Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-11-21
tho river, threw him overheard and tina, they mar.

tho river, threw him overheard and that they mar.
rowly escaped falling in after him.
About six months after the disappearance of
Morgan, Knight Tcmplar, u gentleman now u re-
sident Of Michigan, of high standing of sstimablo
and uniinpeachablc character, who had many OPP
portunites ot knowing what his fate was, commu-
ncated TO Inc as masonic secret, that he had been
murdered by frcemasons. This occurred at Fro
donna, n. Y. when my way TO Michigan and
was the first positive information rctelvcd of his
fate: Tor the facts which have stated abovc and
whish did not transpiro within my own knowledge,
had not then been communicated to me. This gen
tlcnan did not relate IT TO me as having occurred
within la, o~ n knowledge, but as having been com
nunicated to him as secret by some of the .brc-
thren tie stated that eight masons held u consul
ta'ion upon the disposal of Morgan, and greed to
draw lots TO see on which three of them it should
fall execute him. that they put eight tickets into
Il hat, and on three of them were certain marks
and 1t was agreed that each one should draw I'M
'ncuiatcly separate, and not examine their tickets
until they were far from each OF or; the five who
drew blanks were 10 return home different ways, so
that they might not know who drew the tickets
with marks, and of could not be witnesses
against them. The three who drew those with
marks, were to repair TO the magazine at certain
hour, and put him to death This was to be done
BY attaching heavy weight to him and throwing
him into the river. Weights have since been found
in the river while raling for his body. The SINH
iarity between this, and the previous consultations
that were held rs testified by Giddins in court.
seems to render the account very probable for il
was stated by him that of the seven who were
at the council held near the ma gazne, the evening
after hlorGanS arrival, proposed to draw lots see
which three Of them should take his life but ano.
Their observed, THAT they scOuG all go and do their
Gatv."
And here I cannot forocar to relate conysrsa
ti"n "l'i.'. .ee1t place between Gov Clinton and
Victory Birdseyc, Esq. the Special Counsel appoint
ed by the Government New York, to conduct the
Morgan trials. This conversation occurred some
time during the spring subsequent to tho abduction
nj o,l
Birdseye last winter, and he remarked that he sup
posed Clinton mistook him for u mason. 1 make
this disclosure to show why the catastrophe has
so long remained concealed in the clouds and dark
ness; and that II gloomy mystery will hang around
it forever. The Governor stated to Mr. Birdseyc,
that if Morgan drowned in the river none
could ever be convicted Of his murder; "for," he
said, ''as you lawyers know, in order to convict
person of murder, it is first necessary that u
murder should be judicallv proven the mere alb
Ecnce Of person is not sufficient. A murder must
lie proved either by the discovery of the dead body
by the confession of the murdcrers by the tcs-
| tnlony OF witness who saw the murder committed
1t is not probable that the body will ever be discover
ed, for If it thrown into the river weights were
doubtless attached to to keep down. neither is ii
probable the murdercrs will confess it; and if
| there were witnesses standing upon the bank OF
the river they could not testify so as to convict
them of murder; for Niagara river separates two
distinct Governments, and the dividing line passe-
along the middle of it. Now it would be mpossis
bic ioT witnesses, standing upon the bank In the
| night time, to tell whether Morgan murdered
on this, that side of the line; whether he
was muir cred in the United States or in Canada
and until that question determined, they could
not know what court would have Jurisdiction OF
the crime, whether court of the United States OF
of Canada. 1t is impossible to ascertain il
the murderers of Morgan forcsaw these consequent
ccs, but from what has already been stated, it is
evident that they of good standing,
shrcwdnoss and intelligence, and not those rash
and infatuated persons that some have supposed
JAMES a. SHEDD.