The Morgan Affair: a kidnapping that changed American politics

William Morgan Image courtesy Rochester Public Library	Thurlow Weed This Rochester publisher launched a political career on opposition to Freemasonry

Advertisements in local newspapers openly denounced Morgan, his life was threatened, and he was harassed by government officials who were Masons. At one point he was jailed for failure to pay a debt. The arrest was timed for when the sheriff was out of town, and since no one else could accept bail, Morgan had to spend the weekend in jail. Miller's print shop was set on fire one night, but saved by a group of teamsters working nearby who rushed to extinguish the flames.

The Mason's Canadian spy, Daniel John, stole parts of Morgan's manuscript in August. It was rushed to New York City and presented to the General Grand Chapter with a request for help: What should be done about Morgan?

DeWitt Clinton, the Grand Chapter's presiding officer and the country's best known Mason, was aghast. The manuscript was stolen property, and he ordered it returned immediately to its rightful owners, Morgan and Miller. The manuscript disappeared, but Clinton, at least was free of it.

Clinton, however, did make a mid-August trip to Batavia to visit with Judge Henry Brown, the eminent commander of the Batavia Lodge. The meeting was private, but local Masons interpreted Clinton's visit as a certificate of approval for their continued harassment of Morgan and Miller.

Kingsley, the Canandaigua innkeeper, joined in the harassment. He charged Morgan with stealing his shirt and cravat, and Morgan was seized on the streets of Batavia, rushed into a carriage, and driven at high speed over 50 miles of dusty, bumpy, dirt roads to Canandaigua. The charge, of course, was silly, and the Canandaigua magistrate accepted Morgan's version that he had merely forgotten to return the clothing.

The instant he was freed of that charge, a Batavia Mason stepped forward and charged Morgan with not paying a $2.68 bill. Morgan was immediately rearrested. He didn't have money on hand to pay the debt, a fine, or bail, so he was jailed for the night.

Fearing he would be freed in the morning, two Masons, Nicholas Cheesboro and Loton Lawson, paid Morgan's fine. As soon as he stepped onto the cobblestone street, they grabbed him, forced him into a yellow carriage driven by still another Mason, Col. Samuel Sawyer, and drove off with him.

When news of the kidnapping reached Gov. Clinton, he was stunned and ordered a $2,000 reward for the arrest of those guilty of the crime. He also ordered a state grand jury impaneled to investigate the kidnapping of William Morgan. Over the next five years more than 20 grand juries in five counties looked into the kidnapping. The testimony given was inconsistent, but some facts were widely agreed upon.

Morgan was taken, probably bound and gagged, to Rochester where he spent the night. The next day he was taken to Fort Niagara, at the point where the Niagara River flows into Lake Ontario, and hidden in a block house. The kidnappers were under the impression that Canadian Masons had agreed to take Morgan as a prisoner and allow him to live a comfortable life on the twin conditions that he never return to the United States and that he make no attempt to publish his book.

However, late the next night, when Morgan was taken across the river, either the Canadians changed their minds, or, more likely, were hearing about the plan for the first time. They refused to be partners in the kidnapping, and Morgan was taken back across the Niagara and returned to the Fort Niagara blockhouse.

Not knowing what to do with him, the kidnappers may have panicked. Possibly, they had an alternative plan all along, or they may have asked for guidance from higher ranking Masons. In any case, Morgan was never seen alive again. It's not even clear if Morgan was ever seen dead again.