The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1900-09-19
CHATS AND SKETCHES
About Town and Elsewhere.
THE ANTI MASONIC CRUSADE
OF 1926 32.


In our last article the following
foot.note refers, not to the writer OF
this sketch, but to the author OF the
''rare book written by distinguished
anti-Mason in 1892"
1.-THE writer, tho an anti-Mason, does
not believe that Morgan was murdered and
Denies from personal knowledge, (having
been a Mason Of high degree), many Of the
allegations that Masons were obligated to
"stand by each other whether right or
wronR;r to "prefer brother in political or
military preferment," etc.
III.
The rUmor of Morgan's having been
seen in Smyrna, Turkey, has this foun-
dation at least: In the historical adj
dress of d. @. Kilborn, Esq, at the
Centennial celebration of ST. PauPs
Lodge, Litchfeld, may be found the
following letter from an aged and re-
spectacle citizen:
"About 1870, an old purser of thirty
years experience in the United States
navy, by the name of Bloodgood, told
me as follows:
Il am not an anti-Masou or Ma
son; but some years since the vessel
with which l was connected was in the
port of Smyrna, and while four or five
OF our officers were on shore, man
came up to us and said: Gentlemen,
l want you to smuggle me back TO the
United States. came here and made
a Turk of myself; and YOU know 'once
Turk, always Turk We asked his
name, and he said William Morgan.
We asked, "Of New York, aud the
anti. Mason Morgan9" Eyes" he re-
yNtinA
further conversation, our senior officer
informed him that he could not return
clandestinely in government vessel.
L. G. MEAFoY."
Litchfeld, June 81, 1881.
Who was William Morgan, the
"hero" whose name is destined to live
in history for a length of time little
anticipated by those who planned his
abduction? He was native of Culpep-
per county, Virginia, where he was
born August Z, IVA. He was an oper-
alive mason by trade, and in 1921 be-
gan business as brewer at York, Up
per Canada. Having lost his property
by fire, he removed 10 New York
State, where he worked at his trade in
Rochester and Batavia. Varions ac-
counts are given of his earlier life, of
which but little, however, is known
down to the time of his appearance at
Rochester. On the one hand he has
been eXtolled as brave and gallant
soldier who bore a captains commits
sion in the war of 1912, and served in
that capacity at the battle of New Or
leans; on the other that he was pirate
in the Gulf of Mexico, being one of the
celebrated gang of Lafitte who were
pardoned by President Jackson on the
eve of the battle, in which they did
good service. In the year 1919 he
married Lucinda Pendleton, daughter
of Rev. Joseph Pendleton, of Washing
ton county, Virginia.
According to his own confession he
was a private soldier in the army
which fought most OF the battles south
of the Potomac during the war of 1872.
Ten years after his marriage he re-
moved to Upper Canada, as has been
stated, and afterwards to Rochester
and from thence to Batavia.
In person Morgan was of middle
stature, say five feet six inches in height.
His general appearance, for a man of
low station and circumstances in life,
was rather prepossessiDg, compact
and well-turned person, with high
forehead, bald, and quick, intelligent,
but sly, sinister-glancing eye. His ed
ucation was limited; but he had added
to his original stock by reading, and
was enabled to pass as sort of oracle
among the lower classes of loungers at
country taverns. His Incidence and
his habits were such as very naturally
to throw him into the associations of
such a circle. Though not exactly
common drunkard, he was a confirmed
tippler-his nights, and sometimes his
days being spent in bar-rooms, while
occasionally, to the neglect of his fam
lily, he joined in the drunken carousals
of the most worthless and vilest of
men. His disposition was envious,
malicious, and vindictive, according to
the testimony of a VerV worthy man of