New-York tribune., 1873-06-20
AN EXTRAORDINARY TRIAL.
A CARDINAL IN THE WITNESS BOX.

CULLEN.
IFRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBuNEI
DUBIIN. Nav 20.-I came up from Belfast
Friday 10 see a sight such never seen in Ireland
hefore-a Roman Cardinal prince OF the church. IN the
witness box, examined and crOSseNamined before 4
mixed jury Of laymen as to his treatment OF Prest
the Rev. NJ OKeee. He is the defendant IN an action
for libel brought him for issuing document sus
pendnV Father OKcee Parish Priest Of Callau, and
causing IL 20 be made publicly known those whom It
copcerned and also for laying the Parish under an in
ferdict when the Priest proved oOutumacious and the
people continued 20 adhere 20 him They told that
the masses he celebrated and the he admin
isered were all null and void worthless and sacregiOus
These documents inflicted damage on Mr.. O'Keeie's
character caused many Of his parishiOners to iali
away from him. and seriously diminished his income
FUr these injuries Mr.. O'Keefe claimed compensation
from ajury Of his couutrymen. He was lucky enough
to the Bench Judge in the case the boru
ChefJustce whiteside, gentleman who though ne
defended OCOnne and tainted in the arms OF his Nus
trous client az the conclusion Of an impassoneu speech
English misrule IN ireland, was for many years inc
most partisan and anrish OF all the Tory members oi
the House Of Commons the days of Sir Charles
Weatheral. Besides in the parliamentary discussions
and ecsops on the demurrer. he had differed from the
three Roman Catholic judges his colleagues in the Court
OF Queens Bench to the admissblity of the Popes
rcsrpt as in favor Of the Cardinal on the plea
of privilege.
Here there an interesting situation for the future
historical novelist As cotemporaTy chronicer ana
eyewitness help him conceive the picture, for
sat beside jury in the gallery just opposite the
witness box. The court crowded with select
audience, including large number OF priests aud few
ladies the galleries The members of the bar, with
their and gowns on, filed all their own seats the
counsel engaged in the case, except the juniors
pyng the bench called the Inner Bar The Chief Justice
clothed in eruine and fully conscious Of the dignity OF
his Office does all he preserve 1t but he some
times fails from the excitabnty OF his temperament,
winch mixture Of the and the saugIine, his
pale thin features, by their quick changes OF color be-
traying the emotions that agitate him and make him
restless aud impatient This sometimes gives an advan
tage Nh. Butt and Sergeant Armstrong, who do not
always treat him with the respect which his position de
mands. He Is acute, though not profound
lawyer and considering that he all his life an
excessively strong partisan, and that his intellect
Is weakest IN the judicial faculty, he has proved eff
Cieut Judge. and he generally decides fairly Iu the
recent libel case however Saunus at. Finlay, propri
etor Of The Northern Whig, his partality toward the
Land agent was marked that order for trial
has been obtained, the ground Of msdrecOn OF the
Jury. lie far 10 maintain that landlord or
ms agent has perfect right to refuse TO sell or eta
place Of worship, Catholic Protestant If il
good to him doom the population OF the local
iy 10 spiritual dcstituton. It Is worth remembering
also that this former ardent champion OF Protestant
asccndancy the author Of a work Italy in which
the PapIcy is not spared. He is g. years OF age.
The greater portion of Saturday occupied by the
conclusion OF the speech Of Sergeant Armstrong to the
Jury. With the uuwarrantable license in which adyO
GATES here permitted indulge, he overwhelmed
poor Father O'Keefe with torrent of vituperaon far
surprising the English Attorney General against OrtOn
IN the abusive epithets. While he speaking
the Cardinal quietly entered and took his place the
under the bench occupied by the officers of the
Court. Nonotice taken OF him.
PauI Cuen, Cardinal Archbishop Of Dublin, called
the drs witness for the defense priest beside me
said 10 gave him great pain TO appear such capacity
We can easily believe that 1t is understood that his
lat visit was consult with the Propaganda
tie eXpeGeucy Of doing At all events ne de
cdcd wisely for the interests OF his Church He might
have Irt Judgment 60 by default and paid whatever
damages jury might award against him, thereby
>ertus the dignity of his office as a Prince
Of the Church. But against this course
several important reasons might he urged.
Father OKccfe would obtain another signal triumph
The thr fourth the OF these contentious
wh his Ecclesiastical superiOr 10 would be said that
the Cardinal. the delegate or deputy of foreign
prince held himself 10 be above the law-standnG at
mead OF an Igperiua ImDerO in this realm. The
impression among PTUcstants would be strengthened,
that De was the agent OF cruel despOtsm, strength
encd, not established by the Vatican Council, which
enabled him, the delegate OF the inialble Pope. tO
crush the liberties rights Of the parish priests, and
even the bishops. overriding the law, aud ruling
the Church in spirit Of thorough absOlutism.
All eyes eagerly directed toward the Cardinal az
De- slOly asceuded the platform and stood beside the
wijncss's chair while the New Testament put into !
lis hand and the Official said Tather fppsnty then
suunc bis seaO: The answers you shan give 10 the
Court and the Jury shall be the truth the whole truth
and nothing Dut the truth, help you Cod" Think OF
such language addressed by young Protestant Official
20 Cardinal, delegate OF the Vicar Of Christ! The /
book was hurredy kissed, and handed back. HIS |
E1iueuce then quietly took hi, There a fine
subject for picture. Toe deusey-crowdod court, the
jury galleries each side, The public gallery in mont
with the fat courcrier, coOped in ms cage the barris
tcrs in their costume filling the middle OF the court
The side passages througed with gentlemen standing !
and guarded by police the Lord ChiefJustce alone |
the bench. looking grave possible the grand
central figure OF the Cardinal attracting every eye with
long black robe reaching down TO his feet his small
red cap, placed back his head, his scarlet |
apron, MS cham and cross, and his ring, which
the faithful wealthy, and highborn proud o ueel
down aud kiss His presence is very venerable. He
has remarkably hne fOrehead-high, broad, and nOb!y
afched-udicatng benevOence, veneratiOn, and ideal
it's although there not a CLEAN Of fancy imagua-
his writings speeches His face is full smooth,
norid aud unwiiuked with the healthy hue OF temper
ance quite different from the Weagor physiOgnOmy Of
Dr. Newman or Archbishop Manning The expression
Of the Cardinal is quiet placid, rather heavy, but de-
tcTlinod lie speaks always as the conscious organ OF
M ufalnDle Church, and missing opportunity 10 as
scr ~ claims. Thus when asked whether the Pope has
a night nterposs directly IN the government OF the
Church in all countries nc answered: Prom the day
that Jesus Christ said Peter Thou art Peter and
1his rock viii build Iny Church. tin the last Vatican
Council the Pope always had the right to rule di
Iccy personally part OF the Catholic Church"
II his case were 70 De determined By phrenology a
jury " pcrs m that science would have no difficulty
iu giving a verdict the Cardinal Mr.. OKeefe sat be-
hind the witness. and had good opportunity OF COM
pairing their IL Is about 60 years Of He Is
he nas NJ