The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-03-24
M0rgan's Fatei
THURLOw WEED MAKES ExPLANA.
TIONS REGARDING A DISAPPEAR
ANCE HALF A CENTURY AGO.
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ANCE HALF CENTURY AGO.
Especial Dispatch to the Chicago Tribune.)
Philadelphia, Pa, March 0.
Thurlow Weed was asked by
special correspondent of the Press yes-
terday concerning the recent murder
of son of Judge James GlIis of this
State, in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, last
week, presumably on the account of
| the death of Morgan during the anti
Masonic excitement II was sorry
| to hear of the trouble Judge GilIis is
having in his old age, "said Mr.. Weed.
II knew him very well, and he was a
very worthy man as were all those Ell.
| gagged in the prosecution of Morgan.
It became political issue, without
any intention on the part of the anti
Masons, and the latter became a strong
party. Judge Giilis was not tried for
the murder, but for abtlucting Morgan.
| The facts in the case were these:
Morgan was drunken stone mason
and a member of the Order of Free,
niasons. With the help of a
country printer he printed an
expose of the first three degrees
of Masonry, and was about ex-
posing the Royal Arch Degree when
the Masons determined to put II stop
10 it. Morgan had come to mel was
in the newspaper business in Roches-
ter at the tinie-t0 print his book, but
he wanted me to take an oath of
secrecy before began the work, and
would not do so. The Masons had
| Morgan arrested OH trunped-up
charge of petit larceny anI lodged in
Jail. They then made arrangements to
carry him off. A party of them in
| Guiding Gillis, Nicholas, G.. Chees-
borough (whose daughter called on
| me not half all hour agol and james
Whitney andsotliers, went to the Jail,
and after considerable parieying with
the jaiior's wife, they prevailed upon
her to give Morgan up. The idea of
the nlasons was simply to get Morgan
away fron the bad company he was
| in, i'm which case the Masons believed
he would give up his design of expos
| ing the secrets of the order They pro-
posed to buy him a farm in Canada
and turn him from his evil ways gen-
orally. The plan was now changed
to provide for Morgan 10y sending him
away from civiliz ,tion in the employ
of the Northwestern Fur Company.
There were several meetings of the
Lodge and Chapter ut Niagara Oh the
subject, but many Masons refused to
have anything to do with the scheme.
Then the matter became Imperative
something had to be done, and at
once.
1T was found to be dangerous to re-
ccde or so on. Alter Morgan had
ueen II prisoner in the magazine tor
three or l'Our days there was large
meeting OF Masons to install an en-
cimplnent in Canadian town close
! by Prominent men were present in
Guiding me.uhrrS OF the New York
Legislature, ANA the evening ended
with II grand supper, at which excited
speeches were made hy several promi-
nent members of the order in the ease
of Morgan. AT last the chaplain was
called upon for toast, and he gave
the following, "Thc enemies of our
Orlrr-nay they find IL grave six feet
deep. six feet long and SIX feet due
East and West THIS contained IL
hidden siyniticance.an Colonel King
who WAS at the table called four gen
| tleucn outside and Il carriage being
called they were driven to Fort Nj
ayara. where they arrived at O'Clock
in the morning. Morgan was called
up,and was told tnat they had nade
arrangements for his welfare-bought
him Il farm. etc. He went with them
! aud they took IL boat ami rowed out
| four miles into Lake Ontario. Here
they wound IL rope loaded with sink
ers around Morgan and threw him
overheard. A man at the fort whom
I afterwards looked up in moment,
saw the boat leave with six men ami
return with hut five. or course all
! Ihe-e facts W, re denied and the world
said that tlie committee that inve~ti-
gated the matter were politicians and
were moved by interests other than
those of discoverin the truth.
"Just as | was leaving Chicago, at
the close of the proceedings of the COLI
vrntion which nominated Mr.. Lin
coin, | was mortified and even dis
gustrd at the defeat of Mr.. Seward,
and WAS sending my baggage to the
depot, Col. John Whitney one of five
men who topk Morgan out in the boat
came tn me anl said, Il wanted to
swear to what | told you about the
Moraan matter ami if you survive me
| want you topublish it," ] promised
10 write out the statement, which con
tanned substantially the facts have
given you, and intended to do so, but
the campaign came on, the war broke
out. | was sent to Europe by Mr.. Lin
colin and neglected it While in Lon.
don | wrote to Whitney, asking him
10 go to T.. b. Williams and let him
write the statement. When | got
back home that letter was returned Ia
me from the dead letter office. AMI
| NNI;t,,,. ,li.,l Al haTDr.. "a