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THE MORGAN AFFAIR
STB-MR33Perhaps the most romantic story of Freemasonry, the fuel which the
alleged abduction and murder of William Morgan supplied to the
anti-Masonic hysteria of a hundred years ago, and the gradual
emergence of the Ancient Craft from the cloud which threatened to
extinguish it, is a tale which all Freemasons may ponder to their
enlightenment.William Morgan, a brickmason, lived in Batavia, New York, from I824
to 1826. Accounts of him differ widely, as they do of any
notorious person. Few are so wicked as to be without friends; few
are so good they have not their detractors. from the estimates of
both enemies and friends, the years have brought an evaluation of
Morgan which shows him as a shiftless rolling stone; uneducated but
shrewd; careless of financial obligations: often arrested for debt;
idle and improvident; frequently the beneficiary of Masonic
charity.That he was really a Mason is doubtful; no record of his raising or
Lodge membership exists, but it is certain he received the Royal
Arch in Western Star Chapter R. A. M. No. 33 of LeRoy, New York;.
It is supposed that he was an "eavesdropper" and lied his way into
a Lodge in Rochester by imposing on a friend and employer, who was
led to vouch for him in Wells Lodge No. 282 at Batavia. Judge
Ebenzer Mix, of Batavia, a Mason of unquestioned reputation, wrote
of this alleged Masonic membership: "There must have been a most
reprehensible laxity among the Masons both of Rochester and LeRoy;
for there was no evidence educed, then or afterwards, that he ever
received any Masonic degree save the Royal Arch, on May 31, 1825,
at LeRoy."At any rate, he visited Lodges, was willing to assist, made Masonic
speeches, took part in degrees. When Companions of Batavia asked
for a Royal Arch Chapter, he was among those who signed the
petition. But suspicion of his regularity began to grow, and his
name was omitted as a member when the Charter was granted.Just how much this incident inspired the enmity he developed for
the Fraternity is only a guess; doubtless it had much to do with
it. Enemy he became, and it became known that he had applied for a
copyright on a book which was to "expose' Masonic ritual, secrets
and procedure. In spite of the deep resentment which this proposed
expose created, Morgan entered into a contract (March 13, 1826)
with three men for the publication of this work. These were: David
C. Miller, an Entered Apprentice of twenty years standing, stopped
from advancement for cause, who thus held a grudge against the
Fraternity; John Davids, Morgan's landlord; and Russel Dyer, of
whom little is known. These three entered into a penal bond of half
a million dollars to pay Morgan one fourth of the profits of the
book. Morgan boasted in bars and on the street of his progress in
writing this book. The more he bragged, the higher the feeling
against him ran, and the greater the determination engendered that
the expose should never appear. Brethren were deeply angered.
fearful that were the "secrets" of Freemasonry "exposed", the Order
would die out. Feeling ran high.Matters came to a head in September, 1826. Morgan was arrested for
the theft of a shirt and tie. Of this he was acquitted, but
immediately rearrested for failure to pay a debt of $2.68, and
jailed. After one day behind bars, some one paid the debt. When he
was released he left in a coach with several men, apparently not of
his own free will. He was taken to Ft. Niagara and there confined
in an unused magazine. Then Morgan disappeared!What happened to William Morgan? Enemies of the Craft said
Freemasons had kidnapped and murdered him, to prevent the
publication of his expose. Freemasons, of course, indignantly
denied the charge. As time went on and Morgan was not found,
members of the Craft disavowed any approval of any such act, if it
had been committed. Governor Clinton, Past Grand Master, issued
proclamation after proclamation, the last one offering two thousand
dollars reward "that, if living, Morgan might be returned to his
family; if murdered, that the perpetrators might be brought to con
dign punishment."It was not too difficult to discover that Masons were concerned in
Morgan's hundred and twenty five mile journey to Ft. Niagara. Three
members of the Craft--Chesebro, Lawson and Sawyer--pleaded guilty
to conspiracy to "seize and secrete" Morgan, and, together with Eli
Bruce, Sheriff, and one John Whitney, all served terms in prison
for the offense.But murder could not be proved for no body was found.In October, 1827, a body was washed ashore forty miles below Ft.
Niagara. Morgan's widow "identified" the body, although it was
dressed in other clothes than her husband had worn alive; was
bearded, although Morgan was clean shaven; had a full head of hair,
although Morgan was bald ! Thurlow Weed, Rochester Editor, was
accused of having the corpse shaved and of adding long white hairs
to ears and nostrils, to simulate the appearance of Morgan. The
first inquest decided that this was, indeed, the body of William
Morgan.Three inquests were held in all. The third decided, on the
unimpeachable evidence of Mrs. Sara Monroe, who minutely described
the body, its marks, and the clothes it wore, that the corpse was
not William Morgan, but Timothy Monroe, of Clark, Canada, her
husband.Commonplace and unexciting truth seldom catches up with scandalous,
electrifying, remarkable falsehood! William Mo
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