Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-10-22
The Outrage at Ellsworth.

The Bangor Mercury contains full account
of the outrage committed upon Mr.. Bapst, the
Roman Catholic priest at Ellsworth, Maine,
which is subjoined:
"Mr. Bapst was staying with one of his peo-
pie at Ellsworth by the name Of Kent, whose
house is near the Catholic chapel. Mr.. Kent's
house, about 3 o'clock Oh Saturday evening,
was surrounded by large crowd, Of whom
some twenty or thirty, mostly young men, en-
tered the house. They searched from top to
bottom for Mr.. Bapst, who had retired to tho
cellar to keep out of the way. There they
found him, bore him out Of doors, ran him
down the street, and having got some distance
from the house, stripped him of all his clothing
except his pantaloons, and in that condition
put him astride of q fence-rail, and carried him
upon it some three or four rods, when the rail
broke.
"About this time they began to debate what
favor of throwing him into the ditch, and leay-
ing him, when light was seen coming up the
street. Some said this was the approach Of
persons who had provided tar and feathers.
The gang broke up into small knots The
Light approached, and it proved to be the sheriff
ofthe county, with some assistants, though we
do not learn that they were recognised BY the
victim at the time. In one of these knots of
persons he was placed, and his garments
thrown over his shoulders, and thus, not recog-
| nising the sheriff and his party, be was not re-
cognised by them. The latter, supposing that
Mr.. Bapst had been murdered by the gang,
preceded further along the street to find his
body, if haply life was remaining in it.
twas raining violently at the time. and very
dark. The rufiians, as soon as they were rid
of the sheriff, came together again and pre-
ceeded down the Mount Desert road to ship
yard. Here they took the pantaloons also from
Mr.. Bapst's person, rendering him entirely
naked. Before taking off his pantaloons, they
lifted him among them, and he perceived one
thrusting his hand in his pocket and laying
hold of his wallet, in which was something
more than $50. he besought that one not to
add robbery to his other violence, but the
person took his wallet, nor has Mr.. Bapst, seen
it since. His watch was taken from him at
the time that they first striped him. Then
they proceeded to smear him with tar from
head to foot, and afterward covered him with
feathers-not without, however, in the mean
time, making some disgusting personal as
saults, and using various degrees of foul Ian
guage 1t is but justice to say that some of
the young men were in liquor at the time.
Inc new IorK I1meS, Oh yesterday says:
We last evening received information of the
death of the Catholic priest, Rev. John Bapst,
an Italian, who was tarred and feathered and
ridden on rail in Ellsworth, Maine, on Satur-
day night last, while on a visit to that place.
The only excuse yet offered in paliation of the
atrocious conduct of the mob, is that formerly,
when pastor in Ellsworth, he engaged in
controversy on the school question. Admit
ting that the priest could have been guilty of
any misconduct sufficiently vile to warrant
popular violence, his participation in discus
sion of an open question, was certainly not of
such a character. The attack upon him for
the cause given is disgrace to the town,
which can only be removed by earnest and
energetic efforts on the part of the respectable
citizens Of Ellsworth to bring the perpetrators
of the outrage to the severest punishment pre-
scribed by law for the crime they have com.
mitted.