Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-08-06
DREADFUL CALAMITY.
Death Of the Very Rev. II. J. sPaIdinS
from Accidental burning.

From the Louisville journal. August 5th.
Our whole community was surprised and
deeply grieved to learn that the Very Rev.
Benz. }. Spalding, Administrator of this
Catholic Diocese, died at six o'clock last
evening. The manner of his death was
most heart-rending. He retired at his
accustomed hour 10 his sleeping apart
ment in the Bishops house at the Cathe-
dral on Monday night. About II o'clock
Father BOuchet, whose room is just under
meath DIR. Spaldings, heard him out on
the gallery, and groaning as if in great
bodily pain. Father B. hasRaed upstairs,
when he found to his infinite horror and
astonishment that DIR. Spalding's bed was
on fire, and that the Doctor had already
been 6readfully burned, and had plunged
himself into the bath tub in am adjoining
room, where he was suffering the intensest
agony. When Father Bouchet sufficiently
collected himself he threw the burning
bed clothes out of the room, and helped
DR.. SpaIding TO another apartment, placed
a sheet around him, and made him as COM
Portable as possible. Drs. Grove and
Force were called in and used every exer-
tiOn in human power to relieve the suf-
ferer; but he continued in the accntest
pain until he expired at six o'clock last
evening.
1t was DR.. Spalding's habit TO keep the
gas burning in his room all night. The
bracket was a sliding one, moving upward
and downward, and from long use it had
become loosened. 1t is supposed, from the
nearness Of the burner to the Doctors
couch, that durin the night, while he was
asleep, the bracket descended and set the
mosquito-bar on fire. Evidently DIR. Spald-
ing was awfully burned before he reached
the bath-tub as Father Bouchet states that
when he ran up, his night-clothes were en-
tirely burned of, and the whole of one
side Of his person was in a perfect crisp,
The physicians, we understand, are Of the
opinion that death resulted more from ex-
posure to the bath than from the burning.
This most horrible and untimely death Of
so estimable a man and 80 distinguished a
prelate will shock the Catholic Church OF
the whole country.
Dr. Spalding was in his 6fty-seYenth
year. He was born in Marion county, in
this State, and was the fourth son of the
late Richard Spslding. He received his
primary education at st. Mary's College,
and was afterwards sent to the Propa-
ganda at Rome, where he graduated with
marked distinction. In 1887 he returned
to Kentucky and was employed for many
years as a Professor in st. JOseph's Col
lege, at Bardstown, and as pastor of the
Catholic congregation there. He came
TO Louisville in 1913, and has re-
sided here ever since, officiating as pastor
Of the Cathedral of the Assumption, under
his world-known brother, the Most Rev.
Martin J. Spalding, Archbishop of Balti-
more. He had also filled the office of Vicar
General of the Diocese for many years
Since the decease of the Right Rev. Bishop
Lavialle, in April, 1867, DR.. Spalding has
acted as Administrator CT the Diocese, in
which position he had more closely en-
deared himselfto the people Of the church,
He was eminent both for his great piety
and devotion to his faith and for his
geniality and beneVolence. In few days
we hope to be able to give a more complete
and Just biography Of the deceased.
Four brothers and one sister survive the
lamented deceased, Archbishop Spalding
and three brothers and 4 sister living IL
Marion county. All of them, except the
Archbishop, will be present at the funeral
A dispatch from Baltimore states that the
Archbishop il at Sweet Sulphur Springs
| Virginia, and cannot be communicated
with in time for the funeral.