens Land. Others were confident that 
 he had died, and that it was his body that 
 was buried near by. Be this as it may, I 
 firmly believe that William Morgan resided 
 for a number of years in Smyrna, under the 
 name of Mustapha. I took the statements 
 of four English residents at Smyrna, con¬ 
 firming my belief, and had them attested at 
 the United States consulate. 
 
 Is any more evidence needed? Does not 
 not the case stand proven that this self-con¬ 
 fessed traitor spent his last years a living 
 evidence of fraud? 
 
 When nearly a dozen men, whose char¬ 
 acter is unimpeachable, and whose testimony 
 hears the warrant of transparent truth, 
 bring this overwhelming proof of Morgan’s 
 
WHAT BECAME OF WILLIAM MORGAN. 167 
 
 existence years after ambitious and dis¬ 
 honest anti-masons had declared him mur¬ 
 dered, what further vindication is needed? 
 
 There is no excuse, no palliation, no 
 justification for the lies which anti-masons 
 have been piling up for more than half a 
 century. 
 
 One of the most singular facts connected 
 with this alleged crime is the oversight of 
 those accused, in neglecting the object 
 which is represented to have been the most 
 important of all, namely, the suppression of 
 Morgan’s book. No one seemed to care 
 anything about that. In the light of sub¬ 
 sequent revelations, however, this need not 
 appear so strange, since his so-called “Ex¬ 
 posal of Free-Masonry” was simply a pla¬ 
 giarism of an English work published years 
 before, entitled “ Jachim and Boaz,” which 
 purported to reveal the secrets of the 
 “mystic tie.” A comparison of Morgan’s 
 book with one of the English books now in 
 the Congressional Library, at Washington, 
 shows that there was no originality what¬ 
 ever in the former. 
 
168 
 
 MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 For a full half century the presses, plat¬ 
 forms and literature of anti-masonic fanatics 
 have been surcharged with towering and 
 audacious falsehoods regarding the alleged 
 murder of William Morgan. The most 
 brazen and shameless statements have been 
 made regardless of the truth, having no 
 foundation save in the confessions or asser¬ 
 tions of men who were unable to bring 
 decent vouchers for their honesty, or au¬ 
 thentic evidence as to their respectability 
 of connection. 
 
 It is time some of these base and cowardly 
 slanders were punctured and exposed. It 
 needs only the justice of historic truth to 
 show the deception of those, who, with words 
 of cant and hypocrisy, bury the body of a 
 poor drowned fisherman, and in the name of 
 the Almighty, christen it as the corpse of a 
 martyr. 
 
 There is reason to be thankful that anti- 
 Masonic interference with religious or state 
 affairs will never be a danger in our country 
 in the future. Indeed, there is no pro¬ 
 bability that anti-masonry can ever again 
 
WHAT BECAME OF WILLIAM MORGAN. 169 
 
 assume anything like its influence fifty 
 years ago. It has come to be an acknow¬ 
 ledged fact that bigotry is the affirmation 
 of that supreme insolence which substitutes 
 the will of one man for the conscience of 
 another. 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 F IFTY years ago it was a common, and 
 to some a serious inquiry—“Will Free 
 Masonry survive ? The assaults of its 
 enemies, both under religious and political 
 cover were prodigious. Some who had been 
 expelled from its organization for immoral 
 conduct, some who had sought admission 
 and failed to secure it, some who had been 
 for a long time members and had not re¬ 
 ceived the recompense due to their fancied 
 merits, some who felt aggrieved at the con- 
 
 • 
 
 duct of individual Masons, and some for 
 the hope of political preferment, enlisted 
 under the anti-masonic banners. A mass 
 of singular agitators without definite pur¬ 
 pose, and but little sympathy in common, 
 it is not to be wondered that anti-masonry 
 
MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 171 
 
 has steadily and surely declined. America 
 is a poor field for such fanatical sentiments 
 as emanate from anti-masonic pens and 
 platforms. We have already seen some of 
 its effects, and it is safe to conclude that 
 any greater power would only result in 
 greater harm. 
 
 A certain quack once administered cabbage 
 as medicine to a shoemaker, and, while it 
 did not kill him outright, it did not prove 
 an antidote. He repeated it on a tailor 
 and it killqd him. He therefore entered in 
 his journal: “Cabbage is tolerable good for 
 shoemakers, but death for tailors.” 
 
 Anti-masonry may only produce negative 
 results in certain sections, but to ever 
 prove a national influence would be death 
 to progress and a destroyer to the best 
 interests of humanity. 
 
 Happily, however, there is no possible 
 danger of such a result; Free Masonry, 
 though bitterly assailed in the days of our 
 fathers, though drenched in the blood of 
 its followers in Spain and Russia, still 
 
172 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 continues to flourish. Its ancient origin is 
 fully established. It pervades every por¬ 
 tion of the habitable globe, and extends its 
 blessed influence to the distressed of every 
 clime. And well it may, since Free Masonry 
 regards no man for his worldly wealth or 
 position. The hand that grasps the spade 
 and the hand that wields the sceptre are 
 equally free to its friendly grip. No matter 
 what sun may have burned upon him, no 
 matter who has beaten down his liberties, 
 the moment he enters a lodge of Free and 
 Accepted Masons, the distinctions of wealth, 
 of rank, and of power are forgotten. He 
 is at once among friends and brothers, and 
 is the peer of the most illustrious names 
 of the ages. Free Masonry cheers “ the 
 poor and weary pilgrim traveling from afar,” 
 and distress never yet was turned penniless 
 away from its portals. It seeks no contest 
 with throne or altar, it asks no assent to 
 political or religious dogmas. It solicits no 
 converts since it is based on the immutable 
 principles of justice supported by “Wisdom, . 
 
MASONIC LIGHT. 
 
 173 
 
 Strength and Beauty,” and it will endure 
 till the “last syllable of recorded time.” 
 
 The idea that Masonry is susceptible of 
 the least impression from such attacks as 
 have been brought to bear upon it, or can 
 be brought to bear upon it, is not worthy 
 of toleration for a single moment. As well 
 attempt to arrest the sun in its course or 
 extinguish its beams at mid-day. Masonry 
 is seated on a rock inaccessible to all th.e 
 malice of man. From thence she surveys a 
 world of misery and woe, arrests the progress 
 of many a tear, and from thence she bids her 
 votaries go forth to aid and assist the widow 
 and the orphan; taking every child of humil¬ 
 ity and sorrow by the hand she bids them 
 arise and rejoice. Enlightened philanthropy, 
 undefiled religion, and pure and ardent pa¬ 
 triotism cement her brotherhood. She has 
 promoted the kindly intercourse of nations, 
 has softened the asperities and diminished 
 the woes of war, has smiled upon and en¬ 
 couraged science and literature, and aided 
 Christianity in introducing an era of light 
 
174 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 and salvation. She needs no defense , and 
 ashs for no vindication . Her record of the 
 ages is before us, “fair as the moon, clear as 
 the sun” and laden with the benedictions 
 of God. 
 
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-URBANA 
 
 3 0112 071794264