The evening times., 1898-09-13
GOV. DE WITT CLINTON.
What Caused His Death. ApOplexy
or Suicide.

or Suicide:
To the Editor of The Times:
Dewitt Clinton, governor of New York.
died suddenly in February, 1928. He had
been reelected in 1926 in spite of the anti
Masonic agitation growing out of the alb
duction and supposed murder of William
Morgan. In 1880 William H. Seward was
elected State senator by large ma
jority as an antiMason, and in 1888 he
was chosen governor as Wing.
In regard to the death of Gov. Clinton
an aged correspondent has written to me
as follows:
knew Miller, the printer of Morgans exposure
of Freemasonry, and heard from his own lips
full recital OF those exciting times in 1895
And here let me tell you an interesting fact
which has not passed into history, told me by
Mr.. Bostwick fifty years ago. Mr.. b. was a
resident of the disturbed district in western
New York. and was sent as a committee to
Gov De Witt Clinton, to ask his political action
on some pending matter. He called on the gov
ernor at about IL O'Clock, forenoon, and had a
long private interview. in which all the facts
relating to Morgans murder were detailed. The
governor deferred his dinner to get the whole
the governor to call again at his office within
an hour, when he would issue the necessary order
asked for. Promptly on time, Mr.. Bostwick re-
turned, and was informed that the governor had
died suddenly. So he had to go home with his
mission unfulfillcd. Nr. b. said he had no
doubt there great struggle on the part
of Gov. Clinton. with duty on the one hand and
his obligations a Mason on the other. He saw
IL
promptings it would disrupt Masonry, involve
many of his intimate friends in ruin, and prob
ably land some OF them in the penitentiary So
he cut the Gordian knot by suicide, which passed
into history apoplexy. He Lad been in declin-
ing health for some time, which gave plausbiity
to the apopexy story.
Mr.. Bostwick was a gentleman of education and
a church man. He was afterwards a resident of
Conneautvillc, Pa where he was elected Justice
OF the peace term after term. And in that place
where | was publishing paper, he being then
about seventy years OF age, related the above
facts to me.
The writer OF this letter is Dr. c. w
Brown, of Rockford. Ill. He migrated to
Kansas and published the Herald of Free
dom, which was destroyed by the border
rufIians. DR.. Brown was a conservative
free State man. strongly opposed to John
Brown, but that did not save his press
and valuable library. Let me quote
something more about Masonry from his
last letter 10 me. dated September 6:
l had Morgan's exposure of Masonry and used
it in giving and answering signs from Masons,
Meeting stranger on the highway carly as
1872, he gave me Masonic sign. 1 replied
with the counter sign. Several others followed,
when he gave me the grip. He then respond, d
| with "A -- Morgan Mason" | had fIil-d
in passing my thumb, probably, on the proper
| joint. 1t ended my efforts TO practice Masonry.
! | was afterwards elected to the apprentice de-
! gree, but started for Kansas with party OF 2Sl
| immigrants three days before the time OF ini
tiation. Friends thought il would be useful Oh
the border, but Odd Fellowship proved batter
protection. Masons were murdered by the ruff
/ fans but not one odd Fellow was killed on either
side, SO far | had knowledge.
I will only add that Dr. Brown believes
| William Morgan was murdered, discredit-
ing the story of his exile, which, he says,
was devised from the outset by the Free
Masons.
l have no antipathy to Freemasonry,
save an innate aversion TO secret socie-
| ties, and that aversion now extends to
| open organizations. However good they
may be at the start, in time they become
evil Nor do l except governments, which
in their best estate are but necessary
evils and grow worse with age. THE
world is governed too much, said the
| Jeffersonian Republican; and that gov
ernment is best which governs least"
w H BURR.