The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1866-05-31

shore. Here was dilemma To release |
him and send him back to Batavia wo'd
be to invite many abduction suits,
great damages, costs, &C., besides great |
notoriety of his book, and Morgan's for. |
tune would be made. 1t was proven
that man was confined in the maga.
zine of Fort Niagara for two or three
days, but his subsequent fate could nev.
er be further taaced-no remains ever
found, nothing ever seen that could solve
the mystery of his disappearance forev. |
er--and until the last trump shall sound
and the sea give up its dead, will it re-
main unsolyed. 1t is more than proba'
BILE that his fate was unknown to all,
but perhaps two individuals, who have
long since gone to their eternal home.
This is brief sketch Of the "Abduc-
tion of Morgan" 1t was concocted and
conducted by few ardent Masons, and
we speak hno,oingly, without the knowl-
edge or.suspicion OF any lodges or indi-
vidual Masons, not individually con.
cerned in the transaction, that it was an
outrage in every sense Of the word, will
not be disputed by any law abiding citi.
zen. L. was disastrous in its effects, as
will be shown by the advantages it gave
to corrupt designing men as politicians
and mischief makers. The mass of the
community viewed the outrage with an
honest execration. IT'S true they fre-
quently carried their resentments to ex.
cess. Masons were ostracised and de-
nounced murderers under an order of
the institution, families we're suudered,
churches split, and frenzy ruled all NOR
al action, but this feeling would soon
have died away had not politicians ia.
ken hold of the matter. They did all
to excite for political purposes solely.
a human body was found upon the
shore of Lake Ontario, which was asser.
ted to be that of Morgan, and the whis.
kers were pulled out and otherwise
made to resemble him. ais wife was
sent for and the decomposed body was
palmed upon her as that Of her hus.
band. He was buried accordingly. "a
good enough Morgan till after election" !"
said Thurlow Weed, and so it proved to
be, as the elections we're carried upon
the issue of" Anti Masonry" Thus the
Anti. Masonic party, thus originating,
achieved partial success in several Of
the Northern States in the local cleo.
tions in the next two or three years, and
IN September, 1880, held 50. called Ma.
tional Convention in Philadelphia, at
which delegates from eleven different
States were present They adopted an
Anti-Masonic platform, and called q
Convention to meet at Baltimore in Sep.
tember, 1881, which was the first Con.
vention held for the nomination Of q
President and Vice President. This
party brought several men of talent in.
to public life, that would most likely
have remained in comparative obscurity
among whom is Thurlow Weed, VIM
Ii. Seward aud Millard Fillmore. 9th.
ers Of less note arose as shoddyites-
meteors whose own fires burned them
selves out of political life. This faction
Git can hardly be called a party,) Dor.
continued sway for many years, and ma
ny really great men were laid upon the
shelf for the period. 1t would be diff
cult to describe, or to realize at this day
the extent of bitterness engenderec
against all who were members Of tht
Masonic Order at that period, and which
continued for msny years Meetings o
Lodges were suspended. In the opinion
of many fanatics, Masonry was crush
ed forever" From statistics now pub
lished, We should judge that such is no
the case, the number Of lodges having
largely increased. And here it is par
donable to point out curious fact, a
bearing upon politicians. Millard Fill
more was but few years since, the can
didate of a secret political order. HI
had been brought into public life on th'
basis of bitter hostility to secret order
of all kinda, political aud social. Ha
political human nature changed at th'
present day?
AS Gillis was among the indicted fo
tho abduction of Morgan, and as h
was residing in Pennsylvania, a requisi
ton upon the Governor was duly endor
sed, and the officer was piloted to Mont
morency, aud his arrest was made.
1t was necessary to have the endorse
ment Of the County authorities, and a
this whole district of country--i. {
Jefferson County, which now include
J Elk, Forest, &C., was then attached ju
dicially " Indiana County-it was net
J essary for the officer to make the circui
via Indiana, Kittanniug, Pittsburg, On
5 via Erie to take his prisoner to Ontario
n. Y. The two travelled together, (Gi
5 lis as guide,) through this almost inte
Q minable wilderness. The present faci
f tiles of travelling can only be appreci
!. ted by those whose travels on horsebac
0 and on foot, then realized its hardship
c The contrast is SO great since Railroa
!. travel has commenced, that the writ
!. has heard expressions ofperfect dsligh
d from those who feel the change.
TO BE CONTINUED