The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1868-08-26
Dreadful Calamity.

Dreadful Calamity.
DEATH OF THE VERY REV. B. J. sPALD-
ING FROM ACCIDENTAL BURNING.
+ From the Louisville Journal. August 5th
Our whole community was surprised
and deeply grieved to learn that the
very Rev. Benjamin j. SpaldiDg, Ad-
ministrator If this Catholic Diocese,
died at six o'clock last evening. The
manner of his death was most heart
rending. He retired at bis accustomed
hour to his sleeping apartment in the
Bishops h0nse Mt the Cathedral on
Monday night. About IL o'clock Fa-
ther B0uchet, whose room is just I'M
derneath DR.. Spalding's, heard linn out
on the gallery, and grooming as If IN
great bodily pain. Father 3. fastened
upstairs, when he found to his infinite
horror and astOnishment that DR.. Spal-
ding's bed was on fire, and that the
Doctor had already been dreadfnlly
burned, and had plunged himself into
the bath tub in an adjoining room,
where he was suffering the intensest
agony. WheE Father BOuchet suffi-
cicntly collected himself he threw the
burning bed clothes out of the room,
and helped DR.. Spalding to another
apartment, placed sheet around him,
and made him as comfortable as posi-
BILE. Drs. Grove and Force were called
in and used every exertion in human
power to relieve the sufferer; but be
continued in the accutest pain until he
expired at six o'clock last evening.
It was DR.. Spalding's habit to keep
the gas burning in his room all night.
The bracket was o sliding one, moving
upward and downward, and from long
use it had become loosened. 1t is sup
posed, from the nearness of the burner
tn the Doctors couch, that during the
night, while he was asleep, the bracket
descended and set the musquit0-bar on
fire. Evidently DR.. Spalding was aw-
fully burned before he reached the
bath tub, as Father BOuchet states that
when he ran up, his night clothes were
entirely burned of, and the whole of
one side of his person was IN o perfect
crisp. The physicians, we understand,
are of the opinion that death resulted
more from exposure to the bath than
from the burning. This most horrible
and untimely death of SO estimable .
man and 80 distinguished prelate will
shock the Catholic Church Of the whole
country.
DR.. Spalding was in his fifty-seventh
year. He was born in Marion county,
in this State, and was the fourth son of
the late Richard Spalding. He receive
ed his primary education at st. Mary's
College, and was afterwards sent to tie
Propaganda at Rome, where he gradu-
ated with marked distinction. In 1887
he returned to Kentucky and was en-
ployed for many years as q Professor
in St. Joseph's College, at Bardstown,
and as Pastor of the Catholic cOngrega-
ton there. He came to Louisville in
1S43, and has resided here ever since.
officiating as Pastor of the Cathedral of
the Assumption, under his wOrld-known
brother, the Most Rev. Martin J. Spal-
ding, Archbishop of Baltimore. He
had also filled the Office of Vicar Gene
raj of the Diocese for many years.
Since the decease Of the Right Rev.
Bishop Lavialle, in April, 1867. DIR.
Spalding has acted as Administrator Of
the Diocese, in which position he had
more closely endeared himself to the
people of the Church. He was emf
nent both for his great piety and devO-
ton to his faith and for his geniality
and bcnevolence. In few days we
hope to he able to give more COM
plete and just biography of the de-
ceased.
Four brothers and one sister survive
the lamented deceased, Archbishop
Spalding and three brothers and sis
ter living in Marion county. AL Of
them, except the Archbishop, will be
present ut the funeral. A dispatch
from Baltimore states that the Arch
bishop is at Sweet Sulphur Springs,
Virginia, and cannot Ike communicated
with in time for the funeral.