The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1875-08-19
Thurlow Weeds Last Contribution 10
Political History.
from Letter in the New York Herald, Aug
uSt g.

Political History.
From Letter in the New York Herald, Aug
ust g.
| did not personally know William Nor
gan, who was for more than two months
writing his book in house adjoining my
residence, at Rochester. When applied
to by Mr.. Dyer, my next door neighbor,
where Morgan boarded, to print the book
purportng to disclose the secrets of Ma
sonrv, declined to do so, believing that
a man who had taken an oath TO keep a
secret had no right to disclose ii. Al
though not a Freemason, had entertaiF-
ed favorable opinions Of an institution to
which Washington, Franklin and Lafay
cite belonged On my refusal to print
his book, Morgan removed to Batavia,
where he made the acquaintance Of David
c. Miller, editor of the Adcocdte, also a
Mason. who became his publisher. pass
briefly over a series Of facts which were
iudicialIy established, embracing the ar
rest of Morgan, his conveyance to and
confinement i'll the county Jail
at Canandaigua, from which
he was released and conveyed
by night in close carriages through Roch-
ester, Ciarkson and along the Ridge road
to Fort Niagara, in the magazine Of
which he was confined. While thus con-
fined Knight Templar encampment was
installed at Lewiston. When at supper
the zeal and enthusiasm of the Templars
having been aroused by speeches and
wine, Colonel William King of Lockport,
invited four men (Whitney, Howard,
Chubbuck and Garside) from their seats
at the banqueting table into an adjoining
apartment, wGere he informed them that
he had an order from the Grand Master
Ode Witt Clinton), the execution of
party was then driven to Niagara, reach
ing the fort little before twelve o'clock.
THE MURDER OF MORGAN
Upon entering the magazine Colonel
King informed Morgan that his friends
had completed their arrangements
for his removal to and residence upon
farm Ill Canada. Morgan walked
with them to the wharf, where
a boat was held in readiness for them by
Elisa Adams, an invalid soldier, into
which the party passed and rowed away.
Adams remaining to warn the boat Off
by signal if on its return any alarm had
in the morning when the boat came back,
having, as Adams expressed it, lost one
man. only five of the SIX being on board
when the boat returned. When the boat
reached point where the Niagara river
emptieS into Lake Ontario. a rope being
wound around MOrgan's body. TO either
end of which a sjnker was attached, he
was thrown overheard. 1t is due to the
memory of Governor Clinton to say that
Colonel King had no such order and no
authority to make use of his name. 1t
is proper, also, to add that none Of these
men survive. John Whitney, of Roch-
ester, whom knew well, related all the
circumstances connected with the last
act in that tragedy to me at Albany in
1881, in the presence of Simon B. Jewett,
of Clarkson, and Samuel Barton, of
Lewiston.
FINDING THE BODY.
In October, 1927, more than a year af-
ter the abduction of Morgan, a body
drlited on shore near small creek which
entered into Lake Ontario. A coroner 5
| inquest was held and verdict rendered
that it was the body of an unknown per-
son, The coroner wrote out minute de-
soription of the body, aud published it,,
along with the finding Of the jury, in an
| Orleans county newspaper. That de-
ScriptiOn, attracting the attention of per
sons well acquainted with Morgan, ex-
cited considerable interest. The widow
and several intimate friends of Morgan
seemed so confident that it was his body
that the committee appointed to investi-
gate the abduction determine. to hold
another inquest, of which public notice
was given. On the day appointed, some
sixty or seventy people assembled at the
mouth Of Oak Orchard creek, where the
body of the unknown man was inferred.
Before opening the grave Mrs. Nor
gan and DIR. Strong described GER
tain marks upon Morgan's body, by
means Of which it could be identified.
When the rude coffin was opened the
body it contained disclosed the peculiari-
ties described, and after deliberate ex-
amina ton the jurors declared it unani-
mouslv the body of William Morgan.
From this verdict no one present dis
scented, and for a week OF ten days the
question seemed to be settled.
THE BODY CLAIMED AGAIN.
Later in October there came report
liam Morgan was claimed by his family
70 be that Of Timothy Monroe. Cana
dian, who was swept in small boat over
Niagara Falls eleven days previous to the
time that the body was washed ashore at
the mouth of Oak Orchard Greek. The
remains in the meantime had been taken
by Mrs Morgan to Batavia. A third in
quest was now to be held for the purpose
of esta blishing the claim of Mrs.
Monroe. A large concourse OF
citizens were i'll attendance. Mrs.
Monroe appeared, and gave description
of her husband person and Of the
clothes in which he left home on the
morning of the day he was drowned
Previous to her examination Bates Cooke.
chairman of the Morgan investigating
committee, examined the clothes taken
from the body and carefully preserved
by the coroner with great minuteness.
Neither Mrs. Monroe nor any person
sympathizing with her or interested in
the Identification of the body as that Of
l., i 70 % nv