Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-12-05
THE MEMPHIS MUTUAL AID SOCIETY
Have RESERVE FUND IN BANK OF nearly $4,000.
MORGAN, THE MASON.
What General Albert Pike Says
AbOut His Death.
speelal % oIncInnnti oomm.rcinl


ST. LOUIS, December 1.-The pub.
lication of Thurlow Weeds affidavit
rehearSing the facts relating to the
disappearance of William Morgan
who attempted to expose Masonry
over fifty years ago, is causing some
comment among the members Of the
order. There are many Masons.
indeed, who persist in asserting that
it was impossible that Morgan's death
could have been caused by members
OF their fraternity, while others are
convinced that he was not only mur
dered, but murdered by Masons-not
by the Masonic order, which would be
absurd, but by some Of its individual
members for whose action the organi
cation is no more responsible than is
a church for the crime committed by
its members. To this latter class be-.
longs General Albert Pike. who is at
the head of the Scottish Rite Masons
Of the West and South.
ut is my belief that they killed
Morgan" said he yesterday to Re.
publican reporter. ut would be lust
as impossible, however, for me TO
prove that as it would be that they did
not kill him. Still l believe it. ffhe
was not murdered, why did he not
come back? | was in Albany. New
York, in 1881, and recollect that
then nothing else was talked of
Morgan published book purportipg
to give an expose Of Blue Lodge Ma
sonry. lie was taken to Canada, and
| suppose that they found that they
had an elephant on their hands, and so
put him out Of the way. know moth.
ing more about it, though, in all
probability, than you do, for not being
a Mason then, as | only ioined the
order 10 the ffties, / cared nothing for
it one way or the other. The story
current at the time was about the
same as this Whieh has been revived,
that he was taken out in the lake and
drowned. AS for Weeds affidavit il
IS nothing now, for several years since
| saw this same statement credited to
him in the newspapers. 1t was re.
ported during the excitement over
Morgan's disappearance that he was
living. in Batavia, but as he never
came back never credited it. The
Anti Masonic Convention was held
Thomas Jefferson wrote some letters
on the subject, and there was testimo.
ny taken in the Courts, but / do not
think that tho men whom Weed men.
tlons were mentioned at the time.
" "Masons know no more about the
matter thqB any one elsa. Perhaps 81
the time 1t might have bssn .novn
amo7g few msmbAe.ss Of the lodges in
It, II ncc1,iean was really murdered
they should have been hung. In the
obligation which 4 Mason takes 1t is
stated that Ii shall not compel him to
do anything against his conscience or
the laws OF his country. The order
does not shield the guilty, though
there may be among its members. in
rarely exceptional cases, men so igno-
rant that il serving on a Jury they
might think themselves bound by i
to acquit a brother Mason, guilty or
innocent"
Rev. DR.. John D. vincil, Grand
Secretary Of the Missouri Grand
Lodge, A. +. and A. NJ, spoke Of
the story as a slauder, the act alleged
being opposed to every tenet of Ma
sonry, which aimed to inculeate a
beautiful system OF morals. The book
which Morgan had published was as
silly as had been ali the professed
exposes Of Masonry written BY men
wholly ignorant Of what they were
writing about. and at no time worthy
Of serious consideration. The excite
ment over Morgan had been worked
up and nursed carefully for political
purposes, but now nothing could
revive it,