Wilmington expositor. (Wilmington, Del.) 1831-18??, 1832-03-23


tcuary and strongly charged by the presiding judge
inquire into the subject They called all the witness
ses before them, who, in that state OF information,
were known Among others, EZRA Platt was exam
ined by them. This man, II will be recollected, fur
nished the carriage at Rochester, into which Morgan
was removed from that which brought him from Can
aAdagua He testified, that his carriage had been en-
gagged BY some for the masons and that he charg
ed the hire oft the royal arch chapter but he did
not know who engaged H. or who went in II. Edward
DOYLE testified that he knew nothing about the trans
action he could testify without eliminating himself
The same answer was given by another person whose
name Il Is not proper to mention The jury could not
find any bills Of indictment, but they made present.
ment, in which they state that they had ascertaned
that Morgan had been carried through their county,
and add From the great caution which seems tol
have been observed in keeping both Morgan and the
place of his destination from the view and knowledge
Of all but such persons may have been confidently
ntrusted with the design, and who would decline CIV
ing evidence upon the ground that it might tend TO
crimnaSe themselves, the grand jury have found it
impossible to establish by competent testimony, the
unlawful agency of any citizen in this county, in that
transaction
This result only stimulated an enlightened and pat
Yiotic people to greater exertion A county meeting
was Immediately called and held, to devise measures
to fcret-out the hidden workers OF inequity large
number of masons attended, among them burrage
Smith and John Whitney, Atthls meeting commit
tee of investigation was appointed upon which were
placed several masons. The other members soon
ascertaned that all their proceedings were divuged
nv their masonic associates
orary obligation the contrary entered into by them;
and those who did belong to the fraternity, de-
termned to act without the knowledge or assistance OF
any masons Up to this time the outrages on Nor
gan had not been considered the work OF few mis-
guided and unimportant individuals but the conduct
Of masons, generally, and particularly OF those who
had been placed on the committee, excited the sns-
pcons Of the observing, that the masonic fraternity
was in some way connected With those outrages. 1t
was long, and with great difficulty that this suspicion
rpcned into belief Men could not believe that their
fellow citizens with whom they were in habits OF daily
intercourse, and whom they had been accustomed to
respect belonged to institution which made the con-
realment of the atrocous crimes of the most
solemn obligations of the order. But day alter day
added new proof to the new suspicion. They beheld
the very committee whohad been appointed ndiscrim-
nately from all parties, and by citizens of all parties
vilihed and traduced for faithful discharge OF their
duties. Men who had no possible motive but the as
certanment of truth, and the detection of the guilty
for yet party had been arrayed and no political
objects had even been surmsed,) for. discharging a
public Trust, of the most solemn nature, with fidelity
these were ridicucd, misrepresented, insntcd
and traducrd daily by the members of the masonic
fraternity. That evidence which can be do diced only
from long course of observation Of minor facts and
circumstances Hand which, in its nature, cannot be
communicated to others, furnished to an inteli-
gent and observing people and the conclusion was
produced that the laws OF the country could not
be enforced SO long as masonory held its sway ever
the minds of men and that submission to its secret and
irresponsible power an open and aVowed war OF ex
termination, were the only alternatives,
somewhat foreign from their present purpose, your
committee forbear from here pausng, and ask
ing whether TO their distant feow-ct2ens, there Is
not furnished strong moral evidence OF the baneu
ture of the masonic institution in fact, that than
half million of free, enlightened and intelligent in
hbitans of that section OF country which has afford
cd the best opportunity for Judging, have in language
that cannot be mistaken, expressed their deliberate
convictions that rcemasonry cannot exist consistently
with our institutions. Why they not witnesses,
in the same in which the reputation Of in-
vlual in a community IS proof of ms moral worth !?
Ard why is not their testimony equally satis!acto-
TYP
{" In December, 1896, meeting of the citizens Of
Niagara was heldat Lewistown, at which a commit
tee appointed to inquire into the circumstances of
Moigan's abduction. and to cndeavor to bring the of
Tenders to punishment Having ascertaned that Nor
gan had been taken to Canada, Of the committee
crossed the river early in January 1927 at the time
grand jury was in session. He was before the grand
Jury, and proposed TO furnish them with the names of
witnesses residing in Canada, if the grand jury would
agree to investigate the matter After consulting to-
gether they resolved to do and they were accor-
dinghy furnished with the names of several masns
siding in the town of Niagara which is more com
monty called Newark, whowere believed to be impor
rant witnesses. The jury adjourned soon after The
next day the complainant informed that after the
adjournment of the jury, the witnesses who had been
designated had been conversed with that after the
assembling of the Jury in the morning, they had con-
suited the district judge and, thereuon, had resolv
ed to do no more in the premises. The complainant
and that the foreman and portion of the jury were al
so masons This relation is derived from the gentle
man who was the complainant. 1t needs no com
ment. t#.4
" On the 3oth of December, 1885, Eli Bruce was
arrested and brought before magistrate of Niagara
county, charge of falsely imprisoning Morgan &
of secretng him, &c. There was no legal proof be-
fore the magistrate, that any one had been frciby
brought from Canandagua and Bruce was dscharg-
cd But on the examination, fact appt AIRED which
deserves to be noted. Bruce had requested Samuel
barton to furnish him carriage, to proceed down the
Magyar from Lewiston. The next morning. Bruce
having returned to Lewiston, asked If he went to
Young town the night before. He said he did, He
was then asked if hetook Morgan down. He said he
did and observed that Barton was very imprudent
in sending Fox 1.-THE driver of the CARRIAGE that he
had told him his business and he ought not to have
sent any but mason' 1t was the gradual disclosure
Of such facts these, that eXeted the suspicious
ultimately produced the belief, Of the participant of
the masonic fraternity in the transaction and that
there something in the nature of the institution
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