River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-08-20
TburlOyv Weeds LaYt Contribution 10
Political History.
From Letter in the New York Herald, Aug
ust9.

writing his book in house adjoining nv
residence, at Rochester. When applied
to by Mr. Dyer, my next door neighbor,
where Morgan boarded, to print the book
purportlng to disclose the secrets of Ma.
sonry, declined to do so, believing that
man who had taken an oath to keep a
secret had no right to disclose it, Al.
though not Freemason, had entertain
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
z. Miller, editor Of the AdCocdie, also
Mason, who became his publisher. Ipass
| briefly over series Of facts which were
judicially established, embracing the ar
rest of Morgan, his conveyance to and
confinement in the county Jail
at Canandaigua, from which
he was released and conveyed
by night in close carriages through Roch.
ester, Clarkson and along the Ridge road
to Fort Niagara, in the magazine of
which he was confined. Whlle'thus con-
fined knight Templar encampment was
installed at Lewiston. When at supper
the zeal and enthusiasm of the 1emplars
having been aroused by speeches and
wine, Colonel William King OF Lockport,
invited four men Whitney, Howard,
| Chubbuck and Garsi ie) from their seats
at the banqueting table into an adjoining
! apartment, where he informed them that
he had an order from the Grand Master
Zoe Witt Clinton), the execution Of
which required their assistance. This
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
a farm in 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 of
! by signal If on It's return any alarm had
! been given. 1t was nearly two clock
| 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 slnker 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
| IL 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 GARRISON, and Samuel Barton, Of
| Lewiston.
FINDING THE BODY.
In October, 1897, more than year af.
ter the abduction of Morgan, a body
drilted on shore near a small creek which
entered into Lake Ontario. A coroner's
inquest was held and verdict rendered
that it was the body of an unknown per-
son, The coroner wrote out minute de-
scription of the body, and published it,
along with the finding Of the jury, in an
| Or'eaas county newspaper. That de-
| scrption, attracting the attention Of per
sons well acquainted Kith 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 DR.. 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 PECULIAR.
ties described, and after deliberate ex-
animation the jurors declared it unani.
mously the body cf William Morgan.
From this verdict no one present dis.
scented, and for week or ten DAYS the
question seemed to be settled.
THE BODY CLAIMED AGAIN.
Later in October there came report
that the body declared to be that Of vii.
liam Morgan was claimed by his family
10 be that of Timothy Monroe, Cana.
| hiaiis WIZ hda swept lil u Sllhli bpdt uNtI
Niagara Falls eleven days previous to the
time that the body was washed ashore at
the mouth OF Oak Orchard Creek. 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 establishing the claim Of Mrs.
Monroe. 4 large concourse Of
citizens were in attendance. Mrs.
Monroe appeared, and gave a description
Of her husbands person and of the
clothes in which he left home on the
morning Of the day ne was drowned.
Previaus 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 mlnuteness.
Neither Mrs. Monroe nor any person
sympathizing with her or Interested in
the Identification Of the body as that Of
/ Monroe had access to il OF had seen any
Of the wearing apparel Of the deceased
and vet Mrs Monroe not only gave
general description Of each garment, but
underwent rigid cross-eXamination by
L.. 20. a. 1