Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1882-09-17
WILLIAM MORGAN.
A ketch OF the Career Of the Great
Anti.MasOu.

A sketch OF the Career Of the Great
Anti.MasOn.
In view of the Morgan celebration OF
Batavia, on Sept. II, calculated as it's to
beget inquiry, brief review of the Incl
dents surrounding the Masonic as
we'll as the anti-Masonic bearings
of the alleged abduction, some fifty
years back, of William Morgan may
not be out of place. Little or next to
nothing If known Of William Morgan's
early history, but that he was born in
Culpepper county, Virginia, In either
the year ITS or l778 has now been as.
certained to be a fact, thought at first
doubted. Not few biographies assert
that Morgan was q captain in Cen
Jackson's army and was present at the
engagement of New Orleans, while
Others inform us to the contrary, but al
lege that at one period he headed or be.
longed to band of pirates. As no
dates are given, in all probability such;re-
ports are untrue. One thing Is, however,
certain, that the several reports Of rec
ords of the war department ut WASH
ington furnish no hint that Morgan
was ever a soldier. The substanti Al
history of the man begins with the
year 1921, when to commence business
as a brewer he removed to York, Cana
da. His brewery having been burned,
he is next found at Rochester working
ut the trade OF bricklaying and receiv-
ing Masonic assistance. For some time
he is here lost sight of, but from 1923 to
1926 he is found at Batavia, working at
intervals at his trade. Though with
few advantages to acquire an early edu-
cation, he seems to have been q fair &C.
countant, and with q good knowledge of
arithmetic read and wrote we'll. He was
acknowledged to possess large amount
of broad common sense, and his suavity
of manner won him, for time, q con-
siderable number of friends. In 1924 he
was created Royal Arch Mason at
New York. In 1925 it was proposed to
establish q chapter at Batavia. Eor
this purpose a Charter was obtained
from the Grand chapter of the State,
but the individual to whom this was
intrusted in order to secure signatures,
without reflection, presented 1t to Mor.
gan, who signed 1t. On thepetiti on be-
ing presented to the Grand Chapter,
many of the members objected
objt cted to Morgan-on account OF his
alleged drinking notwithstanding a
member of the Batavia Chapter, and a
new charter was promulgated, which
did not include his name. He took
umbrage at the action of the brethren,
and is declared from that moment to
have become their determined enemy,
and resolved upon attempting to write
a revelation of the secrets Of Masonry.
Being spurred on to this by few asso-
ciates, as 1t is charged, he formed part
nership with three men, named John
Davids, David G.. Miller and Russell
Dyer. or these, Miller was the princi-
pal partner, and became Morgan's pub
Usher. An osth to keep secret Morgan,s
design was subscribed by these men,
and the sum Of s., 900 promised him.
David G. Miller was the publisher Of
O small weekly newspaper at Batavia,
and at his Office the supposed "Illustra-
tons Of Masonry were printed. In
order to create a sale for the book Miller
saw 1t was necessary to create q stir
among the Masons, and hence the abuse
poured forth weekly against them In
his Batavia journal. This closes the
history Of the facts leading up to Nor
gan's abduction and supposed murder.
I. o.. ~.
Mr.. William H. Stipes, q member Of
Pamela Lodge No. IL, l. o. o r., Of this
city, died in HELENA, Montana, and was
buried on the 9Th ult.
The funeral, under direction of Excelsior
Lodge No. 5. J. o. o. r, headed by the
Helena City Cornet Band. was largely at
tended by members Of the order, several