September 13

September 13, 1826: A carriage, believed to be holding the kidnapped William Morgan stops at Handford's Landing just outside Rochester. Morgan had boasted his intentions of publishing a book revealing the secrets of the Freemasons. An attempt was made to burn down his publishing house in Batavia and he was soon after arrested on petty larceny in Canandaigua. After a night in Jail, someone paid his debt and whisked him away in a carriage, through Rochester and onto Lewiston where he was believed to have been drowned in the Niagara river. The affair sparked widespread suspicion of the Masons and launched the anti-masonic movement and national political party.

Sources and Further Reading:

1. Wikipedia: William Morgan (anti-Mason)
2. Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon: William Morgan Notes
3. History of Rochester and Monroe County, New York (1908); Peck, William F.; page 63

September 7

September 7, 1901: Mayor Carnahan declares Saturday Sept. 7 a civic holiday for the celebration of Rochester Day at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo. About 8,000 Rochesterians make the short train trip to the neighboring city, however, the shooting of US President McKinley the previous day at the expo puts a damper on the celebration. President McKinley died the following week and an investigation led to the arrest of anarchist, and former Rochesterian, Emma Goldman in connection with the plot, although she was later released.

Sources and Further Reading:

1. Rochester History (1964) v. 26, n. 3, pg 11-12
2. Wikipedia: Emma Goldman

May 28

May 28, 1838: A trial is held for Octavious Barron for Rochester's first murder. The trial lasted 10 days, Barron was found guilty and was executed on July 25.

Sources and Further Reading

1. Rochester History (July 1942) v. 4, n. 1, pg 14-16

May 28, 1903: Dr. Francis Tumblety dies and is returned to Rochester to be interred in Rochester's Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. Tumblety, raised in Rochester was considered a suspect in the Jack the Ripper murders. He was also briefly arrested but released for suspicion in aiding in the assassination of President Lincoln.

Sources and Further Reading

1. Wikipedia: Francis_Tumblety 
2. Vogt, Robert E.; Rochester History (Spring 2005); v. LXVII, n. 2, pg 27
3. Tumblety, Francis; Narrrative of Dr. Tumblety (1872); Russells' American steam printing house

  

January 5

January 5, 1990: Arthur Shawcross, the "Genesee River Killer", was arrested after a series of 11 murders in the Rochester area.

Sources and Further Reading:

1. Wikipedia: Arthur Shawcross

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