The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-03-16
MORGAN MYSTERY
The Statement Made
as to his Death.
How and why the Deed was
Done.

PHILADELPHIA, Pa March 6 -Thuriow
Weed was asked by special correspon-
dent of the Press yesterday. concerning
the recent murder of a son of Judge
James ellis of this state. 10 Mount
Pleasant, Iowa, last week, presumably on
account of the death of Morgan during the
anti Masonic excitement. Il was sorry
to hear OF the trouble Judge ellis is hav-
ing in his old age" said Mr.. Weed. II
knew him very well, and he was a very
worthy man, as were all those engaged in
the persecution of Morgan. It became a
political issue without any intention on the
part of the anti Masons. and the latter
became strong party. Judge ellis was
not tried for the murder. but for abduct-
ing Morgan. The facts in the case are
about these: Morgan was drunken
stonemaso and member of the order OF
Freemasons. With the al: of country
printer he printed an expose of the first
three degrees of Masonry. and was about
exposing the Royal Arch degree when the
Masons determined to put stop to IL.
Morgan had come to mel was in the
newspaper business in Rochester at the
time-to print his book. but he wanted
me TO take an oath of secrecy before |
began the work, ard | would not do so.
The Masons had Morgan arrested on
trumped up charge of petit larceny and
lodged in Jail They then made arrange
ments to carry him off. A party of them.
| including ellis. Nicholas G. Cheesborough
| Whose daughter called on me not half an
| hour agol and James Whitney, and others
went to the jail, and after considerable
parleying with the jailer's wife, they pre-
| vailed on her to gige Morgan up. Tie
| idea of the Masens was to get Morgan
away from the bad company he was in, in
which case the Masons believed he would
give up his design OF exposing the secrets
of the order. They proposed to buy him
a farm 10 Canada and turn him from his
evil ways generally. The plan was now
changed to provide Tor Morgan by sending
/ him away from civilization IN the employ
of the Northwestern Fur company. There
| were several meetings OF the lodge and
/ chapter at Niagara 90 The subject. but
many Masops refused to have anything to
do with the scheme. Then the matter
became imperative. Something had to be
done, aud at once.
1t vas found to be dangerous to recede
or go on. After Morgan had been pris
oner in the magazine Tor three or four
| days there Was large meeting of MasoGs
to install an encampment il a Canadian
town near By. Prominent men were pres
4 Is =
| legislature, and the evening ended with a
| grand supper, at which excited speeches
were made by several prominent me bers
/ OF tie order IN the case of Morgan. At
| last he chaplain was called on Tor toast,
md he gave the following: The enemies
oil cur order-may they fad a grave six
| fest deep, six feet long. and six feet due
east and west" This contained hidden
significance, and Col. King, who was at
| the table. called four gentlemen outside,
and, carriage beng called. they were
driven to Fort Niagara. where they arriv-
ed at o'cl5ck in the morning. Morgan
was called up. and was told that they had
made arrangements for his welfare
bought him farm, etc. tie went with
them, and they took "a boat and rowed out
| four miles into Lake Ontario. Here they
wound q rope loaded with siUkers around
Morgan and threw hioI overheard. A
man at the tort whom | afterward looked
up in a moment. saw the boat leave with
| six men and return with but FIVE. OF
course all these facts were denied, and the
world said the committee that investigated
the matter were politicians aud were NOV
| ed by interests other than those of discov-
ering the truth.
Just as / was leaving Chicago at the
| close of the proceedings of the convention
which nominated Mr.. Lincoln, was NOR
tilted and even much disguised at the
defeat of MIR. Seward, and was sending my
baggage to the depot. Col John Whit
ney, one of the FIVE men who took Morgan
out 10 the boat, came up to me and said,
/ want to swear to what told you about
| the Morgan matter, and if you survive me
| want you to publish it. promise to
write out the statement which contained
substantially the facts | have given you,
aud intended to do so. but the campaign
came on, the war broke cut, aud was
sent to Europe by Mr.. Lincoln aud [ neg
Iected it. While 10 London | wrote to
| " hitney asking him to go to Z B. Will
liams and let him write the statement.
| When | got back home that letter was
Ireturned to me from the dead letter office,
and. Whitney had died week before
il ebould have reached him. was always
| sorry that did not write out the state