The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-03-04
REV. u. W. FISHER.
An Interesting Letter From Down the
River.

An Interesting Letter From Down IL,
River.
MADISON, ISD,, February 20, 1870.
Editors IntOlgenceF.
Some years ago the Legislature Of Ken,
lucky dishonored itself by lcgalizing lot.
terry, for the benefit Of Stu @ library, Ia
be located at Louisville. The name Of the
late Governor Bramlette figured conspic.
uously in connection with its management,
and was intended to give it eciai. The
present condition of that enterprise, so far
MS it is possible to ascertain ANYTHING
about it, is just such as usually terminates
a lottery, even when proiessedly conduct.
ed in tho interest Of some useful public in.
slitution, and by men whose character
might have been supposed to be a guaran.
tee against I'M abuse OF the trust rcposel
in them. Everything seems 10 be mex.
tricably confused, with the prospect that
the chief gamers may be certain persons
who manipulated the affair; and That the
library and the foolish people who bought
chances will be left at their leisure to re-.
pent OF their confidence in such methods
OF making money. So far as can make It
out, the end promises to be Just what every
opponent OF these denominations would
have predicted.
A NEW LOTTERY-ARCIBIslIop rERCELL's
FAILURE.
The Kentucky lottery might have sui.
feed for the present in this general region,
But II the legal barriers can be gotten Out
OF tho way We are soon to be treated 10
another. The new enterprise il to be
located in the city OF Cincinnati, and il il
to DO sort of saCred affair, on gigantic
scale. Everybody has seen notices OF the
financial failure Of Archbishop Purcell
When it was first announced he was nm.
able to meet his liabilities it was intimatcd
that they might amount to about $500 900
Asyet no authorized statement has been
made as to the correct figures; utitseems
TO be conceded that the failure will be for
not less than S4,000,000 What the assets
will be is still more obscure. Much Of the
money was spent upon churches and other
,ditices connected with the work Of the
iiocese. 1t is question in law whether
his property can be used 10 pay the debts.
Even il it could be so used the German
threaten serious resistance upon
he ground that they have been slight
Oeneticiaries Of the money which was
spent. Their attitude is good deal like
.hatOf West Virginia in regard 10 the old
State debt Of Virginia.
How THE FAILURE OCCURRED.
Many persons will naturally inquire
now it is that the Bishop has failed for 50
Arge an amount. So far us ! nm aware,
nobody utimates that he has dishonesty
used the funds which have come into his
hands. Protestants and Roman Catholics
concur in their belief in the integrity of
his purpose. But the more the matter is
probed the more his financial unwisdom
becomes apparent. lie has been Bishop
since 1888, and ! believe that during that
entire period, like many of the Cccesias.
ties OF his church, he has been in the habit
Of receiving the deposits Of his people and
paying them q reasonable interest. The
money which was thus received having
been largely spent on churches and similar
therefore became unavailable us
nssets. So long rs deposits came in with
sufficient volume the interest could be
paid. But it in many cases WINS
compounded, and by law which is well
the principal of these debts
doubled every twelve years. 1t was in
evitablc that sooner or latsr q tremendous
crush should occur. One can only be
amazed that It was not iorcsecn,-ii really
it was unforeseen. All that was nee
essary toprcCipitatG the evil day was the
future OF II few OF the large creditors to
whom the money not spent on buildings
had been lent. This occurred. Certain
merchants who were borrowers from the
Bishop, could not meet their liabilities.
Ele as consequence had to suspend. The
outcome is this immense debt owed
largely to people who cannot afford to lose
their deposits, and who OF course, are
anxious to obtain their money. The
strangest feauture OF the whole matter, is
that, so the newspapers say, there WIS no
regular system Of bookkeeping observed
by the brother OF the Bishop, who acted
rs Treasurer for this vast fund.
RESIGNATION or Tug RIsHoP.
The case Is both sud and porple4ing.
The misfortune OF tho Bishop has led him
to offer his resignation, but il has not been
accepted by the powers ut Rome. 1t IL
even said that he mas been notified that it
would be ''inopportune" to accept 1.-THE
expression which he used when he OPP.
posed the adoption OF tho dogma OF papAl
infallibility at tho Vatican U0uDGiI. lie
said that it was ''inopportune." Now his
word is hurled back in his own face. To
mock this old man in his humiliation with
this expression would be the very refine.
mont OF cruelty. 1t would he unworthy
OF a man Of deoonpy to be guilty OF such
an act.
Tng DIFFICULTY or TIE SITUATION.
The friends Of tho Bishop have, over
since the crash came, been enlcavorlng to
fall upon some scheme which might lift
him out OF his difficulties and pay the
debt, At first it was confidently announc.
ed that the whole affair would soon be
satisfactorily arranged. Two things, how.
ever, have blocked the way. One Is tbs
constant swelling Of the figures Of the
debt. Four hundred thousand doIlurs
could DO managed, but four millions o.
more are quite another hing. The Other
Is reluctance OF Il part OF tho people al
the dlocese-pspecially the Germans tC
put their hands into their pockets aud
assist.
TnE rLAS or RELIEF.
Last week the priests OF the diocese put
their heads together and devised The
scheme oil q lottery. Committees were
appoipted-one to labor with the Lcgisla
tuf0 OF Ohio to repeal laws which stand il
the way, and Others 10 perform other partI
connected with the plan. And so, ii !
can be accomplished, we are 10 have auoth
or lottery in this Regional sort Of sacre,
Amir, BY the side OF which that which i
| al n nmisuilln ill sink into inairni