The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-08-19

RELIGIOUS (ONTESF OVER THE. BURIAL
OF CORPsE-The Widou Gains the
Day.--A good deal of excitement was
caused in the upper part of the citv
last evening by a report that there
had been u serious row between the pro.
teslants and Catholics residing on Oregon
Hill. The story was that the fight took
place over the cof1ined body of Martin
Shine, and that Methodist minister and .
Well-known physician had been wounded.
while the hearse had been knocked into n
wreck and the pulpit of the Methodist
Church on Oregon Hill had been upset. not
TO speak OF any number Of "bastinudoed
Orangemen and black.eyed Ribbonmen.
,IAe prospect of an item Of the first mag
nltude caused half dozen of the reporto-
rial stall OF the Dispatch to take saddle for
Penitentlary Bottom and the hill beyond
Where the arrival of so many good.looking
cided sensation. The said staff very soon
sifted the conflicting accounts of the row.
and ascertalned the facts of the case to be
OF character by no means so serious as
had been appreheudcd. 1t was q repettion
of the story of the three black crows.
1t seems that Martin Shine, worthy
man, an account of whose death by drown
ing was published yesterday, was born in
the Catholic Church, and had never re-
nounced his connection with that denom!-
nation. He had, however, married a lady
who is prominent and consistent member
of the Methodist Church. During his mar
ricd life he IS known to have attended both
churches quite frequently, and being q
moral and benevolent nun, always treated
the ministerial representatives of all de-
nominations with respect and kindness.
The consequence was that when be was so
suddenly hurled into eternity, q question
arose rs to whether the fuueral should be
conducted under Catholic or Protestant
auspices.
Notice was given in the papers yesterday
that the obscquieS would take place at the
Oregon Hill Methodist Church, OF which
the Rev. Jalnes +. Gates is pastor. This
caused offence to the Catholic friends of the
deceased, who believed that it would have
been more in consonance with his ideas if
Catholic priest otliciated, and who were
anxious that the body be buried in soil
conSecrated by the Church in which he was
born. They therefore gathered in groups
in the ncighDorhood Of the house in which
the corpse lay, and one or two vehcmently
protested that it should have Catholic
burial.
The Methodists were now aroused, and a
delegation of them, headed by Deacon w.
Ii. Scott, visited the widow of Mr. Shine,
and lnterrO@atcd her as to their wishes, at
the same time expressing their intention to
carry them out whatever they were. Mrs.
Shine, in response, said that she was anX-
ious that her husband should be buried in
accordance with Protestant usage, and
stated that a few weeks ago. when sick, he
remarked that when he died he wished Mr..
Gates to preach his funeral sermon ut the
Methodist Church OH the Hill. Miss Shine,
however, who was present, strongly favor
cd Catholic burial.
BY this time the hour for the funeral ar
rived, and Protestant nei9hborS to the
number OF ten or more assembled mt the
house and escorted the corpse to the church.
The Catholics thcrcupon retired short
distance, and the anticipated attack was
not made. At the church there was
Il good congregation. A sermon was
preached by Mr.. Gates, and the pull
pit was also occupied by two other
Methodist preachers, the Rev. Messrs.
Petherbridse and Sale, both friends of
the family of the deceased. As the fune-
ral procession left the house there was
a runor that a body Of mon had stationed
themselves at the gate of the cemetery,
with view to getting possession of the
body. Most of the gentlemen, therefore,
went on out TO Hollywood; but the report
proved canard, and the remains were
buried in decent and orderly manner.
so it will be seen that there was more
smoke than fire about the aiftir, nOtwith-
standing the attempts Of certain persons to
get up "A row by talc-bearing and eXaggera-
tion. Both Catholics and Protestants be-
the intervention Of the police.