Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1882-12-09
The Death of Morgan.


by the publication in the New York Sun
of :hree-column statement from the late
Thurlow Weed, which was sworn to be-
fore New York notary OH the 2sth of
September last. In this statement Mr..
Weed gives 4 history of the disappearance
of Morgan who had made disclosure Of
MaSo me secrets and in the abduction OF
whom he says sit was well known that
Free Masous were concerned" Mr.. Weed
thea gives long account of the steps
which he and other leading anti-Masons
took TO discover the whereabouts and fate
of Morgan, and mentions alleged instances
of prosecutions to which lie was subjected
because of his efforts, but these have al
rcsdy found some form of publication.
Mr.. Weed gives his experience with one
Elisha Adams, "who was an invalid SOL
der while Morgan was confined in a mag
azine at Fort Niagara" who informed him
that the supposed Morgan was taken in q
carriage from the fort and placed in boat,
and that the boat afterwards returned
without the supposed Morgan, but when
Adams was put on the stand he swore he
knew nothing about the matter. Mr..
tempered with. Mr.. Weed then states that
i'm 1881 libel suit was commenced against
him by Gen. Gould, Of Rochester. 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 instructions the jury found
verdict of $500 against Mr.. Weed. The
same evening Col. Simeon b. Jewett,
Major Samuel Barton and John Whitney
passed the evening at NJ. Weeds house.
Jewett was prepared, according to Mr..
Weeds statement, to testify that he fur
nished a carriage for those who were con-
veying Morgan secretly from Canandal-
qua to Niagara. John Whitney was one
of the party. Major Barton would have
testified that he furnished 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 escape from Justice" Mr.. Weed then
proceeds with detail OF the alleged con-
fcssion of Whitney "of the history of
Morgau's abduction and fate" Accord
ing to this, The idea Of sNPpressing Nor
gan's ''intended exposure of the secrets of
Masonry" Was suggested by Il man by the
name of Johns, and was discussed in sew
eral Masonic lodges. Johns, according to
Whitney'S statement TO Mr.. Weed, "sug-
gcSted that Morgan should be separated
from Miller and placed on 4 farm in Can
ala West. For this purpose he was taken
to niagara and placed ia the magazine of
the fort until arrangements for settling
him in Canada were CompletcG, but the
Canadian Masons disappointed them.
After several meetings of the lodge in
Canada, opposite Fort Niagara. 4 refusal
to have anything to do with Morgan leit
his "kidnappers" greatly perpleXed. OPP
portunely Royal Arch chapter was in
stalled at Lewiston. The occasion brought
q large number of enthusiastic Masons to-
gethcr. CATER labor" in Masonic IAN
guage, they retired to refreshmcnt."
Under the eXhilaration of champagne and
other viandS, The chaplain lthe Rev. f. III.
Cummings, of Rochester, was called cn
for toast. liz responded with peculiar
emphasis, and in the language of their
ritual: "The enemies of our order-May
they find a grave six feet deep, six feet
long, and six feet due stand west" I'M
mcdiately after that toast, which was re-
ccived with great enthusiasm, Col. Will
lam King, an officer in our war of 1912,
and then Il member of Assembly from Nj
agara County, called Whitney, of Roch
ester, Howard, Of Buffalo, Chubbuck, of
Lewiston, and Garside, of Canada, out of
the room and into a carriage furnished by
Major Barton. They were driven TO Fort
Niagara, repaired to the magazine, anu
Informed Morgan that the arrangements
and that his family would soon follow
him. Morgan received the information
chcerfully, and walked with supposed
friends 10 the boat, which was rowed TO
the mouth OF the river, where rope was
wound around his body, to each end of
which sinker was attached. Morgan was
.hen thrown overheard. He grasped the
gunwale of the boat conyulsively. Gar
side, in forcing Morgan to rclinquish his
hold, was severely bitten.
Mr.. Weed says that he met Whitney at
a national republican convention at Chi
cago 90 years after this, when the latter
requested him to write cut his recollection
of what he whitney, had told him about
Morgan's fate, to be signed i'm the pres
ence of witnesses and published after
Whitney's death. but Mr.. Weed was called
away himself before he could comply
with the request. In 1861 Mr.. Weed says
he we3t to Europe. and while in London
wrote a letter to Whitney asking him to
get Alex. i. Williams, then resident OF
Chicago, to do what he (WeedD had ne
elected. That letter reached Chicago one
week after Whitney's death, closing the
last and only chance for the alleged reve-
lation of that event.