Masonic Hit Squads Part II: The 1826 Morgan/Miller Affair (E377)
Summary
Host Jake Roark visits Batavia, New York, to investigate the 1826 Morgan Miller Affair, where Freemasons allegedly kidnapped printer William Morgan for exposing their secrets. The episode details how this scandal sparked the first anti-Masonic political party and explores the era’s heavy drinking culture and class dynamics. Roark also restores the overlooked story of David C. Miller, Morgan’s partner who escaped captivity, while debunking common historical myths about the Freemasons’ motives and the victims’ backgrounds.
Topics discussed
History of Danil's Tavern and the Freemason network
Visiting the scene of the Morgan kidnapping
Humor on justice, bed rotting, and the Morgan statue
The inaccuracy of the William Morgan statue
Masonic apologists and the history of the affair
Why the Morgan Affair is confusing to modern audiences
Alcohol culture in the early 19th century
Morgan's fraudulent entry into Freemasonry
Biography of William Morgan and his marriage
The plan to write a book exposing Masonic secrets
Masonic threats and the formation of a committee
The impact of the affair on Freemasonry and politics
Theft of the manuscript by Daniel Johns and Miller
The arson attempt on Miller's printing office
Researching the Morgan Investigator and anti-Masonic views
The kidnapping of William Morgan from the jail
The attempted kidnapping of David C. Miller
Miller's escape and the failed legal proceedings
Morgan's release and transport to Old Fort Niagara
Morgan's imprisonment in the powder magazine
Rumors of Morgan's fate and the conspiracy's collapse
Conclusion: Why Miller survived and show outro
Listen ad-free on Castria