The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-07-06
THE WARDS ISLAND CHURCH TROUBLE.


In the interest OF truth, and for the information
OF your readers, desire to correct the misstate-
ments contained in the communication OF ex-Com-
missioner Willy WaIlach, published in your issue
OF last Sunday, concerning the Catholic chapel on
Wards Island and the proceedings OF the late
Board Of Commissioners Of Emigration In relation
to It.
Referring to the communication Of Commissioner
Lynch In your issue Of the 22d inst In which an
extract was given from the last annual report OF
the commissioners OF Emigration, showing that all
the commissioners adopted and signed and swore
to the report and that thereby they acquiesced IN
the action OF the Board in appropriatng the chapel
10 the use OF the Catholic inmates Mr.. Wallach
says:-When ne (the Secretary reached the
papers (sfc) on page referring to 1.-THE erection OF
the Catholic chapel, Mr.. Kaufman objected TO
the word Catholic and on his motion IL was
stricken OUT" that "the papers fstc, on pages 10
and II, referred to by Mr.. Lynch In his communities
ton, were objected to by on the ground that the
Board had never decided that the chapel should be
devoted exclusively to the Roman Catholic SER
vice. discussion took place on this issue, in
which Mr. Lynch took an active part" and the
matter was finally settled by the President d.
Iectng the Secretary to strike out from the report
all special reference to 30 Catholic chapel. leaving
only the plain statement that the chapel was COM
peted In December and IL now in use.
In order that the whole subject may be clearly
understood will here give in full the paragraphs
on pages and 10 referred to by Commissioner
this balance there spent during the year.
for completion Of The gas works for account Of the Lu-
tension, e Hospital 6aiainss ana division BE-
and Cor. Ct a
somplstsd ssi December and now use The .rec rec.
mSn OF s BUILDING H due to the fact that the room tor
sdspted the purpose T Se
R
as the Ssrsery Building The
giving Way the floor or stairway Or ' rom
S"dna for fSs ns% Ss
ing while .,r being strHetnrs Is built in the
was the secretary referred to by Mr.. Wallach)
OF the Commission at the meeting when these
paragraphs passed the Board, and can state the
facts in reference to them and how they came to
exist In their present shape. The proceedings
were in regular form throughout. The whole pro-
paragraph each Commissioner following me by q
duplicate copy before him. After the reading Of
portunity was Afforded for discussion and amend.
ment. All suggestions and motions were regularly
put BY the President ana acted on by the Board
ana the action taken thereon announced by the
President, who. when there was material altera-
ton, would direct the paragraph amended to be
this building was referred to a Catholic chapel
one on page and two in successive sentences OF q
".
When the first OF these paragraphs at page was
read 1t was contrary to what Reconnaissance
Wallach asserts, adopted without any change
whatever, and 1t stands in the printed report in
the precise form, word for word as it was read by
me and passed by the Board. 1t was not at this
stage at all, but six pages further on after the
reading OF the paragraph on page 10 (Which re.
mains exactly the same as l read 1t on that day.
followed the word achapen on the first line,' that
Mr.. Kaufman made his motion, which was that
the words 'for the Catholic inmates" after the
n in fhn Gro lima f,s,Il
out and went on to make some remarks in support
OF that motion. The motion was seconded by
Der which Of them. Both appeared equally eager
for the honor, and for one, should not like to de-
prive either OF them of 10.
Alter some discussion, in which Mr., Wallach took
an acuve part ana MI. Lynch made some remarks
on the other side as the sentiment OF the majority
that it was not material that the word catholic"
should be retained in this sentence inasmuch as
the sentence simply referred to part OF the pre-
vions years report, in which was the following
renovated during the year and now furnishes ali
needml accommodation to inmates OF that religious
belief But the Catholic chapel has proved much
too small and 1t has been decided To erect q larger
building IN the Spring." Ano no objection being
made to striking II out he announced that
superintendent Will now read the paragraph as
amended" whereupon proceeded to read and did
read 1t, word ior word as It Is quoted above, and
transmitted to the Senate and Assembly and as it
Is correctly printed in the published report. The
President then said, in the form observed by him
throughout the reading, "there being no further
objection the paragraph, as amended, is adopted"
and directed me to proceed to the next paragraph
which did without objection, Mr. Wallach, Mr.
Forrest and Mr. Kaufman being all present My
remembrance OF this matter Is particularly distinct
and Tor q specific reason.
The subject had not only come up at previous
meetings, but both the antiCathOllc and the other
themselves IN my presence, and thus knowing the
temper of the Board, had fully expected that
determined effort would be made to strike out the
word Catholic wherever used in reference to this
chapel, and that 1t would be met by an equally
determined resistance. No opposition however,
was made to the word where 1t appears first in
the paragraph, on page 4, and, although some
what surprised, accounted for 1t at the time by
supposing that the anti Catholic members did not
deem Its presence there OF any moment, it being
used there only to denote the building as one on
which portion OF the surplus moneys Of the
Commission had been expended during the year,
and not to indicate the to which it
was to be devoted. But when Mr.. Kaufman moved
graph on page 10, l supposed that this would be
followed by similar motion to strike 1t out in the
following sentence Also and on this looked Tor a
contest When that motion was not made, even
on the second reading, l was much astonisheu,
especially In view Of the luminosity which had been
shown on other occasions regarding the matter.
This fixed the proceedings OF the day especially in
my memory. tradition to this, however, have
had before me IN writing this, not only the report
Sef, but one OF the very proof copies used at the
meeting on which is noted, in the handwriting OF
one OF the Commissioners the same correction as
AT any rate, If the anti-Cath0iic element in the
Board committed an inadvertence at that meeting
there was ample notice OF 1t afterwards. For
within two OF three days, by instruction OF the
President. sent printed revised proofs of the
tire report, as adopted at that meeting, to each
one OF the commissioners. Mr.. Forrest immedl-
ately called at Castle Garden spoke of the reten-
ton or the word Catholic" where it now appears
In the paragraph on page 10, cited above, and said
II mad been stricken out OF the report that such
had been the intention told him distinctly that.
Whatever was the intention, the word had been
stricken out in the first sentence only, aud left in
where he found 1t in the revised proof,
and that 1t must remain in the report
unless the Board otherwise ordered. Mr..
Forrest Mr. Wallach and Mr. Kaufman
were uplt on the subject OF this chapel and in
almost daily communication, and could have had
meeting OF the Board called, simply on their joint
request and this whole matter considered anew.
AZ they never took that, nor indeed any action In
the premises, they may have committed an i'm
policy, but can hardly plead mistake allege any
fault but their own.
Ex-Commissoner wallach asserts that all special
reference to q Catholic chapel" was stricken out