A Book that Someone Wanted No One to Read

Captain William Morgan’s disappearance is at the center of a controversy surrounding the Masonic organization and the secrets of Freemasonry. When a petition was circulated in Batavia, New York, in 1826 to start a new Masonic chapter, William Morgan’s name was not on it to be a member. According to Morgan, he had been inducted into the Masons in another chapter but, apparently, that fact could not be proven. As a member Mason, his name should have been on the charter petition.

Captain Morgan asked that his name be added to the petition and he gained approval for that request. As the story goes, Captain Morgan, being somewhat of a known drinker, went on a binge for a few days and when he regained sobriety, he learned that the new petition, the one with his name added to it, had been destroyed and been replaced with yet another version that, once again, did not contain his name. This action could have been provoked by Morgan’s less than stellar character reputation.

Captain William Morgan then decided to publish a book revealing all Masonic secrets to the general public and make known his displeasure with the group. The Clerk of the Northern District of New York accepted William Morgan’s book on August 14, 1826 as an original work from him entitled, "Illustrations of Masonry by One of the Fraternity." Morgan was kidnapped and presumably killed in September 1826. His book was published nonetheless as it was in the publisher’s hands before his demise.

The publisher, David C. Miller, was himself a rejected former member of the Masons. Miller was not permitted to advance past the attainment of first degree in Freemasonry. Miller was also the publisher of an anti-Mason newspaper, so he was the perfect choice to join with Morgan to publish his "secrets revealed" book. The Masons were so upset with both men that they tried several times to burn down Miller’s newspaper office, but all attempts met with failure.

Morgan’s book, which has also been rumored to not be his own work but material he compiled from other sources, outlines the darker side to Masonic beliefs and rituals. It draws a picture for the reader of what the private ceremonies and rituals were like. It was at this time that the attitude of the general public turned to a wide-ranging anti-Mason mood. An anti-Mason movement formed, spawning the creation of a new anti-Mason political party. The first printing of the book sold out quickly and a second printing had to be ordered.

Until this time, Freemasonry was only seen in a positive light. The secrets this book made public had readers cringing in disbelief and wondering just what kind of society this was in their midst who performed secret ceremonies and kidnapped and murdered people who went against their will. Once you were part of the "fraternity," and took a pledge never to reveal their secrets, anyone who dared do so discovered what powerful enemies their brother Masons could be.

To learn more about "The Strange Disappearance of Captain William Morgan," visit http://www.ad-hoc-productions.com/index.html.

Michael Keene is the producer of several historical documentaries including Visions: True Stories of the Supernatural.