Towanda daily review. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1879-1921, 1881-03-10
The Story of Morgan.


over the mysterious disappearance of
Morgan died out, but there are some still
living who remember the case. TO such
the following statement by the venerable
Thurlow Weed, will be ieteresting.
Mr.. Weed was an editor in Rochester,
and took a prominent part in all the pro-
ceedings in reference to Morgan, being a
strong Anr- Mason. His connection with
the case began from the first, as Morgan
wanted him to print his book, which he
refused.
"I was sorry to hear of the trouble
Judge Gillis is having in his old age
said Mr.. Weed; 81 knew him very well,
and he was very worthy man, as were
all those engaged in the persecution of
Morgan. You can have no idea of the ex
citement that case caused for at least q
decade 1t became a political issue with
out any intention on the part of the Anti.
Masons, and the latter became q strong
party. Judge Gillis was not tried for the
murder, but for abducting Morgan. The
facts in the case are about these Morgan
was drunken stone-maSon and q member
of the order of Free Masons. With the
help of country printer he printed an
expose Of the first three degrees of Ma
sOnry and was about exposing the Royal
Arch degree when the MasonS determin-
ed to put stop to it. Morgan had come
to me | was in the newspaper business
in Rochester at the tilne) to print his
book, but he wanted me to take an oath
of secrecy before | began the work, and l
would not do so. The Masons had Nor
gan arrested on a trumped-up charge of
petit larceny and lodged in Jail. They
then made arrangements to carry him off.
A party of them, including Gillis, Nicho-
las G. Cheseborough, whose daughter
called on me not more than half an hour
ago, and James Whitney and others, went
to the Jail and after considerable parley-
ing with the jailor's wife they prevailed
on her to give Morgan up. This was
about 8 O'Clock in the evening, and the
party drove off at once. The idea of the
Masons was simply 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 in Canada and turn him from his
evil ways generally. When the party left
the Jail they drove hurriedly to Mendum,
when they changed horses, then to Ro-
chester, Charleston and Lewiston, driving
rapidly and changing horses several
times. Finally Morgan was lodged in
the magazine in Fort Niagara. The plan
was now changed to provide for 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 Nirgara on
the subject, but many Masons refused to
have anything to do with the scheme
Then the matter became imperative e;
something had to be done, and at once"
THE FATE OF MORGAN.
- 1t was found to be dangerous to re-
cede or go on. After Morgan had been a
prisoner in the magazine for three or
four days there was q large meeting
of Masons to install an Encampment in a
Canadian town near by. Prominent men
were present, including members of the
New York Legislature, and the evening
ended with grand supper, at which
excited speeches were made by several
prominent members of the Order in the
case OF Morgan. At last the Chaplain