Daily Republican., 1882-12-02
THE DEATH OF MORGAN.
ThurIOw WeedS'Dying Revelation
-JOnn WhHtney's Confession.


sA----s
rhurIOw Weed'S'DyIng Revelation
-JOnn WhAtney's COnTesslOn.
The mystery of the disappearance
and fate of William Morgan, of Bata-
via, New York, more than fifty years
ago, is revived by the publication in
the New York Sun Of Tuesday last of
three column statement from the late
Thurlow Weed, which was sworn to be-
fore New York notary on the 2SJh of
last. In this statement Mr..
Weed gives q history Of the disappear
ance of Morgan, who had made dis
closure of Masonic secrets, and in the
abduction of whom he says 1t was
well known that Free Masons were
concerned Mr.. Weed then gives a
long account of the steps which he and
oCher leading anti-Masons took to dis.
cover the whereabouts and fate OF Nor
gan, and mentions alleged instances OF
persecution TO which he was subjected
because of his efforts, but these have
already found some orm Of. publtCa-
ton.
Mr.. Weed gives his experience with
one Elisha Adams, "who was an in
valid soldier while Morgan was confined
in a magazine at Fort Niagra," who in.
formed him that the supposed Morgan
was taken in carriage from the fort
and placed in a boat, and that the boat
afterwards returned without the sup
posed Morgan, but when Adams was
put on the stand he swore he knew
nothing about the matter. Mr. Weed
charges that she witness had been tam
perod with. Mr.. Weed then states that
in 1881 libel suit was commenced
against him by Gen. Gould, Of Roches-
ter. The libel charged Gen. Gould with
giving money received from the Royal
Arch Grand Chapter to enable Burrage
Smith and John Whitney to escape
from Justice. The testimony was not
legally sufficient to sustain the truth OF
the libel, and under the judges iu'
structions the jury found verdict OF
$400 against Mr.. Weed. The same even
ing Col. Simeon +. Jewett, Major sam
uel Barton and John Whitney passed
the evening at Mr.. Weeds house.
Jewett was prepared, according TO
Mr.. Weed's statement, to testify that
he furnished carriage for those who
were conveying Morgan secretly from
Canondaigua to Niagara. John Whit
ney was one of the party. Major Bar
ton would have testified that he fur
nished the carriage which conveyed The
party from Lewiston to Fort Niagara,
John Whitney being one OF that party.
Whitney would have sworn that Gould
supplied money to enable him to "es'
cape from justice" Mr.. Weed then
proceeds with detail OF the alleged
confession OF Whitney "of the history
of Morgan's abduction and fate" Ac
cording to this, the idea of srpPressinR
MorgAn's "iutended exposure OF the
secrets Of Masonry" was suggested by
a man by the name of Johns, and Was
discussed in several Masonic lodges.
Johns, according to Whitney's state
ment to Mr.. Weed, Suggested that
Morgan should be separated from Mil
ler and placed on o farm in CANADA
West. For this purpose lie was taken
to Niagara and placed in the magazine OF
the tort until arrangements for settling
him in Canad& were completed, but the
Canadian Masons disappointed them.
After several meetings of the lodge in
Canada, opposite Fort Niagara, refusal
to have any thing to do with Morgan
left his "kidnappers" greatly perplex-
ed. Opportunely a Royal Arch chapter
was installed at Lewiston. The occa-
sion brought large number OF enthu'
siastic Masons together. After labor,
In Masonic language, they retired for
refreshment.' Under the exhilaration
of champagne and other vtands, the
chaplain (the Rev. II. H. Cummings,
of kochester) was called on for toast;
He responded with peculiar emphasls
and ia The language of their ritual
The enemies of our 0rder-May they
find grave six feet deep, six feet long,
and six feet due east and west
immediately after that toast, which
vas received with great enthusiasm,
Colonel William King, an officer IN our
war of 1912, and then a member OF As,
.sembly from Niagara county, called
Whitney, of Rochester, Howard, OF
Buffalo, Chubbuck, of Lewiston and
Garside, of Canada, out Of the room
and into q carriage furnished by Major
Barton. They were driven to Fort
Niagara, repaired to the magazine and
informed Morgan that the arrange
ments for sending him to Canada were
completed, and that his family would
soon follow him. Morgan received the
information cheerfully and walked
with supposed friends to the boat,
which was roVed to the mouth of the
river, where q rope was wound around
his body, to each end of which slnker
was attached. Morgan was then
thrown overheard. He grasped the
ounwalc of tho boat convulsively.
Garside, in forcing Morgan to relin'
Gnish his hold was severely bitten"
MIR. Weed says that he met Whitney
at a pationa. republican convention at
Chicago 20 years after this, when the
latter requested him 10 write OUT MS
recollection of what he Whitney, had
told him about Morgan's fate, to be
signed in the presence of witnesses and
pnblished after Whitney's death, but
Mr., Weed was called away himBelf be-
fore he could comply with the request.
In 1851 Mr.. Weed says he went to Eu-
rome. ard while in London wrote let
ter TO Whitney asking him to yet Alex.
B. Williams, then a resldenS OF Ohlcs-
90, to do what he (Weed) 6ad ne
elected. That letter reached chicago
one week after Whltney's death, closing