Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1889-09-12
MORGAN AND CRONIN
Victims OF the Same Design.

The abduction and murder of Will
lam Morgan more than sixty years age
in Western New York by certain
wretched and misguided Masons in
some respects have many points of re-
semblance to the abduction and murder
of DIR. Cronin. Both men belonged to
secret organizations whose members
were bound together by formidable
oaths. Both were accused of violating
these oaths, were in some way irregu-
larly tried and condemned to death by
ignorant, fantatical and irresponsible
persons, and were finally made away
with according Ito a premeditated and
carefully laid plan.
The murder of Morgan had far-reach-
ing political effects. 1t advanced the
fortunes of William H. Seward and
ruined the fortunes of Henry Clay. 1t
defeated the latter for the Wing nomi-
nation for the Presidency in 1889. when
Harrison was nominated, and thus de-
prived him of his best chance for the
Presidential chair. 1t gave rise to the
anti-Masonic party, which, for at least
decade, had controlling influence in
the elections of New York, Pennsylva-
mia, Ohio, Vermont, and Massschu-
sets.
William Morgan has been described
by his enemies as an idle, shiftless, and
unprincipled fellow, and by his friends
as q man Of good character and of more
than ordinary ability. His portrait,
which is presented to us in the Auto
biography of Thurlow Weed" presents
q scholarly face, amiable in every feat
ure, with gentle eyes and well-shaped
nose, but with an Enthusiastically weak
chin and mouth. He was a native of
Virginia, had served in tie war of 1872
as q Captain, was stonemason bv
trade, and, after leading something of
a wandering life, at the age of 46 had
settled in LIE Roy, near Rochester, n.
Y, about the year 1922. The village
was distinguished for its Masonic en-
thusiasm, and had lodges, chapters,
and q commandery. Here Morgan
joined the order and soon became noted
as a very bright Mason" He gave SO
much time to his lodges and chapters
that he soon began to neglect his bust
ness of operative masonry, and he con-
tracted idle and Incorporate habits.
This resulted in a rupture with his ma
sonic brethren, and he removed to the
adjacent town of Batavia. Here IL WAS
that he conceived the idea of revealing
the secrets of the craft to the world,
and he commenced to write his now
well-known illustrations" He in some
way became suspected and went to
Rochester, where in concealment he
L %
Usher in Rochester he returned to Bata-
via and succeeded in persuadinp one
David Miller, who had a printing estab-
lishment, to undertake the work. The
fraternity soon became aware of the i'm
pending publication and the excitement
among masons throughout the whole
region knew no bounds. Many came
from q distance to investigate the mat
ter, and attempts were made to induce
Morgan to give up his manuscripts for
a price. This failing, threats were made.
and he and his publisher were subjected
to thousand petty annoyances. Nor
gan had borrowed shirt from some
confrere, and not returning it as soon as
agreed upon was charged with and COM
United for larceny. He was sued for
SINAI. debts, and was finally arrested on
Judgment for debt and placed in jail,
from which he was bailed.
Miller's printing office was set on fire,
search warrants were obtained for Nor
gan's house, and in every way that hui
man ingenuity could contrive the effort
was made to get at and destroy the
dreaded manuscript. 1t has been re-
marked many times that the Masons
did more to advertise and give notoriety
to Morgan and his book than these
could have acquired for themselves, and
that If they had simply ignored the
whole matter it would have fallen fat.
All this was in the summer of 1926. On
the 10th of September Morgan was
again arrested. and carried to Canaan
digua, and after trial on two or three
trivial charges was lodged in prison.
From that day his friends never saw him
again.
Morgan's sudden disappearance
awakened first alarm, and then wide
spread indignation and excitement. The
freemasons were charged with the alb
duction and murder. Hostility to the
order became intense throughout the |
State, and spread to adjoining States.
There was no thought at first of bring
ing the question into politics, but there
was an honest and trustworthy desire |
to ferret out the offenders and bring
them to Justice. A number of persons
were accused and brought to trial Grim |
inally for the abduction. Two or three
were convicted of this offense. but the
crime of murder could not be proven
against them and they went free after a
short imprisonment.