The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-03


ment In the entire island and in Harlem. Such.
sir is the whole story"
.Now, may ask sir, what Is your average congre-
From seven to nine hundred and thousand
people. The Roman Catholics OF the ,a, Sol IsenS
Home the inesriat s,,a Asy t iS charch.n
SIS there a law of the Catholic Church against
allowing the performance OF divine worsmlP ac
cordinp to the Protestant rule IN the same edlnceW
eyes. sir It would according to our canons, be
a consecrated church. no longer tps0 Jdct0 l
would be obliged to remove the blessed sacrament
:.Now, may ask, what Is the maximum Protes-
tant congregation on the island !"
sometimes seven and nine In Summer. Before the
present Catholic church was erected the Commits
unexpectedly and found in the Protestant church
ten tSe Saasr anS In ny GG At p0f Unse
lie ediace. Finally, al the interior decorations
Of the cnarchwSTe ss 20omy congregation and
there is penty Of room IN the & on WarSs
Island for the different Congregations to worship
in separate buildings as they have for the past
to US to be progressing backwards, and we say let
well alone. You have no idea OF the feeling IN REFER
ence TO TINS matter on the island at present c
the reverend gentleman the salient points, bade
him good night and withdrew. He subsequently
surgeon OF the institution for seventeen years. and
who has always been applied to for testimony at
Department s Of WSrd,s Island. From the following
conversation with DR.. Dwyer 1t Will be seen that n
MS opinion the new Commissioners OF Emigration
would do well to turn their attention to the
secular government OF the Island:-
DIR. JOHN DwYER's STORY.
doctor. what position DO you hold In TINS nos
ii am the surgeon.n
would you please give me your Views OF
this church matter, 80 much talked about 7"
~ was very glad to find that the Commissioners
had built church for the Catholics, which my
berins up six nights Of stairs It is great COM
fort for them. l am sixteen years connected with
this hospital, with the exception OF one year.
was absent at the war as Surgeon OF the New York
Dix was S at one time my army Corps gen
about religious sssr matters until Mr. waacs
became a member OF the Commission; he was on
the old Bsoard he not member her now but ne
sets every one by the ears think he likes re-
ligious fight. am sorry that the Commissioners
Ole congregations for there Is to-day great ex-
ctment among the patients and people. There
h mere
.Was there not investigation into Wards
Island matters held at Castle Garden by the Com
ayes, there have been several Investigations.
One was held last February. The testimony was
taken under oath. IL related to the character Of
the food. the manner Of purchasing supplies &c.
1t developed that the Warden and some other Of
fcers drew unlimited supplies from the store free
OF ink TO bottle of champagne, cigars, brandy,
turkeys, &C. The doctors pay for all their food.
They are the only officers who pay The Warden,
In addition to his salary which IS $3.0O0 gets free
servants and board and ne also purchases all sup
plies for the island; they amount, perhaps, to
500. 900 per annum."
''How is 1t that the present Warden was retained
after that Investigations"
~ do not know exactly. The old Board perhaps
did not like to turn him out, they were legslated
out themselves; but he may be retained by the
new Board; he is very plausible man, AL things
to all menu
.'Have any changes been made yet9''
'Yes. The first official dccapitatiOn has been that
of Mr.. Sexton, the steward Ne was well known for
the past twenty years as steward OF the island; an
honest, hard -working man. Mr. Sexton gave, In
my opinion, truthful but damaging testimony
against Welles most people here think that is the
reason he was the first to suffer. Mr.. Sexton got
no warning; he was not even asked to resign"
''Wees was retained in Office here by Tweed
and Ingersoll. There is some family relation be-
leve, between him and lngersollY'
''Tnere is a ring on Wards Island, of which he is
the head, and in the administration OF the govern
room Tor Improvement / say this learlessly,
Though know that my own head Is In danger No
complaints have ever been made against my hospi-
tai; but this religious quarrel has made me heartily
sick. / have seen poor old women Cry bitterly
here to-day.n
The reporter subsequently called at the office ofMr
Downing the librarian attached to the Protestant
church, and learned there that some times only ten
people attended church, that never more than $50
nave been present at divine service there and that
the building mas never been more than half full.